how I work

Mostly, you can expect a conversation between two people. I'll listen carefully, but I won't just sit silently while you do all the talking. I'll be interested in understanding how things are for you, notice things, ask questions, wonder about something with you, or sometimes gently challenge you.

You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to say. Sometimes we might sit with something difficult; at other times, there may be humour. I hope you'll experience me as interested, genuine and engaged — someone who is alongside you rather than observing you from the other side of the room.

At the heart of humanistic counselling is a belief that we all have within us the capacity to grow and find our own way forward — even when those resources can feel hidden or out of reach.

I don't believe my job is to tell you how to live your life or to provide the answers. Instead, I hope to offer the kind of relationship and space in which we can make sense of things together, and where your own answers and possibilities can begin to emerge.

No. It isn’t my role to give advice or tell you what to do. I might offer an observation, another way of looking at something, or sometimes information that I think could be useful.

I see counselling as something we do together rather than something I do to you. We might explore together options or possibilities, but you remain the person who decides what feels right for you.

I believe the relationship we develop is an important part of therapy. We co-create it, which means I bring myself to the relationship too — with empathy, honesty, curiosity and without judgement.

If something happens between us — perhaps I've misunderstood you, something I've said hasn't felt right, or you find yourself feeling uncomfortable or even angry with me — we can talk about it. Sometimes what happens between us can help us understand past and present experiences and relationships outside the counselling room too.

My training draws particularly on three humanistic approaches. You don't need to know anything about them to come to counselling, but they give us different ways of understanding what we experience together.

Person-Centred counselling puts you and your experience at the centre. We work to understand your world as you experience it, without judgement, and I agree to be genuine with you rather than hiding behind the role of “therapist”.

Gestalt therapy helps us notice what is happening in the here and now — thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and patterns that can sometimes become clearer when we slow down and pay attention to them.

Transactional Analysis (TA) gives us ways of recognising patterns in how we relate to ourselves and other people, including some that may have developed much earlier in our lives.

I don't work from a formula or decide in advance which technique you need. These approaches inform my thinking in the background, while you and the relationship between us remain at the centre of the work.

I've always been curious about people's lives and the stories that have shaped them. I've learnt a great deal from listening to people over the years, and I don't imagine I'll ever stop learning.

As a counsellor, I value the trust involved when somebody chooses to share their story with me. I want to understand their perspective, but I'm not simply a silent listener. Sometimes I'll share what I've heard, what I've noticed, or how something they've said has landed with me. I don't offer this as advice or as the answer, but as another perspective that we can be curious about together.

One of the things I find most rewarding is seeing someone recognise something in themselves that perhaps they couldn't see before. It might lead to a significant change, or simply a small step that matters to them. Either way, the change belongs to them.

There's something very satisfying about seeing someone discover a new possibility for themselves and then get on with living their life. If you reach the point where you don't need me anymore, I think we've probably done something worthwhile together.

There doesn't have to be a clearly defined “problem”. Some people come knowing exactly what they want help with; others simply know that something doesn't feel right.

People I work with bring experiences including anxiety and low mood, relationships and family difficulties, anger and emotional regulation, trauma, abuse and loss, stress and burnout, self-esteem, shame and self-criticism, identity and sexuality, life transitions, and questions around ADHD, autism and neurodiversity.

And sometimes what we start talking about isn't where the counselling eventually takes us.

I don't begin with the assumption that ADHD, autism or other forms of neurodivergence are problems that need to be “fixed”. I'm interested in understanding how you experience the world — what works for you, what gets in the way, and what you may have learned to hide, manage or adapt to meet other people's expectations.

Sometimes that might mean exploring the impact of a diagnosis, or perhaps wondering whether neurodiversity could help make sense of experiences you've had throughout your life. We might look at things such as masking, relationships, emotional regulation, self-esteem or simply the exhaustion that can come from trying to function in ways that don't fit naturally.

A diagnosis can sometimes provide useful answers, but it doesn't define the person. For me, the starting point is always you rather than any label.

