You may want to know about my qualifications and experience, but it is just as important to know who you will be meeting. Therapy is a human relationship, so feeling comfortable, respected and understood really matters.
Clients often describe me as calm, thoughtful and easy to talk to. I offer a steady presence, while also making room for warmth, humour and lighter moments.
You do not need to arrive with the right words or have everything figured out. You can come as you are, whether you feel overwhelmed, uncertain, curious or hopeful. We can begin there and work things out together.
You do not have to be anyone other than yourself.
Why Counselling Matters to Me
Counselling matters to me because I know what it feels like to go through life without always feeling understood. Growing up between cultures, faiths and different expectations, I learned how meaningful it can be to have someone listen without judgement.
That experience shapes the way I work with clients. I am not here to give you ready-made answers or tell you how to live. I offer a calm, thoughtful space where we can explore what you are going through and make sense of your story together, in a way that feels right for you.
My own experiences of migration, identity, faith, belonging and discrimination have shaped the way I understand people and their stories. I know how important it can be to feel seen, respected and accepted, especially when you are trying to find your place.
I welcome clients from many backgrounds, including migrants, LGBTQ+ people, people of faith and anyone who is questioning where they belong.
My work is relational and collaborative. I listen carefully, stay curious and avoid making assumptions. We can take time to explore what matters to you, including the parts of your experience that may be difficult to put into words.
I do not assume your story is the same as mine, but my own experiences help me understand how unfamiliar systems, identities and relationships can sometimes feel. Trust takes time, so we can work at a pace that feels manageable for you. My aim is to offer a steady, respectful space where you can feel more at ease being yourself.
My Professional Background
I’m an integrative-relational psychotherapist with a strong grounding in psychodynamic thinking. I’m an accredited member of the BACP, an accredited professional and approved supervisor with the NCPS, and a graduate member of the BPS.
Alongside my clinical work, I teach counselling and psychotherapy as a Senior Lecturer in colleges, adult education settings and universities. I also work as a Clinical Supervisor, supporting both trainee and qualified counsellors and psychotherapists.
Teaching and supervision are important parts of my work. They keep me connected to the profession and help me remain thoughtful, reflective and engaged in the ongoing development of counselling and psychotherapy.
At the heart of my work is the belief that people are more able to grow when they feel safe enough to be honest, respected as they are and genuinely understood.
I work in an integrative and relational way, drawing on different therapeutic approaches rather than asking everyone to fit one model. Together, we can think about what you need, what you have been through and what you hope to change.
My training includes psychodynamic and object-relations therapy, attachment and trauma-informed practice, person-centred counselling, CBT, REBT, Transactional Analysis, Gestalt, existential and Adlerian approaches, feminist and intersectional perspectives, ACT, Motivational Interviewing, solution-focused work, positive psychology, lifespan development and Clarkson’s Relational Framework.
Depending on what feels most helpful, we might explore relationships and past experiences, make sense of difficult thoughts and feelings, or develop practical ways to cope and move forward. The aim is for the work to support meaningful changes that can carry into everyday life, always at a pace that feels manageable for you.
How I Work as a Psychotherapist?
I offer a warm, thoughtful and grounded way of working. I listen carefully, ask questions and share observations when they may be helpful. Therapy with me is not about sitting in silence or being told what to do. We work together to understand what is happening and what you need.
My practice is rooted in respect, dignity, inclusion, cultural awareness and sensitivity to trauma. I also value honesty, clear boundaries and professional responsibility.
If I feel another therapist or service would be better placed to support you, I will speak with you openly and help you explore other options. Your wellbeing comes first.
You are more than the difficulty that brings you to therapy. Your experiences are shaped by your family, relationships, culture, beliefs, temperament and everything you have been through. You may feel confident in one part of your life and stuck in another or find that different sides of you emerge in different situations. This does not mean that you are broken. It means you are human.
In therapy, I try to understand you as a whole person rather than reduce you to a problem. I listen carefully, notice patterns in our work together and gently share what I observe, without judgement. The relationship we build can sometimes help bring into view feelings or experiences that have been difficult to recognise on your own.
