Now offering online therapy (by telephone & video meetings)
Welcome
I’m a qualified therapeutic counsellor and registered member of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy ("BACP" *). I offer a confidential, supportive and respectful space to enable you to explore, openly and freely, your emotions and aspects of your life. I will support you to develop your own understanding of your situation, empowering you to bring about effective change that you feel is right for you, so you can be the best person that you can be.
These pages will lead you to how I can provide you with a personalised approach in supporting you with your emotional wellbeing and personal development. To find out more, please take a look around and read about how I can be of help. Click here to have a look at my blogs.
How counselling can help
Many people think that by bottling up your emotional difficulties and not seeking help, you are being strong. In fact, admitting to your difficulties and dealing with your problems, takes courage. Merely masking or burying your issues, does not fix them. Seeking therapy from a qualified counsellor often means you have taken the first step to resolving the problem.
Counselling can provide help and support in a variety of ways. If events or circumstances, which may have led to overwhelming challenge or confusion is impacting your life, it needs to be addressed to enhance the quality of your life. If left unchecked these can affect your wellbeing.
You may choose to seek counselling not because you are depressed or traumatised or vulnerable but to find meaning and purpose, improve your loving relationships or simply because you would like support in achieving the personal growth you are striving for.
Although it can sometimes feel scary to take the first step to reach out, learning to cope in healthier ways can make doing so more than worthwhile. You don't need to continue to struggle on your own. If you are experiencing difficulties, contact me! I am offering a free initial 20 min session by telephone I’ll support you with whatever may be troubling you or getting in the way of living a happy and fulfilled life. You can talk to me about your concerns and how we can work together. You can ask any questions you may have and gain an understanding of how you might get the most out of our working relationship. There will be no pressure or obligation to book further sessions unless you wish to.
As your counsellor, I can provide support in a personalised approach to emotional wellbeing and personal development. My commitment to you is to provide support by helping you to identify and work through your difficulties, and enabling you to find your own way forward in life.
My approach
My training in many different approaches enables me to bring together elements of different theories and ways of working. This is based on the idea that each person is an individual so one type of therapy doesn't fit everyone. I use a Person-Centred approach as a basis of my counselling practice and bring in other theories such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt and working creatively to ensure that my approach is flexible and tailored to the needs of each individual.
By being in tune with how you are feeling and by understanding your experiences, I will support you so that you can see a way forward and work towards a growing sense of inner peace and contentment, with more focus and clarity.
What I can offer
I offer a compassionate, non-judgemental, empathic and warm environment to enable you to feel safe enough to self-explore. I do not diagnose or categorise. With me, you can be your true self and be honest about how you are really feeling.
Rather than tell you what to do or offer you advice, I will offer a supportive environment, being fully present, actively listening to your concerns and being respectful, so that any changes you choose to make are ones that you feel are right and suited to you.
I will ensure that you feel sessions maintain direction and focus, empowering you to review your progress regularly, always holding your autonomy in mind. My way of working is gentle but sufficiently challenging to help you grow. I work at a pace that suits you, and I offer a space to safely contain what you bring. As your counsellor, I will strive to create a relationship based on equality rather than being ‘in charge’.
Online therapy
I normally offer face to face counselling therapy in Gerrards Cross, Rickmansworth and in Central London, Southwark SE1, close to Waterloo and Lambeth North station. However, during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and lockdown, I'm not offering face-to-face sessions. Fortunately, successful therapy can be delivered remotely (by telephone or video meetings) and I have been working in this way for some time so you can be in the comfort and safety of your own home. Many people find online or remote counselling therapy useful and empowering as they can feel safe and more in control by being in their own physical space. It also allows much more flexibility in booking days and times to support your needs, especially if you are confined at home. If you would like to try remote therapy, please get in touch and I would be pleased to help you.
Therapies I offer include:
I am the counsellor people choose when they need help with:
- Illness
- Personal loss, bereavement and grief
- Environmental shifts
- Menopause
- Loss of purpose, status or responsibility
- Challenges that come with relocation.
We all face difficult life changing events. When these arise, a short period of counselling can be an effective way to process your feelings and work through any lingering thoughts and emotions.
- Stress and anxiety
- Change at work
- The loss of a job
- Dealing with retirement
- Career change
- Redundancy
- Conflict
- Burnout
- Bullying.
- How you feel about yourself
- Are feeling unworthy
- Feeling ashamed for not being like how you imagined yourself
- Self-doubt
- Self-care, resilience and coping mechanism
Whatever issues you are facing, I will strive to work with you, to help you find a way forward. If you are interested in finding out more about what I offer, please take a look at my service and fees page. If you have any questions about how counselling and therapy could work for you, please do contact me.
My training and qualifications
I have a diploma in therapeutic counselling and training in counselling children and young people. I hold an enhanced DBS and Safeguarding Level 3 certificate.
I have many years of experience working with adults, teenagers and young people and in 2018, I carried out primary research in emotional wellbeing in workplaces - a special interest area for me.
I have regular Continuous Professional Development (CPD), clinical supervision and have had training in various approaches, such as Person-centred approach, Gestalt, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and working creatively. I have a long-standing interest in neuroscience which has informed my practice
I have also been trained by Cruse bereavement care (the leading national charity for bereaved people) to work with issues relating to loss and grief.
Having this knowledge, skill and experience allows me the flexibility to use different approaches and to adapt according to your needs.
In addition to my private practice in Central London, Southwark SE1, close to Waterloo and Lambeth North stations, I also work with the following organisations:
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP *) bacp This is the largest professional body for counsellors in the UK.
