About2024-07-04T14:13:58+00:00

About me and my approach

Since completing my Integrative Diploma in Counselling in 2003 my Psychotherapy practice has evolved organically through immersing myself in my Therapeutic client work, a dedication to Supervision, and continued professional development.
Background
Born in Nantwich in 1963 I grew up on the outskirts of Crewe. My parents have now been married for 69 years and are still reasonably fit and active for a couple in their 90’s!
After completing a year at Crewe Grammar school, my family moved to Wiltshire, and I gained a place at King Edward’s school in Bath.      Being a “northerner”, I was bullied for a few years but managed to turn it around by the age of 16 and I did well in my O’ level exams.           After enjoying my 6th form years and completing my A’ levels I started my career in the corporate world.
Initially I trained as a Buyer for the Post Office UK, purchasing Computers & Telecommunications Equipment.
I subsequently moved overseas into a Corporate Sales role and finally, found my passion of people management.
By the age of 30 I was married and had started my own Recruitment Business with my, now ex-wife. I was 33 when my son was born, and this created further pressures in my marriage. The Business was extremely successful but unfortunately our marriage was not!
Therapeutic Journey
At the age of 37 I underwent a very messy divorce and required some long-term counselling to understand my part in what had gone wrong with my marriage and find a way forward again.
My personal counselling was highly beneficial, and I realised the power and value of good therapy. So, like many effective therapists, I became a “Wounded Healer”, with a desire to do for my clients what my therapist had done for me.
By the age of 38 I embarked on a 2-year Integrative Diploma in Counselling. This was a transformative time and I had finally found my vocation in life. Qualifying with Merit, at the age of 40, I set about building my new career.
Initially, I was working towards my BACP accreditation which required a lot of supervised voluntary work and further training in couples therapy, Solution focussed brief therapy and bereavement work. I was also working full time as a customer services manager.

In 2010 I started working for PPC (now Optum Health) in Oxford as a Telephone Counsellor. This involved assessing clinical risk and providing short term therapy sessions to corporate clients. I was now working with some highly qualified Psychotherapists and received excellent clinical supervision and training.

In 2013 I trained in Attachment Focussed Therapy and began working with LINK/Barnardo’s working with adoption issues and couples adopting children.

In 2014 I attended a summer school in Brief Solution focussed therapy. This was a very powerful tool for working with short-term clients.

For 2 years (2016-2018) I studied for a Certificate in Supervision with Robin Shohet (Author of Supervision in the helping professions) and I have been providing supervision to other therapists both, face to face and online.

In 2019 I began to study for a certificate in EMDR and I am now working with clients suffering with PTSD.  So I am working towards my accreditation in this field with a view to becoming an EMDR consultant.

I am currently working towards my accreditation in couples/relationship therapy.

My belief is that people are essentially good and we all have an ability to grow emotionally, solve our problems and achieve our potential.

When things go wrong in our lives our “logical mind” goes into “catastrophe mode” and we experience negative thoughts that make us feel stuck, under-confident, frustrated and worried about the future (i.e: sad, angry and fearful).

As a BACP-Accredited Psychotherapist and Supervisor, I use an Integrative approach to help clients’ feel safer, calmer, more supported and restore their ability to move forward with their lives again.

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