About me
Welcome
Choosing a therapist can feel daunting, particularly when you're already struggling. You may know you need support but be unsure where to begin, what to expect, or what kind of therapy might help.
Qualifications and experience matter, but so does the relationship you have with your therapist. You need to feel comfortable enough to be yourself and feel understood.
I have worked as a therapist since 2011 and in private practice since 2015. I offer therapy in Cupar, Fife, and online via Zoom.
When talking isn't enough
Sometimes we can understand our difficulties intellectually without feeling any closer to changing how we feel.
You may feel anxious, overwhelmed or constantly on edge. Your heart may race, you may struggle to settle or relax, or you may feel shut down or disconnected. You might find yourself reacting strongly to things that seem small, or repeating patterns you don't fully understand.
This can happen following trauma or prolonged stress.
As well as being a counsellor, I am a somatic trauma therapist with extensive training in trauma. When appropriate, our work can include paying attention to what is happening in your body alongside your thoughts and emotions.
Sometimes the body communicates what words cannot. We can gently notice sensations, tension, breathing and physical responses, helping you recognise patterns and develop a greater sense of choice and control.
We don't need to rush into difficult material. Your safety, choice and pace are important.
What brings you here?
Perhaps something specific has happened, or you're going through a difficult period, relationship problem, loss or crisis.
Or perhaps there is no obvious reason. You may simply feel that something isn't right — that you're anxious, stuck, disconnected or overwhelmed, or that life has lost some of its meaning.
You may be living with trauma, chronic stress, anxiety or panic, or struggling with relationships, shame or low self-worth.
Perhaps you've spent years coping and “soldiering on”, but that way of managing no longer feels possible.
Whatever brings you to therapy, you don't need to have everything figured out first.
My approach
My work draws particularly on psychodynamic therapy, somatic trauma therapy and mindfulness.
Psychodynamic therapy can help us understand how earlier experiences may influence the way you relate to yourself and others, and why certain patterns may continue in the present.
Somatic trauma work brings attention to the ways difficult experiences can affect the body and nervous system.
Mindfulness can help you become more aware of thoughts, feelings and physical responses as they happen.
I don't believe there is one approach that works for everyone. I adapt our work to you, your circumstances and what feels helpful and manageable.
Therapy is a collaboration. You remain in charge of what you bring, what we explore and how far we go.
I have also undertaken extensive training in dream work and can incorporate this where dreams or nightmares are important to you.
Who I work with
I work with adults aged 18 and over and welcome people from all backgrounds, whether this is your first experience of therapy or you've had counselling before.
I have particular experience and interest in supporting people with:
Trauma and the effects of difficult or overwhelming experiences
Anxiety, panic and chronic stress
Depression, low mood or loss of meaning
Feeling stuck, overwhelmed or disconnected
Relationship and family difficulties
Shame, unworthiness or self-criticism
Work-related stress
A little about me
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked for many years as a teacher with children and adults. Since 2011, I have worked as a therapist, helping people reconnect with their strengths, resilience and individual ways of being.
I have worked across different languages and cultures and have experience of educational environments where people can struggle to have their abilities and needs recognised.
I have also experienced therapy myself. This has given me a personal understanding of how difficult it can be to ask for help and of the possibility of change.
Practical details
Location: Cupar, Fife, Scotland, or online via Zoom
Sessions: 60 minutes
Frequency: Weekly
Age: Adults aged 18 and over
Fee: £65 per session
Concessions: Some available
Taking the first step
You don't need to be at breaking point before asking for support, and you don't need to know exactly what you need from therapy.
If you're unsure whether I might be the right therapist for you, I offer a free 20-minute initial conversation by telephone or online.
It's an opportunity to talk briefly about what you're looking for, ask any questions and get a sense of whether we might be able to work together.
There is no obligation to continue.
If you feel I might be someone you could work with, I invite you to arrange a free initial conversation.
Training, qualifications & experience
- PgDIp Counselling – Edinburgh University
- Certificate in Somatic Trauma Therapy – Babette Rothschild
- Certificate in Somatic Trauma Therapy – School of Holistic Therapy
- Certificate in Embodied Psychotherapy – Institute of Embodied Psychotherapy
- Certificate in Essentials of Dreamwork – Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (CCPE)
- Certificate in Advanced Dreamwork – Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (CCPE)
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Boarding school experiences and privileged abandonment or neglect
- Cross-cultural issues
- Crises or breakdowns
- Processing experiences that lie outside of consensus reality
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I have a limited number of concession spaces available, please let me know if you are genuinely unable to afford the full fee
When I work
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Further information
It’s natural to feel uncertain about starting therapy. The initial session—without any obligation to continue—provides a space to explore what’s troubling you, reflect on where you might like support, and see whether working together feels helpful. This first meeting takes the form of an assessment, during which I will gather some personal history.
If we both feel it would be beneficial to continue, we would agree on an initial block of sessions (usually six) and set a regular meeting time. These sessions give us the opportunity to explore what you would like to address and help us both decide whether continuing beyond this initial period would be helpful.
I work in Cupar and in Edinburgh, both my offices are quiet, dedicated spaces and both are centrally located. I also offer sessions online.
My fee is £65 per one-hour therapy session. I also offer a limited number of concessions if you are genuinely unable to afford the full fee.
