Qualifications: Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapuetic Counselling (UKCP Accredited).  

Membership: Member of Gestalt Psychotherapy and Training Institute (GPTI) Member of UK Council for Psychotherapists (UKCP)

Availability: Tuesday mornings for in person sessions / Contact me for online availability

Price per session: £55 per 50 minute session

Languages: English

Deciding that now is the right time for therapy is an important step.  It probably means that you don’t want, or no longer feel you are able to, struggle on alone. I would like to help.  

As a Gestalt Therapist I am interested in all aspect of living. I make use of experiences in the present moment to explore how we make contact with our world. This might include attending to how we are in our relationships, in our environment, or how we think about and treat ourselves. I work in a relational way which means that I have deep respect for the unique experiences you have encountered in life, and understand that these will have impacted and shaped how you arrive in the therapy room. I value our differences as well as those experiences which might connect us. I offer a curious approach towards the ways you have adapted to cope with the different situations that you have gone through in your life. I pay particular attention to how we relate in the session as this allows me to understand more about habitual or stuck patterns which might be playing out in your life. I find that to focus on what is happening in the present moment brings, opportunity to develop awareness of embodied experiences, relational patterns and offers possibility for connecting with personal power and responsibility.

People seek out therapy for many different reasons.  You may be going through changes in your life or you might be experiencing intense or unusual thoughts, feelings and sensations which you need help to understand or sort through. You may be feeling alone and unsupported. You may want to understand yourself and your relationships on a deeper level, or be curious about your own potential, and how to live the fullest life you can. Whether you are overwhelmed, anxious, struggling with depression, have feelings of low self worth or are trying to come to terms with challenging circumstances though grief, loss, and life transitions, I am available to listen, explore with you, so you do not have to continue to do so alone.

In my experience, entering into a therapeutic relationship can bring a sense of relief, can bring clarity and new perspective. Often times, you will discover that you are stronger than you currently think that you are, and that your vulnerabilities are not to be feared, but cared for and honoured.  I am here, ready to meet you when you are ready to begin … Therapy can be part of your journey … and you can invite someone to walk with you.  Should you choose me as your therapist I will work hard to understand your particular situation and to discover what you need to grow in the way you would most like to.  I believe in human potential; I believe that change is possible through connection and relationship.

About me:

I decided that I wanted to become a counsellor because of both personal and professional experiences.   Personally, I was offered a short course of counselling after a personal situation which floored me. I was blown away by the understanding I gained through talking to the counsellor - who was attentive, direct and skilled - I started to feel less anxious more clear about what I wanted.  I learned the meaning of support; I learned that I don’t need to do everything on my own. Professionally, I worked with children who have lived though complex social challenges and trauma. In this work I realised the power of being in a thoughtful, honest, responsive relationships. I was supported to develop relational awareness by experienced psychotherapists; they provided the reflective space and encouragement I needed to explore the ways relationships can be therapeutic.   I learned that I wanted to provide this kind of support to others.

I became a psychotherapeutic counsellor in order to develop my knowledge, understanding and skills for working therapeutically.  I am committed to my own going development and to the ethical practice of psychotherapy.  I am supported myself as a therapist, by attending regular supervision, and continuing to learn. I am a member of the GPTI and the UKCP and work in accordance with their ethical code and code of practice. I am fully insured and ICO registered. I am committed to my own therapeutic journey and continue engage in regular therapy, myself.

In life, I love connecting with other than human realm. I love nature, trees, animals, plants, the moon, the stars and the sun! I find comfort and relaxation when I am roaming and allowing my senses to take over. I am also interested in the state of the world and feel deeply some of the goings on, and impacts we have as humans.  I care deeply about environmental and social justice. This is part of my own ongoing journey. As a white, Scottish, heterosexual, cis-woman form a working class background, I have a growing awareness colonialism, and how it has shaped the world. I am passionate challenging myself to become aware of my own privileges, and about respecting the dignity of all humans. I hope you will experience this should you choose to meet with me.

If reading about me and my gestalt approach resonates with you and you are curious about what this kind of exploration could offer, please email me now, and we can arrange an initial consultation.