a safe space to be heard, understood & to
find a path through confusion, hurt and trauma
I am a qualified Psychotherapist and Counsellor (registered and accredited with BACP) and a registered Social Worker with over 25 years experience of supporting people with a wide range of difficulties and life problems. I work in a warm, empathic way to help people with whatever difficulties they may bring.
I can work with you to help you explore areas of your life where you feel stuck and to identify what you need to move forward. I work collaboratively to create a sense of safety together, so that you can express what is really going on inside of you - your thoughts, feelings and experiences, especially those that are complicated or hard to put into words.
I consider clients to be the experts in their own lives and my job is to get to know and understand you so that together we can find a pathway through what is happening in your life. Through careful listening and noticing I try to ensure you feel really heard and 'seen'.
I have trained as an Integrative therapist which means that I pay a lot of attention to what is happening moment by moment in the therapy process and relationship, ensuring that I adapt what I do to your unique situation and the goals you want from therapy. I will use a range of approaches to help me do this including: exploring the impact of the past and early attachments on the present; using creative verbal (writing) and non-verbal ways of expressing; using approaches that incorporate an understanding of nervous system / body-based responses to stress and trauma; using mindfulness, self-compassion and grounding techniques for coping with difficult feelings and anxiety. My work is trauma-informed which means I do not view people as having things 'wrong' with them but rather as having normal, understandable survival reactions to cope with overwhelming life events and circumstances. I am a trained 'Safe and Sound Protocol' provider developed by Dr Stephen Porges, which is a listening based intervention that supports calming the nervous system, based on 'Polyvagal Theory'. I put safety, openness, collaboration and empowerment at the centre of my practice. I engage in continuous professional development and regular supervision to ensure I am up to date and accountable for my work and I have an up to date DBS check.
In addition to my psychotherapy and counselling practice, I am an artist and the co-founder of an organisation for people who have experienced trauma and abuse, through which I have helped facilitate many support groups over the last 18 years. I am certified to teach mindfulness and have an MSc in Mental Health Studies with a research thesis on the assessment and treatment of trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I have also worked on the NAPAC national helpline and am experienced in supporting people who have lived through various forms of trauma, childhood abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault. I am fully insured, ensure all client information is maintained securely and abide by the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy Code of Ethics.