About me

I believe counselling can help with most life problems, but the only way you can really find out is by giving it a go.

I understand how difficult it can be to face up to unwanted thoughts and feelings and show scary it is to show ourselves to another person. I also know how liberating it is to feel understood and accepted in our entirety.

On this page you will find some information about the way I work. I hope this will give you a "feel" about me and help you decide whether you would like to meet for an initial consultation. 

My approach is integrative relational. This means that I draw upon a variety of skills and theories  depending on your individual needs.

Below are some examples of these theories and how they might be incorporated in our work together.

Psychodynamic theory examines how our childhood experiences influence how we behave in the present.  Our ways of relating are learned at a young age and we can get stuck in unhealthy and unhelpful habits that restrict our lives. As we pay close attention to what is happening between us during therapy we might start to recognise lifelong patterns and start to explore the reasons why the things that make you unhappy seem to keep repeating themselves.

From there, decisions and changes become possible.

Humanistic theory is based on the belief that we all have the capacity for growth, healing and change within us. We are all born with the ability to develop into the best versions of ourselves but often spend so long trying to become the person we want to be that we forget who we really are. I believe that a lot of our difficulties arise from trying to repress unwanted feelings that don't fit with our own self image. In our work together I will encourage you to pay close attention to recognising and accepting these feelings.

Learning to be honest with ourselves is the first step towards change.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)  works by helping you to link the way you think with how you feel and what you do. Sometimes our thoughts can be inaccurate and unhelpful, leading to negative feelings and actions. Imagine walking down that street and seeing a friend on the other side. You wave and shout hello but they carry on walking without responding. You might think "I must have done something to upset them" which might leave you feeling sad or guilty and result in withdrawing from them.  The truth could be that your friend was simply feeling too pre-occupied to notice you.

We all see the world through the lens of past experiences and part of our work together might involve recognising and challenging your perceptions.

There is no set way of counselling. Just like each individual, every counselling relationship is unique  The way we work together will evolve as we get to know each other,  always focusing on what feels important to you.