The relationship that you form with your therapist is fundamental to psychotherapy that is experienced as supportive, empowering and successful. I offer a compassionate, empathic and down to earth approach that is non-judgemental and is respectful of each individual, their circumstances, and their differences. I feel that my approach helps enable people to feel comfortable and safe enough to explore the issues, feelings and experiences that they are struggling with, however painful or difficult.
I am an experienced UKCP reg. Psychotherapist. I qualified in 2006 after completing a four-and-a-half-year training in Core Process Psychotherapy at the Karuna Institute, Devon.
I have worked psychotherapeutically with individuals and groups within both voluntary and statutory sector services. Below is further information about my professional and life history:
As a young adult I studied and obtained a degree in Sociology and History. Shortly after this I became a mother and spent some years raising my (now adult) son.
Prior to training as a psychotherapist, I was engaged in community-based work in supportive and therapeutic roles with adults and young people with mental health issues and disabilities, and families with young children.
From 2008 to 2010 I worked within a lottery funded project developing and running services aimed at improving psychological and emotional well-being in a socially deprived area. As part of this I ran therapeutic art groups for women with post-natal depression within children’s centres.
I was the Lead Counsellor of a University Arts College counselling service from 2010 to 2017.
From 2015 to 2018 I was on the staff teaching team of the Masters programme in Mindfulness-Based Core Process Psychotherapy at the Karuna Institute.
I have completed further trainings in Working with Trauma (Babette Rothchild), Eco-therapy and IFS (Internal Family Systems).
Since 2018 I have been studying within a South American Indigenous Shamanic Healing tradition and have been lucky enough to visit the Amazon rainforest in Peru on several occasions and learn about the profound healing properties of Amazonian plants.
Personally, as well as professionally I have experienced some of the profound potential for healing and change that can result from psychotherapy and it is this that led me into training as a psychotherapist. It is my experience that we all have the capacity to transform aspects of ourselves and our lives that are painful and no longer serve us, create a greater sense of meaning within our lives and connect with more of our inherent well-being, happiness and creativity.
I am an accredited member of UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapists).
I work within the Karuna Institute and UKCP’s ethical framework.