Counselling in G20

Feeling anxious, depressed, stuck? Need somewhere to talk without being judged -  somewhere safe to explore difficult or painful thoughts and experiences? I can help you get a better understanding of what's going on and explore ways to move forward. I work with issues around depression, anxiety, trauma, identity, sexuality, gender and spirituality.

Life can throw up many challenges which can cause us to feel unsettled, upset and confused. Having someone to talk with can help to untangle and make sense of the emotions that are associated with the circumstances you are facing. I place value in the therapeutic relationship and offer a safe, confidential space for you to explore whatever you are grappling with. I commit to being fully present and believe that counselling can enable you to gain greater self understanding. I love seeing clients go from struggling to thriving and accompanying them on that journey is a real privilege. I do both short and long term work.

I believe that transformation does not just happen, it takes a plan and a support system that I can provide for you, in a safe place were you can feel listened to and understood. When you are struggling to cope with the effects of difficult life events, feelings or experiences, it can be overwhelming. Sharing your experiences and feelings with someone outside your own immediate situation provides you with a chance to unburden and I am here to support you during every step of the your journey. I want to empower you to take back control of your life, help build your resilient again and to live in a more positive and rewarding way.

I am an experienced Chartered Counselling Psychologist & a BPS RAPPS registered clinical supervisor. I work in a flexible, client-centred & integrative way & tailor my therapeutic approach to suit individual needs, goals & preferences. I offer a collaborative, warm & welcoming approach where we will work together at a pace that suits you. I will support you to explore, to learn skills, to manage & to hopefully overcome your difficulties. Please note, my office operates online & by appointment only. I do not provide out of hours or crisis support services.

The first step is reaching out – I understand how challenging this can be and the importance of finding someone who you feel you connect with. I offer a safe, confidential space where we can explore what’s going on for you. My approach is to work alongside you to explore your thoughts and feelings, struggles and goals. To work on building your resilience so you can make the changes you want to live the life you want.

From childhood we are given messages about the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ ways to feel, think and behave – messages that can teach us that we must hide or supress aspects of our authentic selves in order to be acceptable to others. If you’re an LGBTQ+ person, your sexuality and gender might completely unrelated to what has brought you to counselling, but you still want to know that your therapist will affirm these parts of you. In my online therapy room, you are invited to be your whole uncensored self in the company of somebody who values you unconditionally and really listens. I am a queer therapist with trauma informed training.

As your therapist, I will work together with you to find an approach to therapy that will best suit your needs. I offer a safe, respectful and accepting space. My clients describe me as positive, helpful, accepting, down-to-earth and straightforward; they like the way I explain things in a way they can understand. They appreciate my non-judgemental empathy, compassion and honesty, together with the way in which I work with them to achieve clearly agreed goals. They feedback that I use appropriate challenges and that our work together is solution focused and instils hope. My clients love the way I connect with them in meaningful way

I want to offer you some encouragement as you scroll through this site looking for a counsellor - it is not easy to do when you're feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or apathetic. You're here though. You're already doing something to help yourself, or someone you care about. It's hard to know what to include in these introductions to 'sell myself', because ultimately I don't want to feel like that's what I'm doing. I want to be genuine and honest with you, and let you get to know me instead of throwing a bunch of qualifications and training at you (which I have by the way, don't worry!).

Does past events go over and over your mind? Do you feel the past is still raw and you are constantly re-living it? Stressful childhood or adult traumas can present as anxiety, depression, low self worth, phobias, PTSD, unresolved grief, shame, guilt, panic attacks, self harm etc. Resolving these traumas resolves current symptoms. I use EMDR integrated within an Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework for deeper healing experiences. Both these therapies are powerful and work by accessing the natural healing ability of clients facilitated by the therapist. All work will be remotely carried out over Zoom.

Racing thoughts, feeling tense, uneasy, or overloaded, and unsure where to start? Perhaps you've been focused on other people and your own needs have fallen down the pecking order. At times we can take on too much, find it hard to say no or to voice our opinions. It can seem as though life is out of control or out of balance. This can be a slow a build up over time or occur following a significant moment such as a career change, life event, or loss. You are not alone in this and change is possible. I can work with you to increase your self-esteem, find a sense of ease, and move towards a happier way of being.

Do you need someone to talk to who will listen without judgement, who is independent and can provide you space and time to discuss your worries, sadness and fears? I can offer you the space to talk and be heard confidentially and without judgement. You can talk freely about your anxieties, pressures of family, work, relationships or loss over a loved one. Counselling is not about giving advice but helps you to realise your choices and make decisions about your future! Perhaps you have low self esteem or at a point where you want to explore your past and it’s impact on you. Counselling offers a safe space to discuss and explore!

Common thoughts that lead people to come to counselling include the following: "I can't get rid of my anger." "Will this grief never end?" , "Why can't I form meaningful relationships?", "I can't bear living with this anxiety", "I can't see any point in anything.", "Why am I drinking so much?", "I feel so stressed at work all the time." and "I often feel that life is not worth living." When such thoughts and feelings seriously affect our ability to enjoy life then it may be time to think about getting help.

As an experienced Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, I work collaboratively with my clients to achieve their goals. These goals may be around managing mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression or improving confidence or self esteem, working through relationship problems and major life changes or simply having the time and space to explore thoughts and feelings in a safe, confidential and non judgemental space. CBT aims to identify unhelpful thinking patterns linked to past experiences that influence how we feel and how we behave and make sustainable changes, resulting in improved decision making and wellbeing.

Life can be crap at times and you might be feeling stuck and finding it hard to find your way out. You might be feeling anxious, depressed, struggling with self-esteem, or notice you've lost your belief in yourself. This can be due to things happening around you, big life changes, relationship difficulties or being stuck in your head. Together we can start to make sense of what is going on for you. My core modality is Cognitive Behavioural therapy, which looks to understand unhelpful patterns developed in the past and how they are impacting you in the here and now. By making sense of your patterns we can make sustainable changes.