About Psychotherapy

My specialism is working with childhood psychological wounds and helping clients to recover from past psychological injuries .The psychodynamic approach aims to make sense of the past and to disrupt its negative influence on the present. I work with client's who find themselves repeating unhelpful or destructive patterns. The therapy I offer, supports clients to overcome trauma and live in a more meaningful way. Understanding and healing the inner child is at the core of my approach. I have particular experience of working with Borderline Personality disorder and the specific injuries of childhood abandonment and neglect. I also work with Couples who are stuck in sabotaging cycles such as the Drama Triangle, often rooted in trauma. I have a compassionate approach that aims to work with the root causes of problems- this might mean exploring previously hidden emotions that often give rise to anxiety and depression. I am always honest and straightforward with clients about what I understand the problems to be and how we might start moving forward. 

You would expect a highly interactive approach that focuses on you reaching the goals you come to therapy with. Sometimes people's difficulties can seem insurmountable- cynical and embedded over many years and its important to work a therapist with the right level of skills and experience to help. I would welcome an initial conversation over the phone to see how I can help. I am also qualified and competent to provide psychological assessment and evaluations.

I provide one to one and group supervision to psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors and other mental health professionals. Drawing on the Hawkins 7 eyed supervision model, I aim to provide a supportive and challenging environment in which practitioners can grow. With collaboration at its core, I offer the wisdom of my rich experience in helping to develop your client work. I have an excellent knowledge of ethical issues having been the module leader for the ethics module on the MSc programme at Newman University and having been involved at CEO and consultative levels of management with 11 counselling services, over the last decade. There are not many aspects of therapy or client situations that I have not experienced! I always offer an initial free supervision session, where you can bring a client for us to work on, to see how my approach fits for you. This profession is challenging as well as rewarding; it takes a lot of emotional energy- so having an experienced supervisor, that can contain your work is central to the support I offer. 

I have completed my supervision training with Bob Cooke at The Manchester Institute of psychotherapy and completed over 1000 clinical hours as a supervisor. I have significant experience in supporting therapists with accreditation. I have been told that I provide a lively, warm supervisory experience that also values sense of humour. I adhere to UKCP ethical guidelines. I can supervise therapists working across many modalities and have a good working knowledge of person centred, TA, psychodynamic systemic and CBT approaches. 

I have previously been invited to deliver training to over 50 organisations including Peel consultancy, Gloucester Counselling services, Footsteps, Jewish Council, Cherished Family Project, North East Counselling Services and Bedford Open Door. I deliver training on a wide range of mental health subjects including working with Personality Disorders, Working with Shame, Approaching sex/intimacy issues, Grief and Trauma ( including DID). I have been invited to support and develop a number of counselling services offering expert support in how to develop client leads, management structures, recruitment, funding streams, training and policies. I can also support, subject to my availability, training institutions with accreditation, staff recruitment and syllabus development. 

I offer services as a visiting lecturer and visiting tutor too and have taught a broad range of subjects including ethics, self disclosure, the therapeutic relationship, psychodynamic principles and working at relational depth. My delivery style is  interactive and dynamic, with engagement and improved knowledge at the core of what I do.  I have also done many therapy demonstrations in the past, which have been a unique source of learning for students and therapist alike. I have a certificate in Education and Training 

Please do feel free to get in touch for a further conversation about your particular needs.