Choosing the right counsellor can feel daunting. You might be wondering what it would actually be like to sit in the room with me and share the parts of your life that feel messy, painful, or hard to put into words. So I want to be clear from the outset about what you can expect when we work together.
First and foremost you'll meet someone who is warm, welcoming and non-judgemental. I believe wholeheartedly that counselling only works if you feel safe enough to be yourself, exactly as you are. You don't need to edit your thoughts, soften your language or worry about being "too much". I'm kind, human and I come with a good sense of humour - and yes I'm not averse to a bit of swearing if that's how you like to express yourself.
I show up as my authentic self in the therapy room and online. I don't hide behind jargon or distance. I'm real, present and engaged with you.
I also bring lived experience of a wide range of life's challenges, which means that very little shocks me. Whatever you're carrying, thoughts, feelings, experiences or question's - you can be assured you won't frighten me or overwhelm the space. You can bring the things you've never said out loud, the things you're unsure how to name and the things that feel tangled up or contradictory.
For me, counselling works best when there is trust. Building that trust is something I take seriously. I work hard to create a therapeutic space where you can truly be seen and heard - a space where everything important to you has room to exist and be explored at your pace.
I hold an unbending belief in the counselling relationship itself as the heart of healing. Techniques and theories matter, but it's the relationship - the connection between us - that allows change to happen. Feeling understood , accepted, and accompanied can be profoundly healing in it's own right.
Our work together wont be one dimensional. We will feel things. Together we may laugh, cry, sit with sadness, feel anger and notice moments of relief or joy. We'll make a space for all emotions - even the ones you've never had the words for before. Nothing is "wrong" or "too much" here.
Counselling with me is a collaborative journey. You don't have to do it all alone - and you don't have to have it all figured out before you begin.
If this sounds like the kind of therapeutic relationship you're looking for you're very welcome here.