The aim:
Therapy enables you to recognise and accept the underpinning of what is troubling you. I will help you to address the presenting symptoms that you bring and seek to assist you to gain more control over often unconscious patterns of how you relate to other people and consider yourself. Increased understanding introduces the possibility of beginning to initiate changes and detach from those anchors that have held you fast and constrain your personal development and growth.
Why contact me - how can I help?
It’s important to feel that you can trust the person with whom you are working and that you feel at ease sharing your confidences. My style is warm, relational, and non-judgemental - my aim to provide a safe, confidential space where you can regularly and predictably begin to share troubling or distressing thoughts and feelings.
My approach is collaborative yet led by you. I aim to use my experience and professional training to help us to explore, with care, the difficulties you're facing. The therapeutic process requires commitment and can be demanding, but over time I would expect to help you to develop new insight and understanding of yourself, your relationships and the challenges that may feel overwhelming.
As therapy progresses, you may begin to feel freer to make choices about how you interact with other people in different circles, more comfortable in your perception of your ‘self’, and more able to address developing a more contented life.
What would a session be like?
Our sessions would typically last fifty minutes and be scheduled at the same time each week. You may choose to come for a short or limited time, for a specific reason, or we could agree to more open-ended therapy and review arrangements periodically. Everyone is unique, finds their own pace, and I am happy to work with you to accommodate this. There is no prescribed format and no homework - other than what you may wish to process further outside of our sessions - you bring whatever feels important from one week to the next. During our meetings, we may explore your relationships, experiences and difficulties in daily life, while considering how things progress between us and what insight this may offer as the therapy develops. You may wish to bring memories, dreams, metaphors, images, reflections, free associations or begin with an empty mind – we are all different, but therapy is focused on you.
Quality assurance:
Finding a therapist and arranging to meet can be a challenging decision. Initiating a conversation concerning your difficulties may require some bravery and feel like taking a risk. Whether it is your first-time seeking therapy or returning to build on help you have had in the past, I will treat you professionally with respect and integrity.
I am professionally qualified, and a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
I practice in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.
I undertake regular and sufficient clinical supervision.
I undertake regular and frequent continuing professional development training.
I have professional liability insurance.
I have current Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certification.
What happens when you contact me?
It is important that you feel comfortable with the way I work, and for me to decide whether I can help. To determine this, I will offer a first consultation of up to ninety minutes (if face to face to address completion of our contract). During this time we will discuss your needs, develop an understanding of your circumstances and your goals in therapy. We may agree to meet again before we decide to commit to regular sessions. I would aim to get to know you initially and to understand how things feel for you, while you gain a sense of whether you wish to enter into working with me.
I can work with you on either a short, time-limited or open-ended basis which we may agree when we first meet but is subject to review by both of us.
I will suggest other options if I don't think I'm the best person to work with you.
