My areas of interest
Over the years I've developed specialisms in a few different approaches to psychotherapy
Life Script: how and why we repeat patterns in our lives and our relationships, time and again. How our past is tangled up in our present, and how to untangle it. Whatever brings you to therapy, this is usually an important part of the story.
Working with Highly Sensitive People (HSP), a genetic trait of 20-25% of the population, which means you notice more, process experiences more deeply and are more prone to overstimulation or overwhelm. It also means you're well-suited to getting a lot out of therapy! And that we have to pay attention to pacing ourselves along the way. I'm interested in neurodiversity in general, including autism and ADHD.
How our bodies know more than we expect - and how to tune in to what our bodies can tell us. I wasn't surprised to read that our gut is our second brain. I place a lot of emphasis on checking in with our somatic sensations, and becoming aware of the state of our autonomic nervous system.
Linked to the above, I provide trauma-aware therapy by inviting clients to join me in noticing their body responses as we talk. I keep in mind the safety-seeking, fight/flight and shut-down roles of our autonomic nervous systems as we work together.
I'm also interested in burnout, chronic illness and pain. Every person's path to burnout or chronic illness is different. Often we reach a place of burnout because we ignore or override our body's signals for too long. Maybe 'Be Strong' is a central part of your script, or you are neurodivergent and the world is not designed with you in mind. I provide a supportive space where you can explore the challenges you face.
Qualifications
I'm registered with UKCP as a Certified Transactional Analyst with a post-graduate diploma in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy.
I have an MSc in Occupational Psychology and an MA in Experimental Psychology.