My Approach

I provide a sensitive, straight forward and honest attachment based presence; holding a space for children and young people to feel properly seen and heard who they are on the inside. I work relationally using a bottom-up, developmentally informed and trauma aware approach to build a safe, attuned form of therapeutic relating - thought about, safe and understood.

The child’s unique experience is their own. The space becomes their unique space where each young person choses to be as they feel they need to be. For example: drawing, fiddling, sand tray play, combining materials, ball-play, clay, plasticine, Play Doh, moving or simply talking, whatever helps to create the feeling of openness and rightness in simply being.

I hope to be alongside each child with their experiences of simply being in relationship with another in vulnerability. A fluid, ordinary, low-key being together which reduces the distance between therapist and child where the past is remembered and understood in the room and can become part of a new beginning in understanding and thinking about outside experiences and relationships.

I work either by meeting a child for therapy at their school or within my own practice. Part of my treatment plan may include working therapeutically with parents/carers, schools and other networks around the child or young person using the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy approach (DDP) to support and facilitate intersubjective communication, understanding and outside support around the child.

About Me

Over the past 25 years my mantra has been ‘Children First’. I believe that early childhood growing-up experiences impact on and influence who we are as adults.

What began with the birth of my own children was a humbling personal exploration of infant, child and a young person's developmental and emotional needs to thrive, feel loved and happy and to develop the capacity to actualise their basic inheritance to their full potential.

A psychology degree and volunteering for a charitable mental health organisation, followed by a counselling diploma in person-centred therapy and then years as a qualified primary school teacher. I am specialised in working with difference such as specific educational difficulties (SpLD) with a Postgraduate Diploma in Dyslexia and Literacy and SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate. Through my experiences as a teacher I understand how children who feel thought about, safe and understood, become happier, grow in self-esteem and build resilience which impacts on enabling learning and developing satisfying relationships.

As an integrative psychotherapist I provide a consistent relational framework giving children and their parents/carers the opportunity to relate in new and trusting ways.

I work with

• Children and young people
• Families
• Groups
• Individuals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Types of Therapies Offered

• Child Psychotherapist

What I can help with

• Abuse
• Age-related Issues
• Anxiety
• Bullying
• Depression
• Family
• Parents
• Trauma