About Me
QualificationsI hold an A.E.B. Combined Certificate in Counselling Skills and Counselling Theory and an A.E.B. Counselling Diploma. I trained for my Counselling Diploma a the Central School for Counselling and Therapy in London.
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and abide by their "Code of Ethics and Practice". I have regular counselling supervision and attend appropriate training courses.
My specialist area is bereavement counselling. I counselled at a Hospice for a number of years and ran a support group for bereaved partners there. I have also counselled at a G.P.'s Surgery and worked on the telephone support line for a national charity.
My Personal Approach as a CounsellorI qualified as a counsellor in 1997 and have been practising since then.
"I am a Humanistic counsellor, with an Integrative approach in that I vary my style to suit individual needs."
A fundamental part of the counselling process is
my actively listening to what has brought you to counslling, and to
help you to identify what you really want from the sessions.
I am not here to judge you, or to set my own agenda. I might challenge you if I felt that your goals were unrealistic, or what you were saying was inconsistent with your body language. By the first or second session I endeavour to
explore with you ways that you can bring about the changes that you would like. I sometimes use
simple role play exercises, or work on
communication and assertiveness to facilitate this process. When appropriate I use
drawing or work with stones to help you to understand yourself. These exercises can be very effective and heighten your self awreness. However
all the work that we do is with your permission. I see the counselling as a two way process and encourage feedback. 
