I work as a therapist in private practice, with both adults and young adults.
I have experience in working in a GP practice with adults; in addition I have worked in both secondary and primary schools as a student counsellor.
I am a visiting lecturer and have worked on the CPD and Mental Health programmes at UCE, Birmingham (now Birmingham City University); specialist teaching in Gestalt practice and communication, working with adolescents, and Brief and Focal practice; and the delivery of Introduction to Counselling Skills, for Health Care professionals.
I hold an MA in Gestalt Psychotherapy from Birmingham University having trained with with the Sherwood Training Institute in Nottingham.
I am a registered Gestalt Psychotherapist with the UKCP.
I have experience of working with a wide range of personal issues, brought to therapy by a cross section of individuals, from all walks of life; My desire is to support you in facing, dealing and managing the troubles, worries, decisions and fears that are now affecting you.
My work with adults has covered a wide range of issues that have centred around relationship difficulties; life options in terms of choices and meanings; problems and choices arising from work, including dealing with job insecurity, re-assignment, redundancy, retirement; also in examining personal styles of living and behaviour that include alcohol and drug abuse.
Levels of anxiety across the spectrum are individual and not comparable. Each of us face the problems and dilemmas that confront us as best we can. This includes seeking support, and it is in this context that I offer a safe, confidential and supportive place in which therapy may aid you in your personal growth and life coping skills.
Working with young people has always been a prominent factor for me, and not always an easy one. I have always believed that the journey through adolescence is an important and crucial one; and one in which often the journey gets missed, whilst the destination is focussed on. This informed my teaching for 10 years whilst working within the 11-16 inner city education system, in which I developed the use of individualised learning schemes and taught from a position of respect and acceptance for all my students. In training as a therapist I was aware of my desire to return to working with young people and have worked part time in a secondary school in Nottingham over the last year and a half, completing 175 hours of contact time. The therapeutic task has required working not simply with the student, but also with their teachers, other members of staff, parents and other agencies.
Summary:
I work to value the individual; to recognise and respect where the person is in his or her own place and work from this point.
This encompasses listening, respect, patience, reflection, and empathy.
I am able to work as part of a team including peer support and, in the commercial environment, managing and liaising with organisations, teams and individuals.
Able to work on my own and within a framework, responding and encompassing change.
Able to respond to the immediacy of the work; as an advocate in supporting client needs, and responsive to changing project needs.
I recognise my own support needs and integration with team needs.
Ethically I work to the code of ethics of the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute, aligned with the UK Council for Psychotherapy.
Recognise the importance of guidelines and procedures that impact my work.
Able to monitor, record, and reflect on the therapeutic process.
To work creatively with imagination, story telling and poetry; the use of material, such as sand tray, toys, painting and modelling.
Experience:
Working within a medical practice.
Brief and focal therapy.
I work in private practice with adults and adolescents
Working within Secondary Education as a therapist with students 11 -16
I have gained valuable experience in dealing with a wide range of difficulties faced by a cross section of the community. This has included students, young and old adults.
I work as a Safe Speak (part of Derby Relate) counsellor working with adolescents
Visiting lecturer with Birmingham City University (formerly University of Central England), delivering Counselling Skills and Skills Consolidation, and Bereavement courses.
15 years business experience in IT, management, and business delivery
Mathematics teacher, (Head of Department) in Secondary Education for 10 years
Clinical Experience (to Feb 2009)
Gestalt Therapy
Over 1600 clinical hours working with adults, in private practice including over 460 clinical hours working with adolescents.
Personal Supervision
Monthly supervision undertaken.
Clinical Qualification
MA (B'ham) Gestalt Psychotherapy
Personal Experience
Personal Therapy
Ongoing commitment to personal therapy.
Engaged with individual, couples and group therapy.
