About Me

The Counselling Relationship

For counselling or psychotherapy to be effective, there needs to be a strong relationship between the client and counsellor built on trust and understanding.

Therefore, I think it is important to tell you a little bit about who I am and hopefully help you decide whether you think we would work well together.

My Background

I’ve worked as a teacher and senior leader in secondary schools and sixth forms for over 25 years. For much of this time, my responsibilities included leading the safeguarding and child protection teams within school. This meant I gained a great deal of experience in supporting young people and their families through difficult times. I know what a difference it makes to have a non-judgemental, safe space to just talk and be understood.

I have benefitted from counselling myself at various points in my life and understand just how important it is to feel a real and genuine connection with your counsellor. Also when you find that connection, how freeing it is to be able to talk about things exactly as they are, without worrying about judgement. Ultimately, a counselling session is for no-one else but you.

When I was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, I knew what a difference counselling could make to how I felt about what was happening to me, and of what was to come. During my time off for treatment, I realised that there were parts of my life I wanted to change but hadn’t previously had the time or space to see it. Counselling gave me the sense of safety I needed to really explore this, knowing that whatever I shared would be both accepted and respected.

So, I started on a new path. I have re-trained and now have the enormous privilege of being able to offer that same safe space to others.

My Qualifications

I qualified with distinction with a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. My counselling approach is based on the belief that if the relationship between client and counsellor is strong, then the process of therapy can lead to real and substantial changes.

My role is not to tell you what to do or what decisions to make. It is to help you to believe in yourself, to see things more clearly and to help you to make the right decisions for you.

Areas of Experience

• Abuse
• Anxiety
• Bereavement
• Confidence
• Depression
• Grief
• Identity
• Infertility
• Loss
• Neurodivergence
• Relationships
• Self-esteem
• Sexuality
• Stress
• Trauma