Therapeutic Approach

As a person-centred therapist, I always aim to be a compassionate facilitator, listening and acknowledging the client's experience without shifting the conversation in another direction, and by being open to experience; being trusting and trustworthy, being curious, creative, and compassionate.

I practice this by listening without judgment, to understand an individual’s experience from their perspective while positively valuing the client as an individual in all aspects of their humanity, while aiming to be open and genuine. I feel this is vital in helping clients feel accepted and better understand their feelings. This approach can help clients reconnect with their inner values and sense of self-worth by enabling them to find their way to move forward and progress.

I approach my work with a focus on inclusivity, particularly for the LGBTQI+, GSRD, and disability communities, by aiming to create an affirmative environment where I strive to ensure everyone feels respected and understood.

Neurodivergent Support

Through my therapeutic work, I can combine my person-centred skills with my neurodivergence support services, which can, when desired, create a more neurodivergent affirmative approach to therapy.

My neurodivergence support services include but are not limited to sharing a wide range of written, visual, and audio resources, referrals to other useful services, psycho-education when needed, and helping others learn how to advocate for their needs either personally, in the workplace, or in education.

My expertise covers a wide range of neurodivergence, including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, synesthesia, dyscalculia, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and depression.

I am committed to promoting the use of neurodivergent-affirming language. However, please do note that in some of the resources that I share from other organisations or parties, I cannot guarantee that the preferred neurodivergent affirming terminology is always used.

Qualifications

ADHD Awareness Diploma (NSA)

Level 5 Foundation Degree in Counselling (BACP)

Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (CONEL)

Introduction to Psychotherapy Certificate (IAOTH)

Psychotherapy Diploma (CTAA)

Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (NCFE CACHE - Online)

Additional Training

Strength-Based Skills & Meaningful Interventions for Women with ADHD - PESI - 2024

Working with Sex and Intimacy - NCTI - 2024

CFT - Compassion-Focused Therapy - 2024

Working at Relational Depth - Mick Cooper, Ph.D - 2023

Autistic Identity & Authentic Autistic Living - 2023

Introduction to Suicide Awareness for Counsellors and Therapists - 2023

Queerness in the Person-Centred Approach Conference - 2023

Pink Therapy Mentor Scheme -2022

Suicide Awareness Training (James’ Place) - 2022

Suicide Awareness Training (Mind Out) - 2022

Suicide Awareness Training (ZSA) - 2022

Privilege and Otherness (University of Brighton) - 2022

Sexual Abuse and Adult Survivors (Into the Light) - 2022

Working with clients that self-harm (CT) - 2022

Counselling ADHD (CT) - 2022

Working with Autism (CT) - 2022

More information on Person Centred Therapy

“The person-centred counsellor is not an expert; rather the client is seen as an expert on themselves and the person-centred counsellor encourages the client to explore and understand themselves and their troubles”. - Mary-Claire Wilson

Person-centred counselling/psychotherapy was the first talking therapy to be based on empirical research. In the 1940s and 50s, Dr Carl Rogers and his colleagues audio-recorded therapy sessions to try and determine which therapist interventions were effective for clients. From this work, a comprehensive theory and practice was developed which has been continually expanded and refined and which is supported and validated by decades of research.

Originally described as non-directive, this therapy moved away from the idea that the therapist was the expert and towards a theory that trusted the innate tendency (known as the actualising tendency) of human beings to develop positively and in functional ways that are constructive in their own circumstances.

Within an environment in which the client feels free from threat, both physically and psychologically, six conditions were identified as necessary and sufficient for constructive psychological development to take place:

· Two people are in psychological contact

· The first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable or anxious.

· The second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship.

· The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client.

· The therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the client’s frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client.

· The communication to the client of the therapist’s empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is, to a minimal degree, perceived.

Person-centred therapists believe that all of a client's thoughts, feelings and behaviours are valid responses in the context of their previous and current experiences and, therefore, will not usually diagnose or label clients. However, supported by developments in person-centred theory, they can work successfully with extremes of distress and disturbance. Fragile process, dissociative process and pre-therapy, and ways of working constructively with these phenomena have replaced diagnostic labels.