About me

Here are some of the core values that I hold, and how they come through in my therapeutic approach. My hope is that some of it will resonate with you and you think, ‘hmmm, ok, I think I could sit with this woman for fifty minutes a week’.

PERSON CENTERED INTEGRATIVE

So, this is the core theoretical model that I use - it was the foundation of my training. But there are a lot of therapy models, so why did I choose this one? Because it’s also the way I see the world - that, given the right conditions, everyone is capable of change and growth. That empathy and equality are the best foundation for a connection. That people thrive when their autonomy and individuality are respected. And that all people have inherent value, and deserve dignity.

I believe that it is my responsibility to hold a space for you that is brave, empathic, honest and non judgmental, so that you can explore your strengths, your capabilities, and your challenges. It’s a very ‘human’ way of working, and so it’s filled with all the potential that comes with being fully human - yes, the sorrow, the loss and the fear, but also the joy, the opportunity and the connection. And by recognising your full experience, we also unlock the full possibility of your healing.

Taking an integrative approach means I can be flexible in drawing from a range of different therapeutic models, to meet your individual needs.

STRENGTHS BASED

Even in the face of great adversity, I see people with enormous resilience and resourcefulness. Human beings have an inherent propensity to grow and develop; often, however, life experiences can block or distort that natural tendency to thrive. In your sessions, we can focus on your strengths and passions, on reconnecting with your unique inner resources, and on removing the obstacles to you leading a satisfying and enjoyable life. We can look compassionately at some of your less healthy coping strategies, and find more heathful ways of operating. I’m passionate about watching people restore their full potential, and capacity for joy and satisfaction.

TRAUMA INFORMED

Trauma is any experience where the ‘system’ (the mind, body, heart, nervous system, spirit) is overwhelmed, and that leaves us feeling scared, isolated, helpless and disconnected. By that definition, you can already understand that trauma is not just limited to a ‘Large T’ trauma experience (eg a traumatic experience that involves a threat to life and safety), but also allows for ‘small t’ trauma experiences - any stressful situation that leaves us struggling to function, and interferes with our day to day sense of safety, functioning, and satisfaction. That means that any life experience - life crisis, divorce, burnout, bullying, discrimination, job loss, losing a pet - can be experienced traumatically. Trauma is a spectrum, not a hierachy: I believe that the whole spectrum of trauma is equal.

So, by that definition, we can see that *life* can feel traumatic. So I think all therapy needs to be trauma informed. My trauma training underpins my whole practice - putting safety at the heart of our work, consent based, empathic, holistic, and respectful.

I acknowledge racism, and experiences of oppression, as a trauma.

NON DIET/WEIGHT NEUTRAL

One of my areas of particular experience is working with body image and self esteem, disordered eating, and diet culture recovery. In this work, and in my general outlook, I use a weight neutral approach - I believe that there is no wrong way to have a body, and that every body should be honoured. My practice is explicitly fat positive, and inclusive of diverse expressions of health and wellbeing. I incorporate an understanding of Body Trust, Health At Every Size (HAES) and Intuitive Eating.

As a fat woman, I have lived experience of how it is to navigate the world in a bigger body, and this is often particularly appreciated in my work. I have a healed and benevolent relationship with my body, and feel joyful in my fat identity; my embodiment of this is another aspect that clients often find affirming in their own healing process.

Want to learn more about this aspect of my work? Click here to read an article I wrote for Fatventure Magazine, introducing Intuitive Eating.

RELATIONAL

For me, the heart of any experience lies in the relationship and the connection. One of the most important aspects of therapy is the quality of the relationship between us - it’s what makes our therapeutic experience unique, and will also be what makes it the most effective. I value non-hierarchical, collaborative connections, focused on equity and partnership. I will work to make this relationship brave, non judgmental, and compassionate. We will take time to develop our relationship, and your trust in me, so you can trust my empathy for you, my authenticity and my boundaries. I believe that we may have been hurt by our connection to others, but that we also heal in connection to others.

SOMATIC AWARENESS

The body is often the first to know what the problem is - those physical cues, giving us the nudge that something is up. Increasingly, in trauma work, we’re understanding that the body keeps the score - the body, and the nervous system, hold the memories and the sensations of all that has happened to us.

Neutrally observing what our body is trying to tell us can be a helpful part of therapy; it’s a skill and a practice to develop, and we can build this through our work together. Incorporating somatic (body) awareness and neurobiology (an understanding of the brain and the nervous system) into my training and approach has allowed me a greater range of tools and resources to support you in your process.

CREATIVE AND NARRATIVE

Play, imagination and creativity can be super useful in supporting us in our healing and recovery. I am passionate about the role of play in restoring the balance in our lives, and restoring our full sense of who we are.

INCLUSIVE

I believe everyone, everyone, deserves a space to feel supported, listened to, appreciated and understood.

My practice is inclusive and anti-oppressive, with a feminist worldview. My feminism is focused on collective empowerment, and centering the most marginalised experiences and voices. I am committed to appropriately acknowledging difference and diversity, and the impact this may have on our therapeutic relationship. Humans categorise themselves in many different ways, and most of them have power dynamics; for example, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, dis/ability, age, size, class and income, and I understand how people in marginalised and power-down groups can be affected by systemic and individual prejudice and discrimination.

I prioritise marginalised experiences and voices in my learning, resources and training, and seek out decolonised sources of education into history and culture. I am committed to recognising the impact of my standpoint and positionality, so that I can meet you in an equal, open, honest and courageous way. In doing this, we can create a more authentic, satisfying and empowering therapeutic environment for you.

You can see more about accessibility here.

DYNAMIC

I enjoy, and am committed to, providing a dynamic therapeutic service - creating a bespoke counselling experience with each client. I do that by focusing on a collaborative, mutual style of therapy - I believe that you’re the expert on yourself, and I’m the expert on counselling, and I think that when we put our areas of expertise together, we can come up with something transformative and magical.

AFFIRMATIVE

My work is affirmative - I hold the hope, and cheerlead for you, whilst you reconnect with yourself. I’m robust, consistent, and provide a solid presence - whilst you may feel burdened by the load you’re currently carrying, I won’t buckle. I’m warm, empathic and encouraging. I know the dark places can be scary, and you can trust that I will be there next to you, so you don’t have to go it alone.

I have a BACP accredited Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling and further trainings in trauma work and eating disorders, including completing the Ample and Rooted Foundations training, which is rooted in a social justice and anti-oppressive practice in eating disorder work. I am a member of the Association of Size Diversity and Health, and am on the pledged register of Health At Every Size practitioners. I am an Accredited member of The National Counselling Society.

I financially support Social Income, and also the work of besea.n, the British East and South East Asian Network.

Like the sound of some of this? Let’s think about working together.