I am a fully qualified BACP Accredited Counsellor, Psychotherapist, Holistic Therapist, Healer & Supervisor with over 25 years' experience working with people with a variety of life difficulties and traumas. 

My healing path began through my own battles and life struggles and a belief that there had to be some way to come through difficulties and be ok again.  What I found was that I could be more than 'ok again' and that I could move beyond suffering and grow as a person through learning the very lessons that my struggles were trying to teach me.  I could evolve with the wisdom I had gained and be grateful for the challenges (retrospectively!)

An interest in different healing modalities developed through exploring alternative medicine, energy healing and talking therapies; how our thoughts effect our emotions, how outdated beliefs can cause repeated difficulties and how we really do get what we focus on!  Through expression I learned I could heal past traumas - preventing cycles of distress, getting stuck and being unable to move forward and progress.  

I began initial counselling and holistic therapy training which continued to a journey of further ongoing training and experience in the areas of psychological support & spiritual wisdom, over many years.  I have a desire to discover and learn, but also pass on what I have learned to benefit others.   

Training & Qualifications...

I have additional specific training in:

Loss & Bereavement 

Cancer and Terminal Illness

Bereavement by Suicide / Homicide

Addiction

Anxiety / Depression

Various Mental Health Disorders

Personality Disorders

Trauma

Self-Harm

Disability / Life Limiting Illness

Dementia

Working with Young People

Creative Approaches

Sexuality

Theta Healing

Inner Child Healing

Energetic Cord Cutting

Reiki Healing - Usui / Angelic / Green Ray

Healing - Healing Trust / Violet Flame

ITEC / IIHHT Holistic Therapy Qualifications

Transformative Kinesiology (Trans K)

Further developmental training (CPD):

I continually seek to develop my skills and expertise by undertaking personal and professional development through additional training, reading, working with mentors, healers and spiritual practice.  

Ways of Working...

I am an integrative counsellor / therapist and this means that I combine various aspects of counselling theory enabling me to work in a variety of ways to help clients.  My training specifically combined psychodynamic, person-centred and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and further training has included Systemic, REBT, Gestalt, Jungian, Transactional Analysis and Transpersonal theories. 

Relaxation techniques are an important part of stress reduction / trauma work and I offer these along with breathing techniques, teaching Meditation and Mindfulness and Emotional Freedom Technique, if desired, within sessions. 

For clients who prefer a more creative approach, I have experience of working with clients in a number of creative ways e.g. art, body work (somatic), visualisation and sculpts etc.   

As mentioned previously, the focus of my work is on a heart-centred, spiritual, healing approach.  This is an approach that focuses on connecting us back to the relationship with ourselves first and foremost and sees life's challenges as lessons to overcome and grow through, (even if we don't like them much!)

Experience...

My therapeutic experience has been gained through running my own private practice as a holistic therapist, psychotherapist and supervisor and also through working for various agencies and organisations:

* Charity Bereavement Counsellor

* Drug & Alcohol (Addiction) Counsellor

* Addiction Agency Drop-In Manager

* Hospice Counselling Agency Manager

* Supervisor for Metanoia Trainee Counsellors        

* Disability Welfare Officer / Counsellor

* Mencap Hertfordshire Counsellor

* Group Counsellor at Harrow Public School

* Contract Counsellor for private organisations

* Employee Assistance Programme Counsellor

* Support worker for Age UK

* Disabilities care home Holistic Therapist

* Elderly care home Holistic Therapist

My background has also involved helping the elderly in a care co-ordinator capacity, with children at Mencap Playschemes and with those experiencing treatment for cancer.  For many years I have worked as a complementary therapist for charities, care homes (elderly and disabled), therapy centres, holistic fayres and in private practice.

I am part of the local cancer network of therapists.