Professional Qualifications
I am a Chartered Counselling Psychologist (CPsychol, BPS) with a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology (MSc Couns Psyc, Stellenbosch University, South Africa) with post graduate qualifications in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (PGDip, IoP King’s College, London) and Couple Therapy for Depression (CTfD practitioner and supervisor, Tavistock Relations, London). I am registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC) as well as fully accredited with the BABCP and BPS.
Areas of Specialism
I specialise in CBT for anxiety disorders and depression in adults (18+) as well as couple therapy for depression. I have a personal interest in working with individuals to better understand and manage their relationships, develop their identity and tackle low self-esteem difficulties, and can work comfortably with complexity or treatment resistant presentations. I have 10 years of experience of working in the NHS (primary and secondary care services) where I have had the privilege to work alongside and receive supervision and training from world renowned experts in the field of CBT. Because of my background and experience as Counselling Psychologist, I am trained to draw on various ways of thinking about difficulties (such as person centered, solution focused, transactional analysis) which I draw on to allow me to work integratively according to what fits a client best. Furthermore I specialise in offering CBT supervision to trainees and qualified therapists in CBT and couple therapy.
I am experienced in helping clients who have experienced difficulties such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Adjustment Difficulties
- Loss and bereavement
- Post-Natal Depression
- Relationship Distress / Difficulties
- Panic Attacks or Panic Disorder
- Difficulties with emotional regulation and self-care
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Social anxiety and performance anxiety
- Difficulties coming to terms with trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disoder (PTSD)
- General Anxiety and worry
- Support with coping skills development
- Low Self-esteem and assertiveness
- Perfectionism
- Health Anxiety
- Specific Phobias
Personal Approach
I am a compassionate and creative therapist. I care for the people I work with and work alongside people to reach their full potential at a pace and in a way that makes sense to them. I use a CBT framework, which means my work focuses on developing a deeper understanding into what may be maintaining your difficulties (why we get stuck, or why we struggle to break free from certain difficulties), and with this also focusing on discovering practical and logical solutions to our difficulties so that we can see change. So in a way therapy takes us through a journey from “why do I feel like this, or how did I end up here” to “and now that I know that, what can I do to change things”. I believe strongly in the power of self-compassion (and inversely the detrimental effect of self-criticism or being too hard on ourselves).
