🌿 PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
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My professional background spans over four decades - before becoming a Counsellor/Psychotherapist, I worked extensively in community development, higher education lecturing and training (ICT and soft skills in small business to large corporations, individuals and community sector), research consultancy, business consultancy, health sector admin and organisational management, supporting individuals, teams, and large organisations across both public and private sectors.
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This breadth of experience informs my therapeutic work, particularly in understanding systems, relationships, identity, communication, time management and change within complex environments. I also understand that whilst enjoyable, the working environment can place stresses and strains on our personal lives.
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Alongside this, I have a longstanding background in counselling and mental health contexts, including leadership roles within counselling organisations and work within referral-based community support services.
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I am also a fully trained Schools Counsellor, having worked in educational settings as a Counsellor and Mentor.
Throughout my working and academic career, there have been people who have made a lasting impact on my professional development. They have left an imprint, stood out, and supported me to change in ways I did not think possible at the time. In all of these experiences, kindness has been central. They saw something in me that I had not yet recognised in myself, and that experience continues to shape how I work with others.
“When I accept another person as they are, I make it possible for them to change.” — Carl Rogers
🌿BRINGING LIFE TO THERAPY
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I believe it is important to incorporate fun into our lives and connect with our natural environment. I’m a humanitarian personality type INFJ and bring my global thinking, commitment to equality and love of nature to my work with clients. I hold a deep love for animals and find that pets bring me great joy.
I have spent many years volunteering and one of the most enjoyable and physically challenging organisations I worked for was the North West Mountain Rescue Team . During this work, I completed RAF Helicopter Training, First Aid REC 4 Advanced, Basic Navigation, Advanced Navigation, Ropework, Radio Comms, Abseiling, Stretcher Work, Knots, Search Techniques, Suicide in Search and Rescue, Water Search & Rescue. I was also a driver of our MR ambulance on road and rough terrain.