About me
Essentially, counselling and psychotherapy offers us an opportunity to learn about ourselves. And none more so than when faced with the emotional challenges that are often part of everyday life.
At these times we may feel on our own, stuck and unsure of which way to turn. It may also be difficult to find someone we can trust and who will understand, or, in such a busy world, someone who has the time to listen.
This is when as a counsellor and a psychotherapist can help. I offer a calm, caring, safe, respectful and confidential, space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings. This can be done by considering your life experiences, but also who you are as a human being; your dreams, desires, values, aspirations and hopes for the future.
"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." C.G. Jung.
There are as many reasons for seeking counselling or psychotherapy as there are people. It might be that you have been feeling sad and upset for a while, or you may have experienced a recent stressful event or painful anniversary. Maybe you have noticed that your past and present experiences appear to be somehow interlinked, or that old patterns are getting in the way of the changes you want to make in your life.
Whichever are your concerns, I believe everyone, including you, is special and unique. Therefore, it is important to consider you as a whole and individual person, including the 'symptom' or the initial reason that led you to seek out counselling or therapy. It may also be important to consider the community in which you live and work, and the wider environment and world view.
It is only through self-discovery and working out our difficulties, be that problems with relationships, depression, anxiety or stress, that we get to learn about ourselves and truly understand how we want to live our life.
"It is a joy to be hidden, but a disaster not to be found." D. Winnicott
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a fully trained counsellor and psychotherapist. I completed a rigorous five year postgraduate psychotherapy training at Westminster Pastoral Foundation (WPF) Therapy, one of the leading academic and clinical training institutions in the UK (now closed). The training is accredited by the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the University of Roehampton.
I have also undertaken further training in Supervision at the British Psychotherapy Foundation (BPF); Transitions: Adolescence Into Adulthood at the Society of Analytical Psychology (SAP); and Relationship/Couple Therapy at the Tavistock Relationships Clinic.
I offer individual and couples/two person therapy at my private practice. I am also a supervisor and training supervisor at Waterloo Community Counselling.
Originally, I trained as an artist and illustrator. After a number of years working freelance, I went on to develop community art projects.
"The art of people is a true mirror of their minds." Jawaharlal Nehru
My approach to counselling and psychotherapy focuses on you as a whole person and what you bring to each session, each week. With that in mind, we would then start to try to make sense of what underlies your thoughts and feelings, and the difficulties you are experiencing. This may not be easy, and it might mean that it takes time to come to terms with things. Hopefully, we then begin to discover new perspectives and possibilities.
"Keep speaking the years from their hiding places
keep coughing up smoke from all the deaths you have died
keep the rage tender
because the soft season will come
it will come."
Nayyirah Waheed
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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£75.00 - £130.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I offer individual therapy, relationship/couples therapy, and supervision..
Individual Therapy:
I offer open-ended counselling and psychotherapy which lasts for as long as you need, and short-term for around 12 sessions. Each session lasts for 50 minutes and is at the same time on the same day each week.
I offer therapy on-line and over the phone.
The cost of sessions is on a sliding scale, and dependant on your financial or personal situation. However, sessions start at £75 and there is no upper limit. Fees are agreed at the beginning, along with your chosen method of payment, which includes either cash, cheque or bank transfer.
Once I hear from you, I will contact you within one working day to arrange a time for us to talk on the phone. We will then arrange to meet for an initial consultation to discuss your particular needs and how we might best work together. The initial consultation fee is £75
Relationship/Couples Therapy:
When you are not getting on with your partner, or a person you care about, things can feel quite difficult and challenging. You both may have a similar view on the nature of the difficulties, or you might have very different ideas.
Whatever the situation, therapy offers a safe space where each of you can be heard and problems unpacked. This can lead to a deeper and more meaningful relationship.
Relationship/Couples Therapy is available to people of all gender identifications and sexual orientations, and is accepting of difference and relationships that fall outside the traditional categories.
The fee for Relationship/Couples Therapy is £130.
Next Steps:
Once therapy or counselling has been agreed this time will be reserved just for you. Therefore payment for all sessions is essential, so as to offer security and consistency. However, you will not be charged for sessions when I am unavailable to meet with you, such as my holiday period: two weeks in March/April, two to three weeks in August/September and two weeks in December/January or other exceptional circumstances. In all cases, and where possible, you will be given plenty of notice.
If, during the initial consultation, you feel that counselling or psychotherapy does not best suit your needs at this time, then I will endeavour to help you to seek out the most appropriate support. Also, once we start you can cancel at any time. However, I do ask that you give four weeks’ notice so we have time to think about ending.