Our first session is an opportunity for us to begin getting to know each other. I'll usually ask a little about what has brought you to counselling and what you hope might be different, but you don't need to arrive with a prepared story or tell me everything at once.

We'll also talk through some practical things, including confidentiality and how we would work together, and there will be plenty of opportunity for you to ask me questions.

Most importantly, the first session gives both of us a chance to get a sense of whether working together feels right. You don't have to decide in advance that I'm the right counsellor for you.

What you tell me in counselling is confidential. I won't share what we talk about with family, friends, employers or other people in your life.

There are some important limits to confidentiality. If I became seriously concerned about your safety or somebody else's, or if there were circumstances where I was legally required to disclose information, I might need to share relevant information with someone who could help. Wherever it is possible and safe to do so, I would discuss this with you first.

We'll talk about confidentiality and its limits when we first meet, so you'll have an opportunity to ask questions and understand what it means in practice.

No. I won't tell your parents, carers, teachers or school what you talk to me about. Your counselling is your space and your privacy matters.

Being under 18 doesn't mean that everything you tell me is automatically shared with adults around you.

There are limits to confidentiality. If I became seriously concerned that you or somebody else was at risk of significant harm, I might need to involve another person who could help keep you safe. Wherever possible, I would talk with you about this first and explain what I thought needed to happen and why.

We will talk about this when we first meet, and you can ask me anything you're unsure about.

I normally work with clients weekly, for 50 minutes, at an agreed day and time. Meeting regularly gives us continuity and helps the relationship and the work between us to develop.

Fortnightly sessions can sometimes be considered where circumstances make weekly counselling difficult, and we can talk together about what would be most appropriate for you.

There is no expectation that you commit to a particular number of sessions. We will regularly review how the counselling is going as we work together.

Yes. I work both in person and online and have experience of counselling in both settings.

Where possible, my preference is to meet in person. I value being together in the same room and the additional ways we can experience and respond to one another that this can bring. However, online counselling can work very well and may be more practical or comfortable for some people.

If you're unsure which would suit you, we can talk about it when we first speak.

I work face-to-face from comfortable, private counselling rooms in Twickenham and Richmond, as well as online.

My main practice is in Twickenham, with Richmond appointments also available. I want the room to feel calm and informal — somewhere we can sit comfortably and talk without interruption.

You can find photographs, addresses and practical information about both venues on my Locations page.

I understand that sometimes plans change. If you need to cancel or rearrange a session, I ask for at least 48 hours' notice, and then there is no charge.

Sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours' notice are normally charged at the full session fee. This is because the appointment has been reserved specifically for you and, for face-to-face sessions, the counselling room has also been booked.

If something unexpected happens, please let me know as soon as you can and we can talk about it.

My standard fees are on the fees page

I also keep a limited number of reduced-fee places for people on a low income or whose financial circumstances might otherwise make counselling difficult to access. If this applies to you, you're welcome to ask me about availability when you get in touch.

You can find full details on my Fees page.

I take your privacy seriously and only keep information that I need in order to work with you safely and professionally. My counselling records are kept securely and separately from information that directly identifies you.

I am registered with the UK Gov Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and handle personal information in accordance with UK data-protection law.

My Privacy Policy explains in more detail what information I keep, why I keep it, how it is protected and your rights over your personal information. I will explain this in our forst session and you can ask questions about this at anytime.

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and am bound to work within its Ethical Framework. This sets professional standards around areas such as confidentiality, boundaries, competence and working in the best interests of clients.

I also have regular clinical supervision, which is an important part of responsible counselling practice. My supervisor is fully qualified as such and is an experienced therapist who provides a professional space for me to reflect on my work, consider anything complex or difficult, and make sure that I am working thoughtfully, safely and ethically.

Supervision doesn't mean that somebody else is sitting in on our sessions. Where I discuss my client work in supervision, I protect your identity and confidentiality.

I also undertake ongoing professional development and training so that my knowledge and practice continue to develop.