If you are curious about thoughts or desires you have which you experience as unsettling, or are feeling overwhelmed with stress, anxiety, or negative feelings, I believe therapy can help. You may experience this as intrusive thoughts, upsetting dreams, nagging doubts or physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, trembling, digestive problems, or other anxiety-related issues. You may notice patterns of behaviour which frustrate you.

By paying attention to the body and the subconscious mind, it is possible to find a more peaceful and satisfying way of being in the world. My own experience of psychotherapy has enabled me to live a fuller, more authentic and satisfying life, and I am passionate about supporting you on your journey of self-discovery.

Here is a list of therapeutic concerns in which I have personal and/or professional experience. This list is not exhaustive and I am also interested in working with you on issues not listed here, but it may help you to decide if working with me will be helpful for you:

Anxiety; Stress; Depression; Relationship breakdown; Saying no and maintaining healthy boundaries; Low self esteem; Substance abuse; Sports performance; Ethical non-monogamy (ENM); Sex positivity; LGBT+ identities and experiences; Alcoholism in the family; Making meaning at mid-life; Living with the consequences of childhood neglect; Loss and grief; Emerging from co-dependent relationships.

My therapy room is a warm and non-judgemental space where you can expect to feel welcome and respected. I am a Member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and adhere to their code of ethics. Prior to my training at the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy I worked for over a decade as a researcher and lecturer in universities, specialising in Biomedicine.

I help people find clarity and calm, cope better with change and say no when they want to. Gain perspective and develop boundaries so you can make informed, mindful choices about the life you want to live.  

Perhaps some of this sounds familiar…

• You’ve been feeling anxious or stressed
• Maybe you feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges
• You feel stuck in the same patterns of behaviour and can’t work out how to change this
• You feel disconnected from yourself and others sometimes
• You’re not thriving

We can all have times when we struggle – counselling and therapy do not need to be a last resort.    I can help you understand yourself better and make sense of your changing landscape.  

I am an LGBTQ+ affirmative, sex and fat positive counsellor. In addition to core training, I have continued my studies with specific training in bereavement and loss; gender, relationship and sexuality diversity and interpersonal neurobiology (how the brain and body impact how we connect with each other).

I firmly believe that you write your own life story. But it can feel hard to face things alone or make sense of the challenges life can present.   You’ll find me curious, human, professional and compassionate in how I work.

After a long, and sometimes stressful career in industry, my transition to psychotherapy might not be an obvious one.  Helping individuals realise their true career potential was always the most enjoyable part of my previous roles.  As a psychotherapist, I get the opportunity to focus all my attention on providing support for individuals to discover the best they can be.

I offer non-judgemental support throughout the therapeutic process, and have worked with clients through a wide range of issues that include stress, anxiety, depression, relationship breakdowns, trauma and abuse.

I passionately believe that creating a safe space for therapy built on feeling comfortable, secure, and respected allows a positive relationship to be forged between therapist and client. I have an integrative approach to therapy built on Transactional Analysis (TA), a model that uses very accessible language. I find working within this framework clients start to become aware and examine various thoughts, behaviours, and emotions which might hinder their ability to thrive.

Having benefited from TA therapy myself to resolve some of the life-long habits that have held me back, I would encourage anyone to explore the potential that therapy can offer.

“We cannot see things as they are, for we are compelled…to see things as we are.”

Are you feeling anxious or stressed?

Do you struggle with depression, or feelings of inadequacy?

Are you stuck in patterns of behaviour which no longer serve you?

I understand that it takes a huge amount of courage to ask for help, and passionately believe therapy can provide the first step in taking control of your life.

Having worked in Arts and Entertainment for thirty-five years, I am professionally trained in voice, movement and role play.

I provide a relationally focussed psychotherapy, which incorporates mindfulness and bodywork.

My approach is to be beside you, encouraging you to identify and understand the feelings, thoughts and behaviour which prevent you from having the life you deserve.

My aim is to help you build the resilience to meet the significant challenges life poses today and give you the tools you need to bring the healing you desire.

After working with me, you can expect to:

• Feel more comfortable asking for needs to be met.
• Be able to say no to unwanted requests.
• Feel less anxious in social situations.
• Sleep better.
• Not be haunted by guilt and shame.
• Understand yourself.
• Recognise self- sabotaging behaviour.
• Drop coping mechanisms that no longer help.

I have a special interest in working with clients who have unresolved childhood issues or trauma, which may result in struggles with anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, relationship problems, eating disorders or other somatic symptoms.  I offer a warm and supportive environment in which it is safe to express, explore and ultimately grow.

I am a member of the UKCP and ITAA and subscribe to their code of conduct.

As required, I am in personal therapy and am supported in my work through regular supervision.

I have a genuine interest in people and how they came to be. My background in nursing led me to psychotherapy. I want to help others help themselves to make lifelong change.

An individual’s relationship with themselves influences everything, from how others treat them to their choices about the quality of life they deserve.

People become stuck by the strategies they developed that were essential in their childhood but now cause difficulties for them in their present. They may have a history of repeating negative behaviour patterns. They may struggle to connect in relationships and develop trust with others. They may have difficulty connecting with their own feelings and needs, too.

I am committed to facilitating a client’s journey towards a compassionate understanding of why they do the things you do. I offer a supportive atmosphere for clients to explore the coping mechanisms they developed as a result of the environment they grew up in.

