Counselling & Supervision Qualifications
Confidentiality, Safety, Trust
My Qualifications
When you're thinking about having therapy, it can be hard to know how to choose someone to work with. Qualifications, experience and accreditations play a part in helping you to choose, but it's also important that you meet with a therapist so that you can get a 'feel' for how you may work together.
One of the main bodies which oversees the accreditation and registration of counsellors in the UK is the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). You can visit their website here.
I am a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist. In order to maintain my accreditation I undergo at least 30 hours of professional development each year by attending on-going training and other types of personal development.
Because I'm an accredited BACP therapist, you have access to their complaints procedure for your safety and protection.
My specific counselling and psychotherapy qualifications include:
- Doctorate in Psychotherapy - Metanoia Institute/Middlesex University 2010
- Diploma in Supervision - CICS (Contemporary Institute of Clinical Sexology) 2025
- Masters degree (MA) in Counselling - University of Birmingham 1999
- RELATE Certificate in Marital and Couple Counselling - RELATE 1999
- Diploma in Counselling and Interpersonal Skills - University of Warwick 1989
I was Head of Counselling and Wellbeing at the University of Birmingham until 2017; I was editor for the BACP journal, University and College Counselling for five years, and I now work with the Open University as an associate lecturer in counselling and mental health. I was Advisor on Pastoral Care and Counselling to the Bishop of Worcester until March 2025. I've written several papers for peer-reviewed academic journals, for professional counselling journals, and chapters for counselling textbooks: Difference and Diversity in Counselling (Palgrave) and The SAGE Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy (4th edition). I have also edited a book focussing on counselling within higher education - Short-term Counselling in Higher Education: Context, Theory and Practice (Routledge). My most recent book is The Student Guide to Mindfulness (SAGE).
