Welcome!
It can feel easier to make changes in our lives when we have someone alongside us. My aim is to be alongside you as you explore the areas of your life where you would like to feel freer or less stuck and more able to manage things with ease and confidence.
I am a humanistic integrative psychotherapist and clinical supervisor with 20+ years of experience of working therapeutically. I am a Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (MBACP Reg.), an Accredited Member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (MNCPS Acc.), an Ordinary Member of the British Psychodrama Association and a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner. I adhere to BACP’s Ethical Framework and NCPS’s Code of Ethics. I also belong to the Climate Psychology Alliance and am climate- and collapse-aware.
how i work
Because one size does not fit all, what happens in therapy is different for each individual. You have your needs, your preferences and your styles of relating. You bring your own unique questions, life situations and backgrounds to the therapy. My aim is that our work together will respect your uniqueness, so that you can find your own answers to the situations you find yourself in and make real. tangible and long-lasting changes.
In my 20+ years of working therapeutically with individuals, couples, families and groups, I have learnt and continue to apply a variety of approaches in my practice, as appropriate to each person and where they are at in life. I am trauma-informed and my style is invitational.
While focussing purely on alleviating or moderating symptoms can offer some short-term or immediate relief, if what lies beneath the discontent, difficulty or “stuckness” is ignored, such symptoms often reappear. When we address the roots of our distress deep within us, we can find the lifting of our symptoms is longer-lasting. Central to the way I work is unearthing and addressing underlying patterns and structures which may be sources of distress. For this reason, therapy with me is usually open-ended and organic.
Many people who come to work with me have had some experience of counselling or therapy in the past, though this is not a requirement. Many of those folks are seeking to delve a little deeper into root causes of their discontent, to addressing issues from the past that remain unresolved or unexplored or to discovering purpose in life. Sometimes this can feel a little daunting or off-putting, so it’s important not to be alone in this work.
Because humans are complex and unpredictable, therapy and healing are not off-the-shelf solutions, neither do they follow pre-ordained maps. This doesn’t mean that we would go on forever; we just wouldn’t constrain the work to fit within a rigid time frame or a manualised series of steps. Humans are not machines to be fixed nor projects to be managed; we are living breathing beings with minds, bodies, feelings and souls that sometimes need time for real change to happen and to find meaning in our lives.
One of the, if not THE most significant factors in successful therapy is a strong working relationship between patient/client and practitioner. Indeed, research into therapy outcomes demonstrates time and again the long-term efficacy of psychotherapy in which the relationship is central, regardless of methodology or modality. My own experience also bears this out; the more solid and trusting the “working alliance”, the more profound, long-lasting and transformational the change is. As a humanistic therapist, I will relate to you as a whole person with the capacity to realise your potential in mind, body, feeling and spirit. It’s important in how I work to be mindful of the “chemistry” between us because I know how central it is to healing and change. I understand how important it is for you to know you will not be judged, reprimanded or discriminated against, and accordingly I work in a confidential, supportive and non-judgmental way.
what i can help with
While my approach is not issue-specific, below are some areas I have experience of working with:
addictions: alcohol, drugs, sex, work, internet, pornography
stress
climate and environmental emergency-related feelings & concerns
career, redundancy and working life
dealing with difficult feelings, such as shame, guilt or anger
emotional, psychological, physical or sexual abuse
self-confidence and self-esteem
LGBTQIA+ related issues
anxiety
trauma
change and life transitions, e.g. midlife, retirement, empty nest, divorce or breakup
depression
grief and loss
coping with illness
family issues
masculinities / men’s issues
relationships and attachment
sex and sexuality
your first session
At your first session, we will discuss the issues you would like to address, the hopes you have for yourself and your life and whether I’m the right person for you to work with. If you don’t feel comfortable working with me, I am very happy to refer you to other therapists.
To make an appointment, text or phone me on 07446 937 725 or fill out the form below. I am the only person with access to the phone and email and all correspondence is treated as confidential.