A LITTLE ABOUT ME
A warm, human approach to counselling
I’m a qualified integrative, person-centred counsellor and registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP), based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
I offer a warm, compassionate and down-to-earth approach, creating a space where you can feel comfortable being yourself and talking openly about whatever has brought you to counselling.
For me, counselling is first and foremost about the relationship between two people.
I believe that feeling genuinely heard, accepted and understood can create the conditions for meaningful change.
My role is not to analyse you from a distance or tell you what you should do. Instead, I aim to work alongside you with warmth, empathy, curiosity and honesty.
I want our sessions to feel like a space where you can put down some of what you are carrying, take your time and begin to explore your experiences without judgement.
Every person who comes to counselling is different, so the way we work together will always be shaped around you.
Person-centred and integrative counselling
My approach is primarily person-centred and integrative.
At the heart of person-centred counselling is the belief that you are the expert in your own life.
You may not always feel that you have the answers, particularly when things are difficult or overwhelming, but I believe there is an inner wisdom within each of us that can become clearer when we are given the right space and support.
Rather than working to a fixed agenda, I listen carefully to what is important to you and allow the work to develop at your pace.
Being integrative also means that I can draw upon different therapeutic ideas and approaches where they may be useful, while always keeping you and your individual needs at the centre of our work.
WHO I AM BEYOND COUNSELLING
My background
Before becoming a counsellor, I spent many years working within the corporate world of digital media while living in London.
That experience gave me an understanding of the pressures that can come with busy working environments, expectations, change and balancing different areas of life.
Creativity has also always been an important part of who I am.
I studied English Literature and Fine Art and continue to enjoy painting and the arts. I have also been involved in acting and the dramatic arts over the years.
These different parts of my life have helped shape the way I work as a counsellor — with curiosity, openness and an appreciation that there are many different ways of understanding ourselves and our experiences.
"Creativity keeps me
curious about what
it means to be human"
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Qualifications & training
My professional training and continuing development includes:
I have also worked as a counsellor with The Listening Post Agency in Cheltenham.
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP) and work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework.
WHAT MATTERS TO ME
A relationship built on trust, honesty and acceptance
I believe the relationship between counsellor and client is one of the most important parts of therapy.
You need to feel that you can trust the person sitting opposite you.
My aim is to create a relationship where you feel:
CREATIVITY IN THERAPY
Sometimes words aren’t the only way to express ourselves
Talking will always be at the heart of our counselling sessions, but there can be times when thoughts or emotions feel difficult to put into words.
Because of my background in art, I can incorporate simple creative approaches or art materials into our sessions where this feels appropriate and helpful.
This is always optional.
You do not need to be artistic or have any experience of making art. Creative work can simply provide another way to explore an emotion, experience or part of yourself that may be difficult to express through conversation alone.
For some people, this can open up a different way of seeing or understanding what they are going through.
The way I work
My counselling approach can be described as:
Person-centred
Putting you, your experiences and your needs at the centre of the therapeutic process.
Integrative
Drawing upon different therapeutic ideas where they may be useful to you.
Humanistic
Seeing you as a whole person with the capacity for growth, understanding and change.
Finding the right counsellor
Qualifications and experience matter, but I also believe that counselling works best when you feel comfortable with the person you are talking to.
Sometimes you simply need to speak with someone to get a sense of whether they feel right for you.
That is why I offer a free, no-obligation 15-minute phone or video call before you decide whether you would like to book a counselling session.
We can briefly talk about what has brought you here, you can ask me any questions you have, and we can see how it feels to speak together.
