Counselling & Supervision Qualifications

Over the years I’ve come to believe that many emotional struggles are connected to the difficulty of living with uncertainty, loss, conflict and change.

Therapy cannot remove all pain from life — but it can offer a place where difficult experiences become more thinkable, less isolating and easier to carry.

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. I offer a combination of many years' experience, a high level of qualification and training, and a personal, non-judgmental approach to therapy.

• 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.

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

Beyond qualifications

My qualifications, professional training and experience provide an important foundation for my work, but they are only part of what I bring to the therapeutic relationship.

Like many therapists, my understanding has also been shaped by life itself. Along the way I have experienced significant change, loss and periods of questioning that have challenged long-held assumptions and prompted me to undertake my own personal therapy and ongoing self-reflection. I believe this personal work is an essential part of becoming, and remaining, an effective therapist.

My own journey has included living and working in different cultures, exploring questions of identity, sexuality and belonging, re-evaluating aspects of my spirituality and Christian faith, and finding ways to live with significant bereavement. These experiences have taught me that there is rarely a single "right" way through life's challenges. Instead, each person's path is unique and deserves to be met with curiosity, respect and compassion.

I do not assume that my experiences are the same as those of my clients. Rather, they have helped me develop a deeper appreciation of what it can feel like to face uncertainty, navigate change and discover new ways of understanding ourselves. Alongside my professional knowledge, they continue to inform the empathy, openness and respect that I hope every client experiences in our work together.