I am a fully qualified counsellor and registered member of the British Association for Psychotherapy and Counselling (BACP). I trained in humanistic counselling at the renowned Gestalt Centre in London and prior to this worked for over 25 years as a campaigner for environmental, animal welfare and human rights organisations in the UK and also internationally.
Gestalt counselling focuses on seeing the client as a whole person, not just the issues they are presenting with. The relationship between counsellor and client is also extremely important, as is the building of trust and a strong therapeutic bond. I guarantee both confidentiality and a safe space for you to explore whatever you are concerned about.
My approach is non-hierarchical and non-judgemental. Ultimately you are the expert on you, but my aim is for us to work together to explore your present feelings and how the past and old wounds may be impacting on you now. The type of therapy I practice is very much a dialogue between us; I am not a passive listener but instead will offer suggestions and sometimes challenge your beliefs where I feel this would be helpful to you.
You may decide to seek out counselling because of a specific problem, or because something just doesn't feel right. Together we can identify patterns of behaviour that may be unhelpful to you so that you understand yourself more, have greater self-awareness and are better equipped to deal with relationships, work and life. Often people find that the very act of seeking out and initiating counselling can help restore a sense of being in control.
I offer both short term and long term therapy and am experienced at working with a range of issues including:
Anxiety
Depression
Panic attacks
Childhood sexual abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual assault/Rape
Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD)
Relationships
Bereavement (human and animal)
Body image/Eating disorders
Sexuality & Gender
Work stress/Redundancy
ADHD
Adolescence
Menopause
Fertility & Miscarriage
