Title
Counselling Psychologist
Who am I?
I’m a Chartered Counselling Psychologist with over twelve years’ experience working in adult mental health, with both individuals and couples and other relationship set-ups. I am registered with the HCPC, and a chartered member of the British Psychological Society. Prior to my doctoral training at City University, my first degree was in Sociology so I have a particular interest in how your experience and difficulties fit into the context of your gender, age, race, ethnicity, culture and sexuality for example. I have undertaken additional specialised training in relational therapy for couples and other relationships which has equipped me to work with the complexities and dynamics that relationships present. I take an affirmative approach to my work and I work with all sexualities and all relationship set ups. I am currently doing my EFT (Emotionally focussed therapy) externship for couples work.
You might want to see me if:
No relationship comes without periods of difficulty and conflicts. However, when it becomes a recurring problem it can leave you feeling exhausted, burnt out and resentful of one and other and of yourself. Relationships constantly shift and evolve over time which can be impacted by everyday stresses, changes in our personal circumstances or societal changes. Here are some of the reasons you might want to come and see me.
• Interpersonal conflicts and communication difficulties
• Feeling stuck in a rut in your relationship
• Loss of intimacy and difficulties with your sex life
• Working through an affair or other relationship injuries
• Lifestyle changes, for example the arrival of a new child, relocation etc.
• Loss of self -esteem and confidence within the relationship
Couples and other relationships bring their own history, experiences, values and belief systems into their relationship and these are often not spoken about and they can change and evolve over time. I work with you to identify what patterns of behaviour you might be falling into. I offer practical tools which can help take the heat out of conflicts and enable you to get to a place where you can work together and feel more attuned and connected to one another.
My style:
I appreciate that relationship therapy might seem daunting for you, but I offer a safe, open and sensitively challenging space where the main focus is on working on your relationship and where both parties feel supported and heard in therapy. My style is relational and collaborative. To allow for change, I am sensitively challenging as well as transparent. My experience has meant that I have completed 1000’s of therapy hours and I am well versed at sitting with high levels of emotional distress. The benefit of having trained integratively as a Psychologist is that I have been trained in a number of therapeutic models, (CBT, Psychodynamic, Humanistic, DBT, Schema) which means therapy can be tailored for you and created anew each time, giving us the choice to either be more structured and logical or more fluid and creative.