My Approach

“When I have been listened to and when I have been heard, I have been able to perceive my world in a new way and to go on.”

Carl Rogers, A Way of Being.

Individuals

Life can be unexpected at times and we all experience situations and periods of our lives that can be challenging, difficult and maybe even overwhelming.

As human beings, research in neuroscience has shown that our connection to each other is imperative and so it is important during challenging times to reach out to others.

In the work I do with individuals I consider that each individual is unique and experiences life in their own unique way.

While they might have similarities the mix of ethnic culture, family culture, environmental influences, life experiences, personality etc creates a complexity that results in this uniqueness.

This means that while some clients might present with similar or the same issues, the way that they experience them is likely to be different and how they manage and resolve these issues may be completely different.

Couples Therapy

Every couple has their own patterns and way of being together and their own challenges whether they be married, engaged, living together, committed or working towards commitment and whatever their bias.

Our society is not always good at supporting healthy relationships and some of the rhetoric around relationship is misleading e.g. that once you get married you live ‘happily ever after’ inferring that you have arrived and there’s nothing more to do.

The reality is as each couple finds eventually that a healthy relationship requires ongoing work from both partners and it is only when this occurs that the magic of intimacy and connection can really be experienced and felt between two people.

My work is to hold and assist each couple as they journey through their challenges to find that magic again.

Climate Aware Counselling

The biggest challenge of our world at present is the issue of the Climate Crisis. This is an issue that evokes a range of responses from people: fear, high anxiety, withdrawal and denial, including 'burying one's head in the sand', and sometimes taking action endeavouring to avert the crisis. One of our challenges is being able to talk about this issue and these responses without being emotionally overwhelmed.

As a trained Climate Aware Practitioner, I offer a space to explore this issue in a way that works to address the potential for emotional overwhelm. This includes looking at ways that we can care for ourselves and others, take stock of what is valuable to us here and now and what we need to do to be able to face our future.

Treatment/Therapies

The main focus of my work is an eclectic approach whereby I use the approach that most suits the person who comes to see me and their needs. However, the basis of my approach is centred on the person centred modality and is informed by the work of Carl Rogers.