A Little More About Me...

Prior to training in this field, I was a school teacher and tutor to young people up to the age of 18, many of whom were "school refusers", "looked after children" or refugees. The experience of working with young people who struggled to fit into mainstream education or life in general, made me want to give them more than I could within my teaching role and prompted me to train in psychotherapy.

I have had many years of personal psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, which, in my opinion, has been an essential part of my training. Knowing ourselves as fully as we can enables us to support others in their journey; knowing what it is like to be "on the couch" builds understanding of, and empathy towards clients in our care.

My Philosophy

Most of us struggle to achieve our potential if we are worried about things and for young people it’s no different. Often they keep anxieties to themselves, not wanting to worry parents, cause a problem for a friend etc. But buried fears and worries don't just go away. Counselling and Psychotherapy can provide a safe, neutral and non-judgemental space for a person to explore feelings or painful events and to try to make sense of them, thus empowering them to cope better.

Many years ago, I was tutoring a 16 year old child in a foster placement. At first she wouldn't stay in the room without her carer present, but gradually she began to trust me, until one day she played me a song she had written. The following week she showed me a scrapbook of poems she had written about her childhood experiences. It was beautifully illustrated and I felt deeply moved that she now trusted me enough to share this with me. I look back on that young person and the relationship that developed as being my final impetus for training in psychotherapy, and one that embodies my philosophy of the therapist/patient relationship.

What can I offer you?

I offer you a welcoming, safe and confidential space where you, or your child, can feel comfortable enough to trust me and, eventually, to speak about the difficulties you may be experiencing. Making a decision to engage in therapy can raise questions, thoughts and emotions that are new, maybe surprising, sometimes painful. Therefore, it is extremely important to give time to these responses as they often tell us useful information about what is really going on beneath the surface.