I support clients in developing self-awareness by offering a relational, talking approach. I provide a safe space to build trust that allows clients to share their story and feel understood by an interested other person.

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” C.S. Lewis.

Is there something you would like to change in your life? Do you feel stuck or overwhelmed? Are you having relationship difficulties? I provide a warm and safe space where you can experience being truly seen and heard without fear of judgement. I will help you to understand your difficulties so that you are empowered to make lasting and profound changes in your life.

My first experience of therapy was 14 years ago, and I realised then the transformative power that it can have. I resolved at that time to become a therapist myself, and I am now deeply committed to providing a therapy that has the potential to heal and create positive change in the way that I experienced.

My background is in music performance, and I have a specialist knowledge of performance anxiety. Issues I work with include anxiety, depression, performance anxiety, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, parenting and family relationships, and trauma.

Helping people feel better about their lives is one of my greatest passions. In addition to supporting someone through difficult times, I enjoy seeing the personal growth and positive changes that can occur during the course of their journey.

My psychotherapy training is in Integrative Transactional Analysis. I draw on a variety of tools and techniques to create a therapeutic approach that is tailored to meet individual needs.

Within the past 15 years, I have experienced many rewarding work opportunities that enabled me to support people to overcome social and emotional challenges and achieve personal growth. Before training at the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy, I have worked within; emotional health and wellbeing services, drug and alcohol treatment services, charities, family services, prison and community services.

I am committed to providing a safe and accepting space where you can express your feelings and process them, within a supportive and trusted therapeutic relationship. You will be provided with a confidential and respectful environment to speak in. I have a non-judgemental approach and respect individuality.

Therapy allows you to explore your thoughts and feelings, improve your self-awareness, overcome social and emotional challenges, and provides opportunities to fulfil your potential.

Thank you for considering me to be your therapist. The reasons we have for seeking therapy are as varied and complex as the people seeking. You may be facing challenges in your life and relationships you wish to overcome. Or want to experience greater creativity, richer relationships, or simply have more ‘good’ days.

Within our relationship, I aim to create an environment where you feel comfortable and safe to express, explore and examine your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours both past and present.

I am driven to help myself and others find freedom from the patterns of the past, which existed once to protect us and now may have become self-limiting and even hurtful. 

There is no experience more meaningful than being witness to a person’s return to their self. I believe that if you commit to this journey, you will move into the future with deeper awareness and greater appreciation, able to make better choices for yourself and with the people you love.

I am a huge advocate for the value of this work. Alongside being qualified in psychotherapy (PGDip). I attend therapy myself and continually commit to an ongoing journey of growth every day, which allows me to show up alongside you, discovering together what it is you find important and how best you want to live your life.

To me, psychotherapy opens out into the most important questions in existence, framed to be entirely personal for each of us.

Before training at The Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy, I focused solely on my artwork after achieving my BA (Hons) in Cornwall. I’ve always had a love and passion for painting and all the dramatic mythological stories within the arts and my own unconscious. However, something was always psychologically missing for me; through the discovery of dream analysis, I began my psychotherapy journey, which changed my life for the better.

I completely understand what it is like to sit in a chair and feel vulnerable. For some phenomenal reason, sharing our vulnerability brings great strength, self-awareness and sometimes even clarity.

It’s been an honour to train and now work at The Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy.  My training is within Integrative Transactional Analysis, though I do have many other areas of interest which I draw upon within my therapeutic practice. I have a great interest in Jungian analysis and dream work. I believe that the body, mind and spirit support one another, which is why I also take a more holistic approach using phenomenological inquiry. (Focusing on behaviours, words, tones of voice, body language, and other non verbal responses).

Whatever you choose to share will be held completely within a confidential and respected environment. I take a non-judgemental approach when working with my clients, and respect their individuality. I offer a safe and secure space whilst I accompany you on your journey. I will be there as a support and guide for you throughout the whole process; you will lead the way and choose when to open certain doors, and I will respect your choice when choosing to do so or not.

Face to face therapy is how I choose to work as I find it is far more rewarding, as it holds a much more potent therapeutic experience. However, I am aware times are changing. I do offer very limited times and spaces for those individuals with exceptional circumstances for online therapy.

I am passionate about the potential for personal growth, change and empowerment. I believe that through the therapeutic alliance you can experience nurture and challenge, healing and growth, and the realisation of your potential. 

I love introducing the simplicity and inclusivity of Eric Berne’s model of psychotherapy to clients. I genuinely believe that therapy should be open, honest, and authentic and I like to use the therapeutic relationship as the vehicle for personal change. I provide warmth, nurture and empathy whilst also offering gentle and constructive challenge.  I believe that it is only in challenge and discomfort with the right guidance and support that the shift will happen for you.

After leaving university I trained as an Advice and Guidance Counsellor and worked for 16 years as a Connexions Personal Adviser with young people aged 16- 19 helping them overcome personal barriers to attainment. I was a holistic practitioner providing advice, guidance, and support on a range of issues including housing and homelessness, alcohol and drug misuse, parenting, and teenage pregnancy, being in care and leaving care and youth offending. I undertook a Masters in the Psychology of Education to complement this work and to satisfy my curiosity in psychology.  After a career break when I had my children I returned to work at a private care organisation providing supervision and support to the most amazing and caring staff.

I am a reflective practitioner committed to my own personal therapy and to clinical supervision – I do not advocate for something I have not personally experienced and believe in.