My training and experience
I’m a qualified counsellor and registered member of BACP having completed my Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling (a UKCP and BACP accredited course) at Bath Centre for Psychotherapists and Counsellors. I now divide my time between been my private practice and my assessment and supervision work with The Swan Project, an agency where I’ve worked for over 8 years. Swan primarily works with alcohol and drug addiction clients though they also offer counselling support, wherever possible, to those needing access to low-cost, long-term therapy. I feel honoured to be able to contribute to The Swan Project and find it immensely rewarding and a rich addition to my practice.
My Approach
So what is an integrative and humanistic approach? Integrative means I will draw ideas from several approaches depending on what suits the individual client. Predominantly these are humanistic (person-centered) and psychodynamic although I will sometimes draw from gestalt, transactional analysis, or use more creative methods if it feels right.
With any theoretical approach, it’s my belief that working relationally, putting emphasis on our therapeutic relationship, is fundamental to therapy. Often we find that the relational difficulties we struggle with in our lives tend to play out at some point during the course of therapy. Therapy allows us to be honest with one another in a safe environment where reparation is possible.
My aim is to offer an authentic, warm, and safe space, free from judgment where we can meet one another, human to human. It’s my hope that our work will create an opportunity for healing or meaningful change. Therapy provides us the space to discover who we are and what we need from our lives. The result can be deeply fulfilling.
Therapy can feel daunting at first; unpicking who we are or making sense of a past or present experience can be overwhelming, confusing, and scary. Know that we will always go at your pace and only explore what feels comfortable for you to share.