Overview
I am a BABCP-accredited Psychotherapist and Supervisor with over 20 year’s experience working within psychological services. I provide a warm, compassionate and collaborative approach to therapy, drawing on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
I believe that therapy works best when you feel safe, understood and able to be yourself without judgement. My role is to work alongside you to understand what you are experiencing, make sense of the patterns that may be keeping difficulties going, and help you develop new ways of responding to yourself with greater compassion and understanding.
Throughout my career, I have worked within specialist NHS services, including forensic, eating disorders, weight management and physical health, as well as developing a private practice. I have experience supporting people with a wide range of psychological difficulties, and have particular interests in areas relating to self-criticism, shame and trauma.
Many people I work with have become used to being hard on themselves, feeling that they are not good enough, or struggling with difficult experiences from the past. Sometimes these patterns can feel deeply ingrained and difficult to change. Therapy can provide an opportunity to slow things down, understand where these patterns have come from, and develop a different relationship with yourself.
My dominant model of therapy is CFT, however I do offer an integrative approach, I draw on different therapeutic approaches depending on what feels most helpful for you.
What You Can Expect
I aim to create a therapeutic space that feels safe, respectful and collaborative. We will work together at a pace that feels manageable for you, with your experiences and goals at the centre of our work.
My hope is that, through therapy, you can develop a greater sense of safety and self-acceptance, feel less controlled by unhelpful patterns, and learn to respond to yourself with the same understanding and compassion that you might naturally offer to others.
Please do get in contact if you have any questions, together we can explore if the approach and style of therapy I offer feels like a good fit.
Therapist information
English
Msc
BABCP (70234)
Individuals
My journey with Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) began in 2012, when I first encountered the approach and was immediately struck by its depth, humanity, and potential to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives. I began formal CFT training in 2014, starting with an Introduction to CFT before progressing to the Advanced CFT training with Dr Ken Goss. The more I learned, the more captivated I became by the model and its compassionate, scientifically grounded approach to understanding human suffering. This led me to continue my training with a Post Graduate Certificate in CFT at the University of Derby, where I had the privilege of studying under Professor Paul Gilbert, with supervision from Wendy Wood. This was a particularly important stage in my development, deepening both my understanding of the model and my appreciation of how CFT can be brought to life in clinical practice. My learning has continued to grow through many years of regular supervision with Dr Tobyn Bell and Anne Hilder, both of whom have been hugely influential in my development as a CFT therapist. I have also sought out specialist training in areas including trauma, complex and attachment trauma, eating disorders, self criticism and chairwork. Each of these experiences has continued to broaden my understanding of how CFT can be adapted to meet the needs of people with very different experiences and difficulties. Alongside my clinical work, I have had the pleasure of contributing to postgraduate teaching in CFT at the University of Liverpool and also at Edge Hill University. I have also worked across a range of healthcare settings, including Mersey Care and Aintree Hospital NHS Trust, where I have utilised CFT to provide teaching, psychological support, and clinical intervention for people experiencing severe and enduring difficulties, including weight management, eating disorders, trauma, physical pain, post-operative care, and emotional adjustment. One of the aspects of CFT that continues to inspire me is the way it brings together compassion, science, and a deeply human understanding of the challenges we can face. My own learning has very much been a journey, and one that continues to evolve through clinical practice, supervision, teaching, and connection with others who share an interest in this approach. I feel particularly grateful to have been given the opportunity to provide clinical supervision to trainees undertaking the CFT Diploma. Supporting people as they develop their understanding, confidence, and skills in CFT has been so rewarding. It has also provided scope for self reflection, helping me to continue learning both as a supervisor and as a CFT therapist and to reflect on what it means to practise and teach compassion in a way that is authentic, grounded, and clinically meaningful.
