I graduated with a First Class Honours in Psychology from Cardiff University and then went on to train as an integrative counsellor at CPPD Counselling School in London.
I am a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy), hold a full public liability insurance and an up-to-date Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
I have a very successful private practice in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, where I work with many clients from different and diverse backgrounds. My client group includes men and women of all ages, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. I also see young people at the centre.
I run a monthly anxiety group, which is a space for people to come together and share their stories. The group includes exercises to help people understand their anxiety and develop techniques for reducing the physical, emotional and psychological symptoms attached to unhealthy levels of anxiety.
As well as my private practice, I have a special interest in working with survivors of trauma, in particular historic and current abuse. I work for a women’s aid charity, which provides life-saving support to more than 11,000 survivors of domestic and sexual violence a year. The women’s aid works to empower survivors to rebuild their lives through specialist services, such as counselling.
I also work as a counsellor in a London secondary school. Counselling as an early intervention can help to prevent young people developing serious mental health problems later on in life. It also reduces potential risks to their safety. My work with young people is often holistic, meaning that I work alongside parents, staff and other professionals to ensure that the young person is fully supported in all areas of their lives. I have found this holistic approach to increase the chances of a positive outcome for the young person in terms of their mental health and support networks. I play an active role in the school community, training other members of staff so that they can confidently identify, support and refer students who may be suffering with mental health issues, emotional distress, or may be affected by a personal trauma. I also advise on school mental health policies and have run workshops for staff well-being and self-care too.
Finally, I have extensive experience of working with bereavement. For almost ten years I worked as a bereavement counsellor for a ground-breaking London charity. I provided individual counselling for adults and teenagers who had lost loved ones, but also ran bereavement groups and workshops.
Please visit my “Common concerns” page for more information on issues I frequently encounter.
Qualifications and Trainings
- Advanced Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling
- Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling
- Counselling Skills Certificate (Level 2)
- First Class Honours in Psychology (BSc)
- Working with survivors of childhood sexual abuse
- Responding to anxiety and depression in young people
- Art therapy workshop
