As a systemic family psychotherapist and social worker with over 32 years of working with families within a number of diverse and challenging settings (including the criminal justice system, social services, fostering and CAMHS). I have consolidated my experience within my family therapy practice to work relationally alongside families irrespective of their circumstances. My aim is to harness and facilitate both individuals and family’s resilience to embrace and become their own agents of change.

Within this context I am subsequently experienced in working with the symptomatic behaviour that relational trauma can bring. This can manifest in   anxiety, low mood, self-harming, challenges with emotional regulation, aggressive behaviour and impulsive risk-taking behaviours. My systemic interventions use strength-based attachment relational interventions. I am influenced specifically by Emotion Focused Therapy, Dyadic Developmental Therapy, Theraplay, Attachment Narrative Therapy, Functional Family Therapy and None Violent Resistance (NVR) models.

I am aware that the family system has the potential to offer mediation and repair for emotional and behaviour difficulties, but that equally it can contribute to existing challenges through toxic behaviour often triggered by shaming and blaming narratives.

The process of repair, reparation, renewed trust and hope is key to therapeutic healing and is facilitated in a timely sensitive manner where all competing family narratives are given due consideration as part of the therapeutic experience. In my experience it is in offering a flexible safe therapeutic space through joined relational therapy where individuals feel heard in addition to developing the ability to listen with curiosity and openness to others which is a key first step towards the change process. Within my work I privilege everyone having a voice using the therapeutic space to afford all respective family members to have the opportunity to experience listening to each other in a non-conflictual way. Key to this is process is the emotional attunement which is embedded within the therapeutic process and is significant within the change process where everyone is held in mind.

Specialisms

  • Mental Health Adults and Children
  • Parenting
  • Adoption
  • Fostering
  • Divorce and Separation
  • Child and Adolescent Behaviour
  • Relational Trauma/Attachment difficulties
  • Cultural Intergenerational Issues
  • Substance Misuse Issues
  • Conduct Disorder
  • Excluded Children /School Refusers, at risk of child sexual exploitation and gang affiliated activity.

Client Group

  • Mainstream Schools
  • Pupil referral units
  • Residential Educational specialised provision
  • Looked after Children/Fostering and adoption
  • Children with Learning Difficulties
  • Children who are victim of bullying
  • Refugees
  • Couples
  • Families

Qualifications

  • BA Honours Sociology
  • Certificate of qualification in Social work (CQSW)
  • Masters in Criminology
  • Masters in Systemic Psychotherapy
  • Currently on a Doctorate in Psychotherapy by Professional Studies