Hello - I am a BACP-registered counsellor and psychotherapist, offering both short-term counselling and longer-term psychotherapy. There are many different types of talking therapy available these days. I am an integrative therapist, meaning that I bring together aspects of different approaches that I believe work better together, including person-centred, humanistic, psychodynamic & CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy). This also means I can often tailor my way of working to what you need and want.

We all instinctively know that talking our problems through helps us when we are in distress. Most people need to process their feelings, and it's good to talk, think and even dream about the issues on your mind. It is most helpful to do this with a trained listener who can help you gain new self-awareness and insights so that you can move forward with your life more quickly. 

People have many different reasons for turning to therapy. Some feel overwhelmed by their problems and know they need to talk them through properly. Others may have suffered an event such as a bereavement or abuse, which has left them in distress and unable to function as well as they would wish. Others may feel stuck, depressed, anxious or unhappy without being sure why, and know they need to talk and get support to tease out what is at the root of their distress - and then decide how to change things.

The most common problems I come across are depression, anxieties, career problems, and relationship issues. Whatever your reasons for reading this far, I'd say don't sit with your problem and suffer for too long. The comment I hear most often from clients is that they wish they'd started sooner.

My main base is in Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 (on the Surrey/London border, between Kingston-upon-Thames and Hampton Court). I also see clients in London and Surbiton by special arrangement and work with distant and international clients on Skype.

My background

I started out as a psychologist, with a degree in Psychology from the University of Hull, after which I did three years' postgraduate research at Loughborough University, before joining a consultancy group there, working in occupational psychology.

I left to join Cosmopolitan magazine to set up a courses and careers division for readers, running more than 100 personal development courses. We covered everything from management development, assertiveness training and negotiation skills, to life planning, sexuality workshops and public speaking.

After some time working in magazines, I did my Masters in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy at Roehampton University, London, and I have since worked in the NHS, at Kingston Hospital, in the voluntary sector (addiction counselling) and in private practice.