About me
When life feels overwhelming, therapy should feel steady and approachable. I offer a calm, contained space for children (from age 6), teenagers, adults, and parents. My work is neuro-affirming and trauma-informed, with particular expertise in autism and ADHD — diagnosed or not.
I support clients with anxiety, low mood, identity, sleep difficulties, school stress, work stress, relationships, family tension and neurodivergent burnout. My style is warm, practical and adaptable, helping therapy feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
I also lead the Borders’ largest specialist counselling service for young people, overseeing a team of therapists and hundreds of sessions each year. This gives me a broad understanding of the pressures facing young people, parents, families and adults seeking the right therapeutic support.
Alongside this, I am experienced in working thoughtfully with clients where privacy, discretion or public-facing roles need to be held carefully in mind.
People come to my private practice through a range of routes, including direct enquiries from adults, parents and families, as well as signposting from GPs, CAMHS clinicians, schools and other professionals.
Children & Young People (6-18)
I work with children from age 6 and young people, with specialist experience in autism, ADHD and related sensory, emotional and behavioural needs.
Common areas I support include:
- Anxiety, low mood and overwhelm
- School non-attendance and academic pressure
- Social media use, late-night scrolling and difficulty switching off
- Sensory overload, shutdowns, meltdowns or masking
- Self-harm and suicidal thoughts
- Friendship and peer difficulties
- Sleep challenges linked to stress or neurodivergence
For younger children, sessions are creative and play-based (LEGO, drawing, sensory materials). For teenagers, talking therapy, structured work and gaming-based approaches (PS5/Xbox) can be integrated where helpful.
Parents & Families
Parent consultations offer space to step back, understand what is happening beneath the surface and plan practical strategies.
Sessions often focus on:
- Supporting families to establish calmer evenings and steadier sleep routines
- Helping parents find workable approaches to screens and social media
- Reducing household stress linked to school or routines
- Aligning parenting responses to reduce conflict
- Understanding neurodivergent patterns such as shutdowns, burnout, masking or sensory needs
Many parents report feeling more confident and less pressured after a few focused meetings.
Adults & Neurodivergence
Alongside my work with young people, I also support adults – both neurotypical and neurodivergent – with a particular specialism in autism and ADHD. Many of my adult clients come to therapy to explore:
- Burnout, masking, identity or late-recognised neurodivergence
- Anxiety, depression or social/relationship difficulties
- Executive functioning challenges
- Work, study and life transitions
- Sleep disruption and circadian rhythm issues
My approach is neuro-affirming, trauma-informed, and carefully paced to reduce overwhelm. A formal diagnosis is not required – I also work with clients who self-identify or are exploring the possibility of being neurodivergent.
How I Work
My approach is integrative and flexible, drawing from:
- Psychodynamic therapy — understanding deeper patterns
- Humanistic and relational approaches — fostering safety and connection
- CBT-based methods — practical strategies for anxiety, sleep and stress
- Creative/play-based work — LEGO, art, metaphor and gaming where helpful
- Trauma-informed practice — steady pacing and predictable structure
- Neuro-affirming adjustments — therapy adapts to the client
Sessions may include movement breaks, flexible seating, reduced eye contact or structured communication, depending on need.
Next Steps
Book a free 20-minute introductory phone or video call to help you decide whether working together feels right.
You’re welcome to get in touch even if you’re unsure what you need — we can talk through what might be most helpful.
Training, qualifications & experience
Core qualification
- BACP Approved Higher National Diploma in Counselling
Advanced training
- Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Children, Young People & Families — Human Development Scotland
Additional training
- Trauma-informed practice
- Working with young people and the effects of trauma
- Counselling clients with autism & neurodiversity
- ADOS-2 clinical training in autism and neurodevelopmental assessment.
- Self-harm (person-centred)
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
- Child Protection & Safeguarding
- Food and Mood (gut–brain axis)
I regularly incorporate creative methods such as LEGO-based work and therapeutic gaming.
Member organisations
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
Sleep & Regulation
- Sleep difficulties, including those linked to anxiety, autism or ADHD
- Difficulties winding down, late-night scrolling and overstimulation
School & Daily Life
- School non-attendance and the pressures behind avoidance
- Stress around routines, transitions and academic expectations
Behaviour & Emotional Expression
- Behaviours that feel “out of character” or hard to manage
- Hitting out, aggression or repetitive patterns
- Understanding the emotional or sensory roots of these behaviours
Neurodivergence & Sensory Needs
- Autistic burnout — recognising early signs and developing recovery strategies
- Sensory sensitivities and the impact on daily life
- Masking, shutdowns, overwhelm, and derealisation — often experienced as feeling disconnected or ‘unreal’
Mind–Body Connection
- IBS and gut–brain difficulties
- Physical symptoms with no clear medical cause where the impact is real — often experienced as pain or functional difficulty
Parent Support
- Psychoeducation around child and adolescent mental health
- Guidance for parents navigating autism, ADHD and related challenges
Therapies offered
Fees
£65.00 - £80.00
Additional information
- Children, young people, and adults: £65 per 50-minute session (online or in-person)
- Parent/carer consultations, joint and family sessions: £80 per 50-minute session (online or in-person)
- Written work (letters, reports, forms or summaries) requested outside of sessions is charged at my standard hourly rate, calculated pro-rata. This will always be discussed and agreed in advance.
I offer a free 20-minute introductory phone or video call to help you decide whether working together feels right.
I currently operate a short waiting list. You are very welcome to get in touch if you would like to discuss working together, and we can arrange a brief initial conversation to explore what you’re hoping for and whether I would be the right fit. If appropriate, I can then offer the next available regular session when a space becomes available.
Further information
I work both online and in person (Kelso, Galashiels and Hawick).
My practice is neuro-affirming and trauma-informed. Sessions may include:
- Sensory-aware adjustments - such as flexible seating, movement breaks, or reduced eye contact.
- Choice in communication - whether talking, drawing, using metaphors, or a more structured approach.
- Flexibility in pace and structure - recognising that some clients need more predictability while others benefit from openness.
- A steady pace - to reduce overwhelm
Where helpful and with consent, I can also liaise with schools, GPs, CAMHS specialists, or other professionals to ensure joined-up support around a young person, individual, or family.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Data Protection Reference: ZC091604
