Welcome
Hello, and thank you for visiting.
I'm a fully qualified and experienced therapist based in Kingston-upon-Thames. I offer a safe & confidential space outside of friends and family, to listen, explore and process what’s happening in your life without distractions, agenda, or judgement. I can meet in-person, or online.
Sometimes life & relationships can feel overwhelming and difficult to cope with; you may be experiencing upheaval or feeling low, anxious, or just not yourself. You may simply want to know & understand yourself better, to make the most of your life & choices.
Therapy helps you to become more aware of the person you are & the power you have. My aim is to support you to find ways to live your life more fully.
Finding a therapist that feels right for you is so important. I offer an initial free 15 minute consultation over the phone, so you can find out more about therapy and how I work. It also allows me to understand briefly what you are facing, and how I may be able to support you. We'd then book a initial session if you so choose, to discuss more about what has brought you to therapy, what you hope to achieve & whether we feel able to work together.
Please scroll down for more information about me, what to expect, what I offer, and links to further reading and resources. I hope you will find this useful.
If you’d like to find out more, please get in touch to book an initial free 15-minute consultation over the phone.
By coming this far, you have already taken a step forward.
About me
A member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and Universities Psychotherapy & Counselling Association (UPCA), I adhere to the BACP Ethical Framework.
I became fully qualified in 2009 with a degree (BSc) in Integrative Counselling from Roehampton University, training in person-centred, psychodynamic, existential & cognitive behavioural approaches to therapy. I draw on an integration of all four, depending on each client’s unique needs.
Having said that, my core approach is person-centred, which means I lean towards creating an empathic, non-judgemental, and accepting relationship for the work we do, offering observations and techniques along the way, if they seem helpful.
I work with curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to try and understand what’s happening for you as best I can from your frame of reference.
I have worked for over 15 years as a counsellor at a Women’s Centre, where I have had the privilege of working with a great many women to discover and prize their own uniqueness, power & value.
I have worked with many different issues including anxiety, depression, domestic violence, eating disorders, emotional abuse, loss, sexual abuse, relationship issues and trauma.
I commit time regularly to my further growth and continuing professional development, keeping up with advances in thinking, theory, and practice. I’m especially interested in trauma-informed ways of working, compassion theory and mindfulness.
I also have a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), and have enjoyed a long career at a senior level in business.
What to expect
It’s not easy to know what to expect from therapy.
Sometimes people imagine that an ‘expert’ will advise them what to do, as if they know best.
But effective therapy is a shared endeavour, underpinned by a trusting relationship between therapist and client.
I see my job as creating a safe and supportive space to explore the issues that are affecting you, to help make sense of your experiences and feelings & find your own voice, perspective, and clarity.
It’s about putting you first and at the very heart of things, listening with empathy to whatever you wish to bring, at your own pace, helping you to understand, accept and connect with yourself.
It’s about empowering and resourcing you to find your own way forward, and ultimately become your own therapist and guide.
What I offer
I offer an initial 15-minute consultation over the phone, which is free of charge.
This is a chance for you to find out more about therapy and how I work. It also allows me to discover briefly what you are facing, and how I may be able to support you in your goals.
The next step is to book an initial session to discuss in detail what has brought you to therapy, what you hope to gain, and to get a sense of whether we feel able to work together.
I will gather information to get to know you and understand your situation better.
If you choose to, we'd then agree a regular time and day to commit to weekly 50-minute sessions.
Then our sessions are led by whatever you wish to talk about.
We review our work after 6 weeks, and at regular intervals, to check in on how you’re experiencing the therapy and our progress towards your goals.
Your therapy can be time limited or open-ended, depending on your needs.
Generally, it ends whenever you feel ready, and we would prepare for this together.
I charge £65 per 50-minute session, payable in advance by bank transfer.
I am located a 10-12-minute walk from Kingston Upon Thames train station, or I can meet you on Zoom.
Please get in touch if you would like to book an initial free 15-minute consultation over the phone.
Links, resources and reading
British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/what-is-counselling/
Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association (UPCA)
Mind
NHS
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/
On Becoming a Person, A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy, Carl Rogers
Couch Fiction, A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy, Philippa Perry
Staring at the Sun, Irvin D. Yalom, M.D.
Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl
Grief Works, Julia Samuels
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Everyday Tools for Life's Ups and Downs, Dr Julia Smith
