About me
Trauma informed Gestalt and person centred counselling practitioner.
Working with adults, children, young people and couples.
Specialist areas-
- Domestic abuse, including VAWG ( violence against women and girls )
- Victims of crime, including serious violent crime - Rape and sexual assault/homicide/hate crime/robbery/burglary/harassment and stalking
- Trauma - "Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as harmful or life threatening. While unique to the individual, generally the experience of trauma can cause lasting adverse effects, limiting the ability to function and achieve mental, physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being" ( Gov.UK )
- ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) - I can offer sensitive and explorative work with you, at your pace on any childhood trauma that may be affecting your relationships, attachments or well being today.
- Self esteem and confidence.
- Mental health and well being
- LGBTQ+ - inclusive and welcoming of the gay community
- The impact of addictions on family members, partners, children and young people.
- Anxiety, worry and overwhelming emotions work.
Training, qualifications & experience
38 years experience of supporting people in my local community pre qualification. This means therapy may provide a mix of counselling, coaching and tools. It encourages a deeper self awareness alongside a space to off load.
My role in sessions will often be to pause and gently challenge some thinking patterns you may not have noticed you hold onto. Then together look at where they might come from and if you feel they are still useful, or could be adapted.
We may explore how you relate and respond to yourself and others. Or how your past can influence how you feel in the here and now; rather than how you felt then.
These may provide an increased understanding of yourself, which can be both enlightening and an insight and give some useful direction.
Walking beside you, at your pace, I work with the person centred humanistic approaches. Meaning, you bring your own agenda as an individual and unique person. I will welcome you as a competent practitioner without judgement. Guiding you back to you.
Alongside my private practise, I currently work as a lead counsellor for parents, children and teens impacted by substance misuse. Additionally, working with parents whose child or young person may be affected by criminal exploitation and/or sexual exploitation.
Forced marriage, honour based violence and FGM trained. I have a firm understanding of the cultural challenges which can further heighten and impact your emotional well being.
I have delivered many sessions for family changes and/or losses; often around bereavement, as a Rainbows facilitator.
In sessions we might focus on social skills and explore anxiety and/or anger management with some ideas to alleviate difficulties. We will create a tool bag for your use outside of counselling.
I am educated to work with neurodiversity, (ADHD and ASD). There is strong evidence that therapy supports focus and attention, alongside regulation, of what can often be overwhelming emotions.
I hold a youth mental health first aid cert with MHFA. Enabling me to support struggles with mental health and/or behaviour in addition to any SEMH- social, emotional MH needs.
I use art, sand tray, body work, 2 chair work or therapy cards for exploration. Sometimes words and emotions become difficult to express. This is especially useful when working with children who may not have the emotional vocabulary or if there is trauma.
Thankyou for reading my info. Do reach out to me for any questions or if you are financially struggling to meet the costs of therapy.
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
Please note - in terms of addiction and substance misuse, I work with the emotional impact for individuals exposed and affected by someone using, not people needing addictions programmes.
Thank you
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£35.00 - £75.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Sessions are on average £45- £50 for 50 mins also known as, "The therapeutic hour".
I initially offer 6 - 8 sessions which can support your commitment. Any further needs in the therapy work will be reviewed and agreed together to meet your desired goals. I work with clients short or long term, some people need a couple of sessions, others need more. There's no judgement and no right or wrong!
Couples £70
Family therapy £75
Student counsellor rates are £35
Payment is made 24 hours in advance via bank transfer.
All assessments are free and 20 minute telephone calls. This is to gather a brief introduction of your counselling needs.
I offer clients coming to the end of counselling an open door policy so you can dip in and out of the space whilst you gain confidence without feeling dependant. I like to feel this is a good time for you to test out how far you've gone on your therapy journey as you gradually reduce sessions. For example attend fortnightly sessions over an agreed time to see how that feels and how you manage. I firmly believes this all contributes to your self esteem.
When I work
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Further information
I offer in person therapy from an inviting and comfortable space, or online via video. I am available some evenings and weekends.
I use sand tray, art therapy, drawing and talking and other therapeutic tools to engage in the work.
