Time for change
I retrained as a psychotherapist after a career in the music business. I have a Masters in Existential Psychotherapy and undergo continual training in order to maintain my clinical accreditations. Most recently I have acquired certified training in Gabor Mate's Compassionate Enquiry, designed to uncover the childhood trauma which often causes us to lose contact with our authentic selves.
Therapy can be a journey of self-discovery. You have recognised it is time for change - to amend patterns of behaviour and rewrite the script. For me as a psychotherapist, the most moving part of the process is coaxing a client to face up to those most difficult of feelings in my virtual or f2f therapeutic space. Finally you won't need to avoid or suppress your darkest emotions. The therapeutic goal is to find it easier to live in the moment and enjoy life's wonderful experiences in glorious technicolour. Some people call that Mindfulness; Viktor Frankl wrote about "Man's search for meaning." My quest is to find a way to "live well enough," despite the physical and mental pain we face as part of being human. The great Roman poet, Horace wrote both "Carpe diem" and "Sparge rosas" in his Odes. Don't just seize the day but make sure you live life to the full.
A safe pair of hands
I am a clinical member of the UKCP as a Psychotherapist
I am on the BACP register too which makes means I can offer short-term counselling and am known to GP services
I am an accredited senior member of ACTO because I undertook specialist training to become qualified to work online
Effective online therapy
I'm comfortable working online. I believe to be an effective online therapist you need to recreate the warm, containing, safe therapeutic space which is like a bubble around client and therapist. If a therapist can build a high quality, empathic and supportive relationship with someone in a physical room, you should be able to recreate that in the virtual therapy room.
When you speak to me online, I shall be in my garden room/counselling room at home in Wiltshire. I can watch the birds on our bird feeders. We have resident blackbirds and dunnocks in our courtyard and have a succession of goldfinches, bluetits, long-tailed tits and other delightful visitors on our bird feeders. My garden includes some hardy exotics as well as quite a collection of rhododendrons and magnolias which light up the garden in early spring before the alliums and echiums take over. It is easy to be mindful here and tuned in to the changing seasons.
An oasis of calm
Right now you can work online with me with an almost unique degree of flexibility. Unlike many other non-specialist therapists, I organise my schedule to work around the busy schedules of my clients who need time to rehearse, travel and perform. You can choose the stability of the same day each week or arrange to see me when your schedule allows. If you can find a space where you are undisturbed for an hour, I will take you with me into my calm and safe therapeutic space where the only likely interruption is from a purring cat - or two.