My Approach

I have worked with adults, children, young people and their families for over thirty years during points of crisis and difficulty.

I have helped individuals overcome many different problems in their lives. These include separation and loss, bereavement, childhood trauma, anxiety, family and peer stress, including divorce and separation. My adult clients sometimes come to me for help to resolve work related stress, relationship difficulties or simply wish to live a more fulfilling life.

My approach towards individuals experiencing stress and unease is that they require time and patience to unravel what can be experienced as overwhelming. Sometimes greater fulfilment can be achieved by discovering more about who we are and finding ways to become more tolerant and kinder to ourselves through deeper understanding. This is what I believe provides the basis to my way of working with clients.

I am trained as an integrative child and adolescent psychotherapist and practice as an independent social worker. I am therefore experienced working with children and families who maybe experiencing high levels of stress for whatever reason. Sometimes family consultation and family therapy can be very helpful in reducing blocks within family relationships, opening new paths of possibility and creativity.

I provide 1:1 counselling and psychotherapy to children and adults, family consultation as well as parent-child work

I am comfortable with many different techniques, but they are always centred upon the needs of each individual and their family whether they be an adult, young person, or child.

As a qualified clinical supervisor, I also provide both individual, group supervision and training to trainee counsellors and psychotherapists and other professionals. I work from Bury St Edmunds, Thetford, Stowmarket, and Great Bradley and occasionally Ipswich. The rooms I use are comfortable, confidential and discreet. For your reassurance, my practice is supervised in line with UKCP guidelines and I will always respect your need for confidentiality.

The way I work will depend upon the developmental needs of the client, their age and background. With young children I often employ Thera-play, and story work using a variety of materials. This I find enables natural playfulness to emerge helping a child to make better sense of their world. Often this means working jointly with a child and their parent or carer. Many of my clients including their parents find this approach helpful as a means for deepening their relationship.

Adults and young people often prefer a more one to one therapeutic relationship, which they can trust and which is safe. I understand that young people experience many pressures from social media, peer and family relationships and high expectations at school. The future can be experienced as very uncertain and overwhelming.

These factors may combine to make life feel very stressful and anxious, and can lead to mental Illness if untreated. I often help children and young people where high levels of anxiety and depression are affecting their lives, routines, and sense of wellbeing.