About Me
About Me
When you’re looking for a therapist, it sometimes helps to know a little about that therapist’s background, so I hope you find this information of interest!
Most therapists had careers prior to becoming a counsellor or psychotherapist and I’m no exception.
Until the early 1990s, I had a 20-year career in the advertising industry where I worked on some famous brands. My job included taking the client’s marketing brief, developing a strategy to achieve client goals, and converting that into marketing materials. In short, I held the responsibility to oversee the whole advertising process from initial brief through to the creation and implementation of TV commercials, press, poster and radio campaigns, constantly liaising between the advertising agency and the client to ensure successful outcomes.
A chronic illness (M.E., otherwise known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) caused me to re-evaluate my career choice and, uncertain of what I wanted to do, I left the world of advertising. Despite being seriously unwell, I trained in bodywork which included Therapeutic Massage, Clinical Aromatherapy, Indian Head Massage and Reflexology, all of which I loved.
My physical illness, however, was not responding to anything my doctor suggested. Alternative therapies helped to an extent, but I was in my 30s and felt like someone two or three times my age. Setting aside my previous attitude of bewilderment, if not contempt, about counselling and psychotherapy, humbled, I decided to consult a psychotherapist.
The first session left me reeling. I felt physically and mentally re-invigorated after just 50 minutes with my therapist (Annie Lloyd) and, moreover, I had some idea about why this illness had me in its grip.
The next two years saw me recover from M.E. and I felt that, if psychotherapy and counselling were this effective, I’d like to undertake training myself.
In 1993, I began a five-year training programme at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education in Little Venice, West London. I graduated in 1998 with a Diploma in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy and went on to obtain an MA in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy in 2000. I then obtained Diplomas in Supervision and Advanced Psychotherapy and sometime later, trained in the excellent and sought-after trauma treatment called Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming (EMDR).
I now have a busy private practice in London for three days each week and in Lidlington, Bedfordshire on two days a week, doing a job I love.
I am also a staff member at my training college, CCPE in Little Venice, London, and I lead regular weekend workshops on a variety of topics for fellow professionals and the public. Do take a look at the Workshops section of this website for further information.
Wisdom tells me I am nothing
Love tells me I am everything
Between the two my life flows
Nisargadatta Maharaj | Hindu Guru Teachings | 20th Century
Therapeutic Style
About 10 years ago, I asked an Apple technician for help and he sent me a ‘share screen’ request. At his bidding, I accepted this request and he said, “I can now see your desktop ~ can you see that red arrow? That’s my arrow.” I remember being astonished! “Whoa! How did you do that?” I asked, looking around the room to see if I was being filmed.
Thinking about that mind-blowing experience today, I find it hard to believe that I was so amazed by this technology.
There are some people who find the idea of transpersonal experiences as mind-blowing as my screen-sharing experience with Apple, but soon enough accept the idea of different levels of consciousness.
There are others who believe that what we see, is all there is. From the more every day to the less usual — everything is welcome in a therapy session.
I’m a transpersonal and integrative therapist. What on earth does that mean? To begin with, discussions about ‘the transpersonal’ can still be a bit like the screen-sharing experience I had.
‘Trans’ means beyond, so ‘transpersonal’ means ‘beyond the personal’. Transpersonal is a term used to describe experiences and views of the world that go beyond the ordinary.
A transpersonal therapist views people as spiritual beings — there is a spiritual wellspring in each and every one of us, from which our psychological structures arise. The wounding we receive as we progress through life often causes us to veil this spiritual nature, and in doing so, we forget who we truly are. Transpersonal therapy is a holistic, humanistic approach which embraces the whole person — spiritual, creative, social, physical, intellectual and emotional.
The spiritual dimension includes aspects such as searching for meaning and purpose in life, listening to the call of the heart, or the call of the soul, acknowledging meaningful coincidences (synchronicity), valuing imagination and intuition, taking guidance from dreams, cherishing the capacity to love, listening to the instinctual nature, appreciating joy and humour, seeking a sense of connectedness, and so on. It can be found in nature, art, literature, poetry and music. And in many other places too.
A transpersonal & integrative psychotherapy journey with me will encourage experiences that challenge your sense of whom you believe yourself to be and will leave you feeling you’ve extended your sense self.
Therapeutic Approach
As an integrative therapist, I tailor my approach to your needs.
I do this by drawing upon a number of theoretical models such as client-centred therapy, gestalt therapy, process-oriented psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic psychotherapy, transactional analysis (TA) and Jungian therapy to name but a few.
Ideas about ways of working in-session arise from the material presented in the session. It’s not all talking therapy with me. Incorporating the transpersonal aspect, we may draw upon symbolism, active imagination, drawing, toys, role play, bodywork, movement, and so on. No pre-existing skills are required by the client and (of course) everything is negotiable between the two of us! I won’t force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with — there’s more than one way to beat an egg!
I believe that the style of relationship I foster provides an opportunity for a genuine, heartfelt and sincere meeting. This helps us remain aware of our mutual influence on the therapeutic process. I don’t have a top-dog/under-dog style, I aim for a journeying-alongside approach.
If any or all of this information strikes a chord with you — don’t hesitate, Contact Me now to book an initial consultation.
"The great lesson from the true mystics, from the Zen monks, and now also from the Humanistic and Transpersonal psychologists -- that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbours, friends, and family, in one's back yard…, and that travel may be a flight from confronting the sacred -- this lesson can be easily lost.
To be looking elsewhere for miracles, is to me, a sure sign of ignorance that everything is miraculous."
Abraham H. Maslow | Book, 'Religions, Values and Peak-Experiences' | 1964
Qualifications
EMDR Certification Levels 1,2 & 3
Alexander Richman Associates | 1 Year | 2010
Diploma in Advanced Psychotherapy
Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 2 Years | 2001
Diploma in Supervision
Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 1 Year | 2000
Master of Arts in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy
De Montfort University | MA Award with Distinction | 2 Years | 1999
Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy
Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 4 Years | 1998
Certificate in Stress Management
Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 1 Year | 1997
Certificate in Fundamentals of Counselling & Psychotherapy
Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 1 Year | 1994
Affiliations
I am accredited by the UKCP
