Life can be a real struggle at times, whether it be due to difficulties in our relationships, a trauma, or more a sense that we’ve lost a part of ourselves along the way.  Modern day living doesn’t give us much time to sit back and take stock of our lives, so it can be even harder to begin to work out how we can feel better.  Counselling can give you that devoted, focused time to reflect on how you are experiencing your life right now, how you might feel about past experiences and the impact that all of this is having upon you.  By exploring this together, you are then able to gain another perspective and be better placed to make changes for the future.

Experience:

Most recently I worked with students and staff at the Centre for Wellbeing, University of Surrey.  Prior to that I was a member of the counselling team at Godalming and Guildford Colleges.  I also volunteered for the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) in Guildford.

Before becoming a counsellor, my background was teaching, as well as working in the Higher Education sector. 

I have experience in working with a range of concerns, including;

·         Anxiety

·         Relationship difficulties

·         Gender/sexuality

·         Work-related stress

·         Procrastination

·         Exam stress

·         Depression

·         Coping with difficult life changes

·         Sexual abuse

·         Suicidal thoughts

·         Loss of meaning in life

·         Low self-esteem/lack of confidence

·         Bereavement

Approach:

I work within an integrative-relational approach. Integrative therapy seeks to put your needs first and foremost, whilst being able to draw on a number of different approaches, including humanistic, existential and relational.  Where is it helpful, I am also able to use CBT.  What that means in practice is that counselling becomes about you as a whole individual, not just as set of symptoms or conditions.  I believe passionately that fostering a trusting, non-judgemental relationship is key to fostering change.