I am a psychotherapist, group analyst and clinical supervisor. I am accredited with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), and am a full member of the Institute of Group Analysis (IGA).
I have 30 years’ experience of working therapeutically in settings including schools, colleges, universities, independent practice, the charitable and private sectors. I am the clinical lead for a service providing counselling to children and young people across inner-city schools. Working with colleagues, I have developed a reflective practice service for school leaders. I advocate strongly for the benefit of reflective spaces within organisational setting.
My theoretical framework is psychodynamic, drawing on psychoanalytic thinking and developmental and attachment theory. My practice is relational, recognising that our interconnectedness at all levels is the key agent for change.
Individual Therapy
About Individual Therapy
Working individually offers a safe and consistent relationship in which to explore yourself and make sense of your experiences. Harnessing your curiosity, individual therapy can help you to understand confusing feelings and aspects of yourself which may currently be out of awareness. You are invited to talk about any and all parts of your life, going at your own pace and finding the words which have meaning for you.Experience in the here and now is shaped by the past as well as by the present, and our identities are continually being formed and reformed, according to our relationships and environment. Through sharing your thoughts and feelings and exploring how you have arrived at this point in your life, new insight can emerge. This process offers relief from distress, enabling greater freedom in your relationship with yourself and with others.
What can I expect from individual therapy?
Individual therapy usually takes place on a weekly basis, with meetings at the same time each week. This regularity provides a secure framework, which encourages you to talk freely, and provides us with the space to explore together. Individual therapy is offered in-person and online, and we can discuss what is right for you. Sessions are private and confidential.Group Therapy
About Group Therapy
Given our social nature, both our growth and our injuries derive from our being in groups, including families. Groups form us - as we form them - and just as they make us, so they sometimes seem to break us. So where better to explore and make sense of ourselves than in groups?
Group therapy is often helpful in overcoming difficult experiences from the past, which may still shape your sense of identity and your current relationships. It is a safe space in which to work on the feelings which drive unhelpful thoughts, behaviours, and emotional patterns. A therapy group offers the consistency to connect with other people and explore yourself. Through sharing and gaining new experiences in the group, feelings can shift and insights emerge, leading to a greater sense of connectedness and wholeness.
You may find the idea of being in a group daunting, and it can be unsettling at times. However, the process of finding that you are not alone in your experiences is hugely reassuring, and a therapy group allows the space in which to adjust and settle at your own pace. Over time, being part of a therapy group can repair what was previously broken, and offers opportunities for developing trust, communicating authentically, and enjoying playfulness.
What can I expect from a therapy group?
There is no set agenda; members are encouraged to bring whatever is on their mind and to respond to each other freely. The therapist plays an important role in overseeing emotional safety in the group, as this is the basis upon which individuals can build trust and talk openly. To support this, the discussions are confidential, and members are discouraged from meeting outside the group.A group consists of up to eight people plus the therapist, who meet together in-person, for an hour and a half each week. To create a secure environment, group members are expected to prioritise the sessions and attend regularly. Time is taken within the group to prepare for new arrivals and to help group members to decide on the right time to leave the group. To benefit from group therapy, members usually commit to being in the group for a minimum of one year.
What is the process of joining?
You will be invited for some individual sessions, to consider whether a group could be helpful for you and to prepare for joining. In these sessions, we will explore your past as well as your current life situation, and we will discuss your thoughts and feelings about joining a group. These sessions help you to feel ready and to get the most from the group experience.Supervision
I offer supervision to counsellors and psychotherapists working across a range of theoretical modalities and settings. Working together in supervision, I aim to develop a collaborative relationship with you. I am committed to helping you to develop your self-awareness, skill, and sense of identity as a practitioner. I have over 25 years’ experience of supervising trainees and qualified therapists, both individually and in groups. I hold a post-graduate certificate in supervision and am currently undertaking further training in group supervision with the Institute of Group Analysis. I am an approved supervisor for the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute and for the University of Lincoln.
Reflective Practice
About Reflective Practice
Reflective practice offers a supportive space in which you can step back and think about your professional life. By sharing your thoughts and feelings, you can explore, review, and develop your practice, enriching your sense of professional fulfilment.
The confidentiality of our discussions helps to develop a trusting relationship in which issues can be explored in a way which is not possible in more public settings, where the immediate demands of a role can be constraining. During reflective practice you may think about different areas of experience, including specific challenging situations as well as broader issues and themes. Reflecting on your personal and professional identity, your values and assumptions, and what makes you tick at this time, can lead to profound insights. In addition, stepping back to view the dynamics of relationships afresh, can enhance awareness and inform practice.
Reflective practice can also be a space in which to view the wider context and culture in which you are operating, including the nature of the organisation and the impact of external change and pressures on this organisational system. Through reflective practice, you gain awareness into how you affect the culture and, conversely, how the culture and context impact you. This evolving insight can have a far-reaching impact on you as an individual, on the teams around you and on the wider organisation.
Reflective practice is offered individually and in groups.
Venue & Fees
Group and individual therapy take place at an accessible venue in central Nottingham.
Supervision, reflective practice, and individual therapy are offered in-person and online.