My counselling has a person-centred foundation. My training is in focusing on you as a unique individual with your own particular set of experiences.
Integrative Counselling means that I am also trained to bring in specific elements of other therapeutic approaches so that I can tailor my approach to each client individually. Some examples of approaches I may integrate into our sessions are in the next section.
Transactional Analysis: Originating from the work of Eric Berne, this modality is useful for understanding why we act how we do when in relationship to other people. When we are interacting with others, we can find ourselves in ‘Parent mode’ or ‘Child mode’, or perhaps in ‘Victim mode’ or ‘Rescuer mode’, for example.
Existentialism: This philosophy is used as a way of thinking about how we create meaning in our lives and learn to be truer to ourselves. Victor Frankl created a version of this called logotherapy, which he describes in his work ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’.
Polyvagal Therapy: I incorporate Deb Dana’s groundbreaking teaching as a way for clients to understand the impact of their nervous system, particularly when working with anxiety. Many of our reactions are at a ‘neuroceptive’ level, meaning they are in our nervous system and triggering the fight, flight, or freeze responses. For more information, take a look at the Resources page.
Feminist counselling: This approach takes into account how different groups are disadvantaged in society, and seeks to encourage equality and balance, and the embracing of opposite sides of ourselves. It can also involve assertiveness training and is linked with socialist-humanism.
Imagework: Using Dina Glouberman’s approach, I incorporate visualisation techniques to help clients ‘see-feel’ what is going on for them. This creates images that we can use as metaphors for understanding, or to envisage new ways forward. Ask me more at our free initial phone call at a time that suits you.
My fees are £45 to £60 per session, and I offer concessions. Student concessions are available on request.
Online counselling means you can talk to me from the comfort and safety of your own home at a time that suits you. You don’t have to worry about travel, parking, public transport, or taking extra hours out of your day. Counselling is online via Zoom or other video platforms. It is encrypted and confidential. We can also have sessions via telephone if this suits you better.
I usually work in an open-ended way, which means that there is no set amount of sessions, but we periodically review how the counselling is going. I also offer 6 or 12 session short-term counselling options. These work well if you want to look at a specific issue such as a work or study issue, or perhaps a particular event or change you are working through.
I originally studied psychology as part of my English Literature undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. After some years in the corporate world, I then completed a Counselling degree to become a fully qualified counsellor. I am a registered and accredited member of the BACP, I am DBS-checked and I hold all relevant insurances for your safety.
Here is a list of my latest training:
I take a Trauma-Informed Approach. This means that I am more interested in the question of ‘What’s happened to you and how has it impacted on you?’ than in thinking in terms of ‘What’s wrong with you?’. A trauma-informed approach is a way of understanding that many difficulties we experience, such as anxiety, or diagnostic labels such as personality disorders, are adaptations arising from past or present stresses, including trauma, abuse, and social and economic challenges.
Sometimes it’s really hard to explain in words what is going on for you, and that’s fine. We might talk about things in metaphors or images instead, or we might just focus on what the feelings are. It can help to pay attention to what is going on in our bodies, such as a tight chest, stomach aches, or a strangled feeling in your throat. There’s no pressure to ‘get it right’, I will help you to take the right steps.
There are several different types of counselling, and it can seem a bit daunting. The best way to judge it is if you like the sound of me and my practice, give me a call and we can talk about what you’re looking for. If I know I’m not the right counsellor for you, or if I feel you require a different type of service, I will tell you, and I can help point you in the right direction.
You can decide to end the sessions at any point. It is always best if we can have one final session before we end or take a break, once you have decided to do so.