The work is not about fixing one part of you. It is about making better sense of yourself, developing greater self-acceptance and helping different parts of your experience feel less in conflict.
Many people come to therapy feeling uneasy about their emotions. You may think, “I’m too emotional” or “I shouldn’t feel this way.” I do not see feelings as problems that need to be removed. Anger, grief, fear, shame and longing can all tell us something about what you have experienced, what matters to you and what you may need.
Sometimes our thoughts, feelings and actions pull us in different directions. You may understand something in your head but feel unable to act on it or behave in ways that leave you feeling disconnected from yourself. Together, we can slow things down and begin to understand what is happening.
Therapy does not always have to involve talking. Where it feels helpful, we might use drawing, clay, sand-tray work or role play to explore experiences that are difficult to put into words. These approaches can help you understand yourself more clearly and find a way forward that feels more manageable.
Your culture, faith, sexuality and identity are all part of your story. I will not assume that your experience is the same as anyone else’s. You do not need to explain, defend or minimise who you are here. We can talk about difficult things with care, honesty and respect.
Living between cultures or identities can bring richness, but it can also create pressure. You may feel caught between different expectations, languages or ways of living. You might love your family while struggling with what they expect of you, miss a place you have left behind, or feel pressure to stay strong and keep your difficulties private.
These experiences matter in therapy. We can explore family relationships, faith, culture, migration, belonging and identity, including the experiences of LGBTQIA+ clients. You do not have to leave any part of yourself at the door.
Many people come to therapy having spent years feeling judged or criticised by family, culture, religion, work, relationships or themselves. This can make it difficult to speak openly or feel at ease with others. In our work together, you do not need to perform, prove yourself or have everything worked out. I will meet you as a person, not a label.
Experiences such as abuse, neglect, bullying and discrimination can continue to affect us long after they have happened. They may leave you carrying shame, anxiety, anger, numbness or difficulty trusting others. We can approach these experiences carefully, without rushing or asking you to share more than feels manageable.
I will pay attention to your pace and how the work is affecting you. We can pause, find ways to feel grounded and adjust our approach when needed. You will always have a say in what you share and how we work together.
I am committed to supporting people affected by abuse, neglect, bullying, discrimination and difficult or traumatic relationships.
For me, therapy begins with the relationship we build together. I aim to offer warmth without being intrusive, and professionalism without making the space feel cold or distant. You can expect me to be thoughtful, honest and respectful.
Many of the difficulties that bring people to therapy have a relational side. They may be connected to how we were cared for, loved, criticised or let down. These experiences can shape how we trust, manage conflict, ask for help or protect ourselves.
Sometimes these patterns may also appear between us in therapy. If they do, we can notice and talk about them together, gently and without judgement. There is no need to analyse you from a distance.
Practical tools can be helpful, but the relationship remains at the centre of the work. Being able to feel understood and honest with another person can be an important part of beginning to change.
Confidentiality is an important part of feeling comfortable in therapy. I work in line with the ethical guidance of the BACP, NCPS and BPS, and take care to protect your privacy. Your records are stored securely, and when I discuss my work in supervision, I remove identifying details so you cannot be recognised.
I will not discuss you with family or friends. If we happen to see each other outside therapy, I will respect your privacy and leave it to you to decide whether to acknowledge me. We will agree clear arrangements for session times, contact between appointments and payment from the beginning, so the work remains clear and professional.
There are a few legal and ethical exceptions to confidentiality. These may include a serious concern about your safety or someone else’s safety, or situations where I am legally required to share information. Wherever possible, I would talk this through with you first.
Areas I Work With
I work with people experiencing a wide range of concerns, some of which are listed below. This list is not exhaustive, and you do not need to fit neatly into a category to seek support.
People often come to therapy with several things going on at once. My experience across different settings and client groups helps me understand each person as an individual, rather than making assumptions based on a diagnosis or label.
Whatever brings you here, you are welcome to talk about it. We can start where you are and work out together what support would be most helpful.