How I Work

I would describe myself as an integrative therapist as I use a combined approach to psychotherapy drawn from various influences and trainings.

My original training combined theoretical insights from the psychodynamic and person-centred traditions and I identified as a psychodynamic practitioner on completion of that training and continue to utilise psychodynamic thinking in my current practice. This means that I believe in the importance of the unconscious and past experience in shaping current behaviour. Working in this way I aim to build an accepting and trusting relationship where both of us can be actively involved in the therapy . Through a stance of collaborative curiosity we can bring into awareness an understanding of the client’s inner world and its influence over past and present and enable the possibility of change.

The therapy I offer is also influenced by Gestalt psychotherapy where the primary aim is the development of awareness as a means of increasing people’s choice and flexibility. I also draw on learning from the various training courses that I have attended where I believe that will benefit the client, for example mindful compassion and sensorimotor psychotherapy.

I am able to offer short term counselling for dealing with immediate issues (minimum of 8 sessions) or longer term psychotherapy (months or years) to work with more complex or longstanding issues.

I am fully committed to providing a respectful and non-judgemental service which is offered at a pace that suits your needs. I recognise the impact of discrimination and social attitudes on minority groups and seek to counter this in my work through ensuring that I have appropriate knowledge and training. I am committed to the neurodiversity affirmative movement and believe in the social model of disability: that people are disabled by society, not by their impairment or difference. I am an LGBTIQ+ affirmative counsellor and I support trans rights. I welcome discussion on how to make the therapy and space accessible to each clients needs.

The counselling I offer is confidential which means that I will not disclose any information about you without your written consent. There are limits to the confidentiality I offer including legal restrictions or areas where there appears to be a risk of serious harm to yourself or others. These will be clearly explained during our first session.