Psychotherapy and counselling
About me
I am a fully qualified psychotherapist and counsellor with over 10 years practice experience. I offer both short-term counselling and long term psychotherapy to people from many different paths of life and I aim to reflect in my work the diversity and individuality of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and culture.
I studied and trained in psychotherapy and counselling, drawing extensively on the related areas of psychology and philosophy. This rigorous training allows me to practice as an integrative therapist, tailoring my work to the unique and dynamic needs of each of my clients, as well as incorporating a way of working that meets their preferences, both at the start of our working relationship and as it develops. It is this, the working relationship between myself and the people I work with, which I believe is the single most important factor in the positive outcome of therapy.
In addition to my current work in private practice, I have worked as a counsellor and assessor at Oxford Women's Counselling Centre, at Northampton Counselling Service, in a Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation centre and for the Samaritans.
Qualifications
PGDip Psychotherapy and Counselling
I studied integrative psychotherapy at post graduate level at Regents University, London. During this three year training I also gained extensive clinical experience in anxiety and depression, trauma, physical, emotional and sexual abuse, personality disorders and addiction in a variety of professional settings. Integrative psychotherapy simply means that my training has encompassed a broad range of models and theories of psychology, psychotherapy and counselling (psychodynamic, humanistic, extistential and behavioural). I draw on these diverse but often complimentary theories and approaches to tailor a path with the potential for change and healing for each individual client.
In addition, I am trained in the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) approach to working with couples.
More information on what psychotherapy and counselling is and my approach to working with my clients in given in the About Therapy page.
Accredited Member of the British Association for counselling and psychotherapy
I am a registered and accredited member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). Accredited membership means I have met the BACP's higher standard as a competent, ethical and independent practitioner.
As well as developing specialist expertise in complex trauma, particularly with adult survivors of childhood neglect and abuse (which involves on-going training with some of the leading practitioners in this field), I endeavour to remain up to date with current developments in psychotherapy in its broadest sense, including research in neuro-science and psychology. I am committed to an on-going programme of continued professional development, in accordance with the ethical guidelines of the BACP. I also receive weekly supervision from a senior accredited therapist as a critical element of my own growth and ethics as a counsellor and psychotherapist.