The therapy process:

Being an Integrative Psychotherapist means that I work with several different models of therapy depending on the needs of the client.  For that reason, the therapy work we do together will be unique.  It is hard to get an idea of what therapy is like without actually doing it but here are some of the aspects I think are important:

• listening to what you have to say about the problem
• exploring the issues you bring, and getting a picture of how things are in your world and your way of thinking
• focussing on your thoughts, feelings and behaviour - do you have persistent negative thoughts? are you overwhelmed and confused by your feelings?  does your behaviour feel out of control?
• contributing information from my professional knowledge and experience - for example, common features of depression or anxiety
• developing a good therapeutic relationship between us so that you know what is going on in the therapy and feel free to ask me questions about it
• a mutual working relationship where we both contribute - you with your feelings and ideas about what is bothering you and me with my professional curiosity
• although therapy is not about me telling you what to do or giving advice as such, I may suggest things to you if I think they are appropriate, ie seeking help from another professional

The first session:

What you can expect is that I will ask you some questions about your personal history and why you are coming.  It is up to you how much personal information you choose to share with me in the first session.  It is an opportunity for both of us to see whether we can work together and I will encourage you to ask questions.  We will also talk around your reason for coming so you can get an idea how I work.  At the end we will decide whether to meet again.  I usually suggest meeting for six sessions so that we can see how things are going and then have a review before we decide to continue.  All sessions last for 50 minutes.  My experience is that people benefit from coming for regular weekly sessions. 

More about me:

I am registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy as an Integrative Psychotherapist.  My psychotherapy training was at the Metanoia Institute where I received an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy and a Certificate in Integrative Supervision.  I am accredited with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.    I also have a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, an approach which I integrate into my work.  My original training, previous to psychotherapy was in Social Work and I have an MA in that subject. 

I follow the Codes of Ethics of the BACP, the Metanoia Institute (which is a member organisation of UKCP), and the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.

I started as a volunteer counsellor more than twenty years ago and have had a very varied experience of counselling and psychotherapy since then, including working as a therapeutic social worker, and in an NHS mental health team.  I have done a lot of work with people with relationship problems, experiences of childhood abuse, trauma, depression and anxiety.

I receive regular professional supervision for my work from another psychotherapist.