I began my professional life as a Registered General Nurse, training at Charing Cross Hospital in London. This provided me with invaluable experience that I can draw on when working with clients with physical health concerns. I felt passionately about nursing however, I was acutely aware of the emotional needs of patients and the lack of time and resource available to attend to these. I wanted to develop the skills and knowledge to provide this very essential support and this led to my decision to train as a psychologist. I went on to study at the University of Surrey Roehampton and qualified as a Chartered Counselling Psychologist in 2001.
I have worked in a variety of settings, including student counselling services, within the NHS and also for the voluntary sector. I have also run my own private practice since 2012.
I have experience working with a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, gender and identity issues, relationship difficulties and bereavement. I also have extensive experience working with people with physical health concerns and long-term medical conditions, such as cancer, burns scarring, skin conditions, facial palsy, disfigurement and disability.
I am trained in an integrative approach and this means that I can refer to and apply a number of theories and models to gather a more full understanding of the problems people present with. This integrative approach fits with my belief that no single theory is comprehensive enough to account for the complexities of human behaviour. I have received training in three of the most historical theoretical approaches – cognitive behavioural therapy, the psychodynamic approach and person-centred counselling. I continue to attend ongoing training through regular CPD.
I have provided some more information about these different theoretical approaches in the FAQ section if you want to know more.
I have experience working face-to-face with individuals, as well as providing counselling online, by email and over the telephone.