About me
Each therapeutic journey is a personal and unique process and there are many reasons why you may choose to enter into therapy. Perhaps you experience feeling stuck in some way; you may recognise that you recycle familiar patterns which limit your experience. You may have difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the body that may feel new or familiar. You may engage in behaviours that are unhelpful to yourself and others. Perhaps you have tried to fix this situation but have found yourself unable to break free of your script.
My ways of working integrate 10+ years of experience as a therapist, professional training in Transactional Analysis, ecological therapy, body and movement practice, trauma work, and neuro-affirming approaches to working with neurodiverse people. I bring almost 20 years’ experience working with neurodiverse adults in health and social care settings. I also bring ongoing learning from my own life – including being a parent to a neurodivergent child – and a long established meditation and body practice.
As a therapist I support you to become more aware of your own story and attuned to how this works through you. I draw upon the human-human relationship and body and movement (somatic) based practice. I recognise that we are all embedded in complex family, social, environmental, and economic systems and that these systems inform our lived experience. This feels especially true for the neurodiverse community who often struggle as they interface with a system built by the neurotypical world. I draw on this awareness to help you move towards a place where your experience of being in the world feels more comfortable, connected and satisfying.
My work also includes facilitating outdoor therapy groups in the Peak District and working with couples.
Ways of Working
I understand the need for a flexible and responsive approach to the therapeutic relationship and that sometimes we may need different things from our therapist. Sometimes we may need a sounding board, someone to help us explore aspects of our everyday lives that feel tricky or confusing, someone to help us filter out the noise and make the keystone changes that can allow us to be freer. This may include practical tools to help stabilise, ground and regulate our systems, manage our time and establish routines so that we can better navigate the world.
It may also include psycho-education to help us better understand our neurodiversity, body/mind, brain and nervous system. These do not all fit the traditional realms of psychotherapy and yet sometimes they are needed. Ultimately, our story – the autobiographical story that we will make sense of together, the felt story that often needs to be fully known to us – will guide your therapy journey.
I see the therapeutic process as a form of dance. We pay careful attention to repeated patterns – where we position ourselves in relation to another, where we are blocked, stilted, off balance, shut down, lost, overwhelmed. And, in our best moments – where we feel joy, flow, connection, a sense of aliveness.
In our work together I will listen, notice and respond, gently nudge when it is needed, and together we will deepen the exploration and begin to know more about your lived experience. In this way, therapy becomes a dance where we can explore old movements and discover new ones. Through this, you can naturally become freer and more fluid in your life. A loosening can begin to happen and new possibilities emerge.
In my experience, change often unfolds naturally as you become more aware of your own story and attuned to how this works through you. You may notice that you begin to make kinder, healthier choices, that you relate to others more easily, and feel capable of living a freer, richer, more fulfilling life.
My work with couples is informed by many years of experience of holding group spaces in a way that can support difficult conversations where everyone in that space is heard. I believe each relationship has its signature that captures the story of two unique people that combine in a particular way. Part of the work is a process of unpacking that signature together so that each perspective is heard and the couple develops a new understanding of the relationship. As part of this a deeper empathy and kindness emerges.
The Types of Issues I Support Neurodivergent Clients With
I have worked with such a wide range of people over the years that what I have included below is not an exhaustive list, so please do get in touch if you don’t see what you’re looking for.
- Anxiety – panic attacks, persistent stress
- Depression – low mood, self-esteem issues/negative self-beliefs, self-harm, suicidal ideation
- Trauma – PTSD, CPTSD, attachment issues, shut-down, dissociation, shame, and trauma recovery.
- Emotional Awareness – Understanding your emotions and finding ways to respond to them that feel more manageable.
- Somatic/dysregulation issues – working with trauma and emotional responses (such as anger, scare, sad) in the body to support stabilisation, grounding, regulation and processing of experience to support healing and reduce overwhelm and meltdowns
- Relationship difficulties – conflict, confusion, breakdown, divorce, or family issues. Relationship issues in which one or more people are neurodiverse.
- Identity and Unmasking – exploring identity issues, alienation, belonging, who am I? Understanding past experiences through a neurodiverse lens.
- Burnout and Overwhelm – Helping you understand and recover from emotional, physical, or sensory overload. Coping with sensory differences.
- Change and Loss – Support with transitions, identity shifts or grief of different kinds
- Parenting – Parenting or supporting a neurodivergent loved one.
- Pre and Post-Diagnostic Support – curious, self-identifying, diagnosed.
Qualifications
4 years post-graduate study in Transactional Analysis psychotherapy
Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling
Certificate in Integrative Embodied Psychotherapy
Certificate in Taking Therapy Outside
Certificate in Elemental Body workshop
Three different trainings over three years in Psychomotor Psychotherapy with Relational Trauma therapy (Merette Brantbjerg)
Participant in Natural Reflections group (2 years) – a collective of eco-therapists exploring ecological therapy with Hayley Marshall
Movement Skills and Body Awareness Training with Sandra Reeve
Reality of working with Trauma
Working with Couples with Peter Philipson (Gestalt psychotherapy)
Effective Couples Counselling
I am a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP), and work within the Ethical Framework of the BACP.5
Additional CPD Specific to Neurodiversity
Neuro-Affirming Approach to Working with Autistic Clients – Aspire Autism Consultancy
ADHD in The Therapy Room – Aspire Autism Consultancy
Advanced professional Diploma (Level 5) in Positive Behaviour Support
I have worked directly with neurodiverse people and teams supporting neurodiverse people in crisis for almost 20 years. For 12+ of these years I have provided training to teams on understanding Autism, co-created support plans and strategies to support neurodiverse people to manage some of the challenges they face, understand their unmet needs, recognise strengths, and support wider wellbeing. For several years I have co-led a referral process that responds to neurodiverse people in crisis.