About Me
I am a fully qualified, registered, and BACP accredited Integrative Counsellor with over ten years of experience supporting individuals through diverse life challenges and transitions. My practice is founded on compassion, curiosity, and collaboration. My lived experience as a queer, neurodivergent, and disabled person deeply shapes my values of empathy, inclusivity, and resilience, strengthening my commitment to offering a safe, anti-oppressive space where everyone feels genuinely seen and accepted. Outside of therapy, I enjoy pop culture, music, and American reality TV, and I am a firm believer in the power of kindness both inside and outside the therapy room.
My Approach to Therapy
Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all experience; effective support must honour your unique story. My primary focus is establishing a secure, non-judgemental environment grounded in the core ethical principles of doing no harm and acting in your best interest. Together, we explore underlying patterns and past experiences that may shape current difficulties, opening pathways toward positive change and improved well-being. A key element of this work is developing acceptance and finding kinder, constructive ways to navigate difficult feelings rather than draining your energy by pushing them away.
Integrative Therapeutic Frameworks
As an Integrative Counsellor, I draw upon a range of evidence-based models to tailor our work to your individual needs:
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Person-Centred Counselling: Forms the core of my practice to build an empathetic relationship where you feel valued, fostering self-awareness and personal growth.
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Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT): Helps explore the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to challenge unhelpful patterns and build constructive responses.
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Psychodynamic Thinking: Examines how past experiences and unconscious patterns influence present challenges and relationships.
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Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Skills: Teaches practical skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, healthy communication, and mindfulness.
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Brief Solution-Focused Therapy: Focuses on your existing strengths and resources to pursue targeted, positive growth.
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GSRD Affirming Practice: Offers identity-affirming support to help you navigate minority stress and foster self-acceptance.
Specialised Experience
While I work across a wide spectrum of life concerns, I hold specialised training and extensive experience in:
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Neurodiversity-affirming therapy for Autism and ADHD.
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Gender, Sexual, and Relationship Diversity (GSRD), including identity exploration, polyamory, and ethical non-monogamy.
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Understanding and working through internalised shame and criticism.
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Managing anxiety, stress, depression, trauma recovery, chronic illness, and somatic stress.
Qualifications
Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills
A one year part-time program that served as an intermediate bridge between foundational communication skills and professional clinical practice. Requiring prior completion of the Level 2 'Introduction to Counselling' qualification, the program deepened my theoretical understanding of humanistic and integrative models while examining mental health contexts, psychological distress, client risk assessment and agency referral procedures. Delivered through classroom instruction, reflective portfolio assessments and practical peer skills triads, the course emphasised self-awareness, personal development and ethical practice aligned with BACP standards
Level 5 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
A two year course taken at Milton Keynes College. The course was accredited by Pearson Edexcel (known at the time as just Edexcel) based on 480 Guided Learning Hours and 1,200 Total Qualification Time. The primary modalities were Person Centred, Psychodynamic and CBT, with Gestalt and Transactional Analysis as a secondary focus. Aside from the core theories I also studied advanced counselling skills, comparative theoretical synthesis, lifespan human development, continuing personal development, research methods, grief, trauma and abuse, young people and relationship counselling. As part of this course I completed 150 direct, supervised client contact hours alongside regular clinical supervision and personal reflective work.
Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervison
An online course taken at Independent Counselling Training. The course was accredited by CPCAB based on 90 Guided Learning Hours. The core frameworks were the 7-eyed model alongside the Cyclical model, CLEAR model and Person-Centred supervision. I also studied ethical and legal frameworks, supervisory relationship boundaries and stages, diversity theory and research, user-centred assessment strategies, skilled use of self, research-informed practice and working online. As part of this course, I completed 15 supervision practice hours and 5 supervisory supervision hours, alongside a tutor-observations.
Further Training
All the Colours of the Rainbow - Queer Affirming Pedagogy
Beyond the Drama Triangle
Brief Solution Focused Therapy
Defining Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversity Therapy (Accredited Module)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Mastery
From Freud to Intersubjectivity
Identity Based Traumatic Shame
Let's Get Creative! Creative Therapy Methods
Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism
Level 2 Certificate in Working with Neurodiversity: From Awareness to Adaptation
Mindfulness
Psychotherapy Skills: Developmental Stages
Self-Wellness & Resilience for Mental Health Professionals
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills
The Social GGRRAAACCEEESSS in Therapy
Trauma and the Body: Dissociation & Somatisation
Uncertainty Expert Certification
Using Creative Collage in Therapy and Counselling