About me
“I help people who are kind to everyone else but struggle with self-criticism and pressure…”
I help people who are kind to everyone else but struggle with self-criticism, overwhelm, and possibly comforting compulsions like emotional eating. You may find it hard to say no, feel pressure to always be achieving, or have trouble switching off—especially when it comes to work. These experiences often feed anxiety, low mood, grief, or difficulties in relationships.
I specialise in helping people with work-related stress, burnout, perfectionism, grief, and hidden addictions like comfort eating or toxic relationship patterns. Many clients come to me feeling lost, stuck, or unsure where to turn. My aim is to offer a calm, respectful space where you feel heard, supported, and gently guided back to your own inner wisdom.
With over 20 years of experience as a qualified psychotherapist, I work with adults from all walks of life—whether you’re dealing with grief, anxiety, depression, emotional eating, relationship stress, or a longstanding pattern you’re ready to break.
I offer one-to-one counselling sessions online, by phone, or in person in Bristol (BS4). I also produce the Stress & Anxiety Recovery Podcast for extra support between sessions, and share resources regularly across social media.
Now also accepting Axa Insurance policyholders.
How I work
My approach is warm, professional, and grounded in experience. You won’t be judged here. Instead, we’ll look together at what’s going on for you and gently uncover what’s underneath. This process helps people feel clearer, calmer, and more connected to themselves.
I combine talking therapy with somatic psychotherapy, which means I help you tune into how emotions and stress are felt in the body. When you pay attention to these physical signals—like tension, racing thoughts, or an urge to withdraw—you can begin to uncover what you really need and how to move forward. This approach gets to the heart of what’s troubling you, not just the surface symptoms.
Somatic therapy is rooted in research and has become popular through practices like mindfulness and yoga. But in therapy, it offers something deeper: a chance to listen to your nervous system, uncover stories your body may be holding, and create change that feels real and lasting.
We usually start with weekly one-to-one sessions, but I also run group programmes for people working on emotional eating and self-worth. If you're not sure where to begin, I’ll help you figure that out.
Your First Steps
If you're considering therapy, the first step is simple:
Send me a short email or text to say what you’re dealing with, and I’ll be in touch to arrange a free, no-pressure phone call to see if I can help.
If you have Axa or Aviva private health insurance, please request a case number and approval code before we begin. You can get this by contacting your insurer directly or calling the Axa Mental Health team on 0800 521903. Once you have that, we can book an introductory session.
Availability
I offer remote sessions (online or by telephone) and in-person appointments in Bristol (BS4), with limited availability on weekdays only. Sessions take place during the day, Tuesday to Friday.
Other things you might like to know
🎙️ Podcast:
I produce the 'Stress & Anxiety Recovery Podcast' on topics such as anxiety, perfectionism, stress, burnout, emotional eating, and how to improve your relationship with yourself. Short, compassionate, and practical—these episodes are designed to help you feel less alone and more empowered.
🎓 Qualifications & accreditation:
BACP Accredited Counsellor & Psychotherapist
MA in Somatic Body-Centred Counselling Psychology
20+ years in private practice
Training, qualifications & experience
Training and experience
I have been training and working in counselling and psychotherapy with individual adults and groups, since 1996.
- 2014 - BACP Accreditation
- 2003 - MA Counselling Psychology, with an emphasis in Somatic Psychotherapy (Body-Centred)
- 'Understand your Eating' Therapist Training with Julia Buckroyd (with an emphasis in binge-eating and overeating)
- 'Calling in 'The One' Coach Training (with an emphasis in finding healthy relationship)
- Cruse Bereavement Volunteer Training
- NICABM Trainings - Neuroscience, Depression, Anxiety, Shame, Attachment & Relationships.
- Domestic Violence Volunteer Training
- Drug and Alcohol Abuse Volunteer Training
- Young Adult Support Training
Media, Referrals & Testimonials
Alongside presenting The Underground Confidence Recovery Podcast, I speak, write and give expert opinion in the media. I specialise in content around managing stress, building self-confidence, finding healthy relationship and overcoming comfort eating,
Many of my clients, colleagues and friends have recommended my work to people they know.
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
As well as the above, I have significant experience in working with the following:
- Standing up for yourself/ Boundaries/saying No/personal goals
- Dating Confidence, being single, attracting the wrong/ right partners/ toxic attractions
- Binge-Eating/ comfort eating/ stress eating.
- Pet loss & bereavement.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
Free initial telephone session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Fees
Complimentary Telephone call up to 15 minutes.
Individual session fee £65 for the hour (usually daytime).
When I work
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Day time appointments available online, in person (BS4), or by telephone.
Further information
Body/ Somatic Psychotherapy
One of the ways I offer help is through embodiment.
What this means is that I direct your attention to inner experiences via your sensations and feelings in your body. This is how to access the heart of your limiting beliefs.
From this practice comes the strength of really knowing who you are, what you want, what’s troubling you, what your strengths are and all of the resources you have available to you.
This helps you to move forward in a way that does more than just scratch the surface. This is healing through your body’s core. Made famous by practices like yoga and mindfulness, embodiment goes beyond CBT to the heart of the issue.
My belief is that underneath feeling stuck is a story in the body that wants to unfold.
Blog & Binge-Eating Recovery Starter Kit
If you need to drastically reduce emotional eating, without starving or going crazy with cravings, subscribe to my 'Comfort Eating Recovery Starter Kit':
https://underground-confidence-recovery.ck.page/4ced5555aa
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