Supervision details
I am an openly AuDHD (UKCP-registered) psychotherapist and clinical supervisor specialising in autism, neurodivergence and complex trauma. I bring together lived experience, more than a decade of specialist clinical practice, doctoral research and an established background in teaching and training other professionals.
I offer supervision to qualified and trainee counsellors and psychotherapists, particularly those working with autistic and otherwise neurodivergent clients. You do not need to describe yourself as a neurodivergence specialist. I also welcome practitioners who have begun recognising that conventional therapeutic ideas do not always adequately explain or support the experiences of the clients they are seeing.
My supervision is grounded in humanistic and integrative psychotherapy. I see supervision as a collaborative thinking relationship: somewhere to slow down, consider what may be happening beneath the surface and explore different ways of understanding the client and the therapeutic relationship.
I do not expect supervisees to arrive with a polished formulation or the “correct” answer. Therapists continue learning throughout their careers, and uncertainty is not evidence of incompetence. I encourage supervisees to think independently, notice their own responses and develop confidence in their clinical judgment. I will offer my perspective clearly, but as something for us to consider together rather than an interpretation that must automatically be accepted.
My supervision style is warm, honest, encouraging and actively engaged. I am comfortable combining reflective exploration with theory, practical problem-solving and constructive challenge. We might explore the therapeutic relationship, safeguarding, ethical dilemmas, boundaries, communication differences, trauma responses, institutional pressures or the effect the work is having upon you.
A particular focus of my work is the risk that autistic distress will be misunderstood when it is viewed only through the lens of autism. Behaviours described as avoidance, resistance, masking, meltdown or burnout may also need to be understood in relation to trauma, attachment, sensory experience, capacity and safety. I support therapists to remain curious about these different possibilities without reducing the person to either a diagnosis or a trauma history.
I also help practitioners think about what neuro-affirming practice means beyond using affirming language. This may include:
• recognising the psychological effects of chronic misunderstanding
• distinguishing autistic differences from trauma and distress responses
• understanding masking, burnout and loss of identity
• adapting communication without becoming patronising
• supporting clients to trust their own perceptions and identify their needs
• working with sensory and relational safety
• managing safeguarding without losing the human relationship
• supporting parents and carers affected by professional blame or institutional trauma
• reflecting upon power, difference and assumptions within therapy
I hold a PhD in Counselling Studies from the University of Edinburgh and an MSc in Psychotherapy. I have taught therapeutic approaches for working with autistic clients and delivered talks and training to psychotherapists, NHS professionals, teachers and parents. I have spoken at The Autism Show on several occasions and have presented on subjects including anxiety, autism, attachment and complex trauma.
I am the author of Disappearing Girl and my forthcoming book, Why So Many Autistic People Have Complex Trauma—and What We Can Do About It, will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in 2027. My published writing also includes It’s Not “Just Autism”: Understanding Trauma in Autistic Lives.
I offer individual supervision online and in person in Newcastle upon Tyne. Regular supervision provides the consistency needed to develop a trusting and productive working relationship. I also offer one-off specialist consultations for practitioners who want another perspective on a particular aspect of their work with an autistic or neurodivergent client.
Fees:
• £75 for 60 minutes
• £110 for 90 minutes
• £90 for a one-off 60-minute specialist consultation
If you are looking for supervision that combines neuro-affirming knowledge, trauma-informed thinking and a genuinely collaborative humanistic relationship, you are welcome to contact me to discuss whether we might work well together.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
