As an Integrative Psychotherapist/Counsellor I draw from a range of theoretical approaches, including, Person-centred, Psychodynamic, Transactional Analysis, and I also use some aspects of CBT to individually tailor how we work effectively together for your specific personal needs. My core modality is person centred which puts you at the centre of your journey. This way, the whole of my attention is on you as a person and what your needs may be at that moment.

I am a firm believer that “the relationship is the therapy”, which is part of the way I work which enables me to establish and maintain successful and effective working alliances. As part of the therapeutic process, I consider a good working relationship vital in our work together, for a successful outcome to be achieved. It is my aim to provide a safe space where I can listen to you in a non- judgemental, trusting and understanding environment. I work collaboratively with clients rather than acting as an expert as I believe each person knows themselves best.

• During our first session, we will explore why you are looking for therapy; what you want to achieve from the therapy, and agree on how we will work together.
• The 1st session is considered an initial assessment. This will be the time for you and I to get to know each other.
• Sessions usually include exploring what you are hoping to achieve by the time you finish our sessions, and exploring a plan we can work towards for you to achieve your desired outcome.
• Therapy is a very personal process and sometimes it is necessary to talk about painful feelings or difficult decisions, so you may go through a period of feeling worse than when you started before feeling better, but, that will also depend on your situation and circumstances.

BACP has produced some helpful information sheets which give a fuller explanation of what might be expected during therapy and these may be
found on the website at: bacp-what-happens-in-your-first-session-kf3.pdf

We will work together by engaging in the here-and-now therapeutic relationship between us as an opportunity to understand how you relate to yourself and others in your life, and we can explore how your past might be affecting your present life. I will never push you to talk about anything you are not ready to explore, there will be times when I will challenge you gently to explore how your thoughts affect your emotions and experiences. I use a range of different theoretical approaches to individually tailor how we work effectively together for your specific personal needs. This way, the whole of my attention is on you as a person and what your needs may be at that moment. My core modality is person centred which puts you at the centre of your journey. It’s important for both of us that I understand your full experience and what is important to you to help accomplish the changes you want to make. Some of the areas we discuss will have to do with your identity and cultural influences in your life. 

You’ll get the best results from your therapy if you’re open and honest with your therapist and say how you’re really feeling.

Your relationship with your therapist is very important. If you’re to work effectively together, you should feel safe and able to take risks by disclosing and discussing sensitive issues. That includes being able to give them honest feedback on how you feel about your therapy and how you’re working together.

There are many different types of therapist and therapy, so if you’re unsure about your therapist or their approach, you can look for another one.

If you feel uncomfortable, unsure or confused about anything in your therapy and you don’t feel able to talk to your therapist, see the link below from BACP
What happens when therapy goes wrong? (pdf 0.1MB)

When it comes to mental health, the culture of the society that surrounds us influences our attitudes about seeking help, the type of support we need, and whether or not we decide to seek help at all. Every culture has a different way of looking at mental health and, for many, there is a stigma. Some cultures see mental health challenges as a sign of weakness; others do not view it as a healthcare problem or believe it is within each person’s control. These inaccurate views can make it harder for those struggling to talk about a mental health issue openly and will negatively affect their decision to seek help. Understanding the harmful impact of this cultural stigma is essential to providing mental health services to members of racial and ethnic minorities, as well as to members of the majority culture. When looking for mental health treatment, most people feel more comfortable talking to someone who can relate to their experiences and situation. For some minorities, it can be challenging to find resources that address their particular cultural factors and needs. It’s essential to recognize that cultural context significantly influences our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. I welcome explorations regarding culture in the therapy space. There are no judgements, but absolute understanding. Sometimes loss and grief can influence how we grieve and deal with loss, we have to also take that into consideration.

Grief is a natural response to loss, and each individual’s experience is deeply personal and unique. In grief and bereavement therapy, my approach centers around creating a safe and compassionate space for clients to process their emotions, explore their thoughts, and find meaning in their loss. Whether you are struggling with denial, anger, guilt, or feelings of emptiness, my therapy sessions are designed to help you process your emotions, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and find a renewed sense of purpose and meaning in life. During counselling, you can talk to about the person who has died, about how their death is affecting you and how you are coping. 

Bereavement or situations of loss can lead to feelings of helplessness, anxiety and depressed or you may experience suicidal feelings . Feelings of loneliness where you might feel unseen, unheard, unvalued and uncared for. Having gone through losses myself, I understand the pain and confusion that comes with grief. My journey might be different from yours but this has helped me realise the kind of environment that is needed for people to feel truly heard, seen and be compassionately curious about who they really are. 

There are no coping strategies that can take the pain away, but, we can work together to take steps to sooth your pain, find meaning through your loss and make your grieving process easier to move through moving forward with grief . No one can understand your grief but yourself.

Anticipatory grief is a feeling of loss before someone dies. You might feel it if your friend or relative has dementia, cancer, or another illness which you know will lead to their death. When you are caring for someone who is dying, you may feel very anxious. You may find you feel very angry with the situation, or even with your friend or relative for leaving you, you may feel lonely, or that others don’t understand what you are going through. Caring can limit your chances to out and socialise. Sometimes people find they spend time picturing what it will be like after their friend or relative dies, and thinking about how it will happen.

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering we feel when something or someone we love is taken away from us. Any loss can cause grief. Whatever your loss, it's personal to you, and we experience grief in our own unique ways. There is no wrong or right way to grieve and unfortunately there is no quick fix.

Grief is one of the hardest parts of the human experience. It looks and feels different for everyone, and it’s hard to know how to cope when there’s no one right way. You may not always feel like you know how to grieve, but your body does. When someone dies you might experience many losses.

Part of grieving is about recognizing what you have lost, and loss comes with many changes that are not always immediately visible. Grief is often described as the process of healing from the wound. If the conditions are right then wounds will heal naturally in time. Sometimes, though, it is too painful to acknowledge or tend to a wound, and so time does not always heal in the way we would hope. If a wound is left unattended then it can become infected, and the pain of grief worsens. An infected wound needs to be cared for in order for it to heal.

Talking about what happened, and how you feel is a way of tending to your grief and helping it to heal. It does not make the injury go away. A serious injury leaves a scar. However, as time and life goes on, it becomes a part of you, and no longer hurts in the same way. No length of time can erase our loved ones from our hearts, Instead as times goes on, you learn to grow around your grief. 

Tips for Coping with Grief

1. Do not grieve alone It’s vital that you stay connected with others during this time. Share your grief with others who can relate. Work through your difficult emotions in a safe setting.
2. Take good care of yourself It can be easy to forget about our own needs when grieving. Eat, sleep, and exercise to avoid adding physical fatigue to your emotional fatigue. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself to feel whatever you feel. let your friends and family know you’ll need extra support
3. Seek professional grief counselling Not everyone will need the services of a counsellor or therapist during their grieving period, but it can be very helpful for those who are really struggling. A qualified professional can help you understand the grief process and give you the tools you need to cope with your emotions.