I can support you to develop a better relationships with yourself and with life. I can listen compassionately to you to help you explore and sort out your feelings, options and values. I can help you accept difficult experiences; change unhelpful behaviours & attitudes; and develope resources for a more fulfilling life. Relational Counselling can help you feel like you are a nurturing, supportive and enlivening team again (or it can ease the difficulties of a breakup).
About me and my practice
Issues I can help you with include
Emotional problems; anxiety; anger; depression; stress; sexual issues; bereavement; relational issues; emotional, physical & sexual abuse; trauma including birth trauma: parenting; addictions; low self-esteem; body image; body awareness; eating disorders; creative fulfilment; work issues and life planning.
Relational counselling issues I have good experience of include
Affairs, mistrust, communication issues, arguments, sexual issues including desire discrepancy, unexpressed hurts and resentments, control, boredom, "fallen out of love", growing apart, facing big decisions (eg whether/when to have a child).
I also successfully support adult family members who are having difficulty getting along with each other, eg a parent and grown up child.
Experience
I have many years experience, having started counselling in 1994. I then trained as a psychotherapist at Spectrum Training, one of the oldest and largest humanistic therapy centres in the world, graduating in 2001. I also hold a Certificate in the Therapeutic and Educational Application of the Arts from The Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education, London and have done further training in other many areas including Groupwork and Couples and Relational Counselling.
We each have a body that receives, transmits, predicts and interprets our experience of relating to each other and to the world. Therefore becoming much more aware of my body and how it responds has been an important part of my growth and has informed how I respond to clients. Spectrum training incorporated the body psychotherapy approach of Stanley Kellerman known as Formative Psychology and I have done further training in Embodied Relational Therapy.
My main theoretical influences are Humanistic particularly Gestalt Psychotherapy; Ecopsychology and The Transpersonal. However I also integrate other strands - eg NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and CBT (Cognitive Behavourable Therapy) - into my work when this is helpful.
In my couples therapy, I draw on The Developmental Model, PAIRS, Attachment styles, Gestalt, Emotionally Focussed Therapy, Systems Therapy and Relational Life Therapy.
I am especially interested in how we can become fully mature and fulfilled, not just within our human culture, but within the wider world (the focus of ecopsychotherapy). I have done further training in both Group therapy and Wild Therapy.
Qualifications
Post Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy from Spectrum, London
Certificate in the Therapeutic and Educational Application of the Arts from the Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education, London
PAIRS Couples training
Accreditation Level 1: The Developmental Model of Couples Therapy: Integrating Attachment, Differentiation and Neuroscience
Assessing and treating sex issues in Psychotherapy Graduate Level 1, Institute for Relational Intimacy
Numerous other trainings and professional developments: Please contact me if you have particular queries.
Professional Membership
Registered Member MBACP
Professional Register
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Verified by Counsellingo on Thursday, 25 January 2024
Initial Consultation
I offer a 30 minute free session or a 55-60 minute session at half your usual fee.
Fees
Individuals: £65 (or if reduced fee then between £65 and £30),
Couples: £75 (or if reduced fee then between £75 and £40).
I don't means test, but I trust clients to pay the standard fee or the most they can comfortably afford. I may discuss your fee amount with you if you seem to paying significantly more or less than you can afford.
Lowest fee for evening appointments is £40, whether for couples or individuals.
When I Work
Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm and some weekday evenings.
Therapeutic Approach
Humaistic & integrative w. awareness of body and environment
Video Platforms
Zoom, Facetime, Skype
Pronouns
She/Her
Area
Surrey