Adults

Phases in our lives can be difficult, and you may decide to seek counselling to navigate situations for which you feel unprepared, unsupported, overwhelmed or out of your depth. Difficulties or changes in your life such as a relationship break-down or loss of  a career, loved one, home etc. may create grief, anxiety, depression, low self-worth, a lack of self-respect or self-confidence. These difficulties may be enhanced for those who have experienced a challenging childhood.

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In adulthood we may become aware of the impact our upbringing has on who we are as a person, the way we think, feel and what we believe about ourselves which can create entrenched or rigid patterns of behaviour that have kept us 'safe' until now and we may find no longer working for us.

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With many years' experience of working with young people, and as a parent myself, I am resourced to empathically and competently support those who are experiencing difficulties with their children (including adult children); be it issues within the parent/child relationship, fears around the choices they are making or changes you may feel uncomfortable with (including adjusting to an 'empty nest').  As a parent there may be a sense of feeling responsible or guilt when acknowledging your child's neurodivergence or lack of fitting in, self-acceptance, etc. which can be triggering and hurtful, particularly if they are pushing you away. Exploring how to support them, providing them with a degree of autonomy, alongside having fair, consistent boundaries whilst believing and trusting in yourself is important.

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Counselling is the place to explore issues past or present, and how the (sometimes distorted) way we think and feel affects us and our behaviour, the way we interact with others, and our sense of self.

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Whatever your age, it is important to choose a counsellor with whom you feel comfortable and are able to talk. I offer the opportunity to work together in a confidential, empathic space, to help you to move towards the understanding, awareness or change you would like for yourself. I believe it is vital to build trust with one another to ensure that you feel respected and safe. I will listen to you with empathy and warmth, valuing difference regardless of gender, sexuality, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture and more. As a humanistic counsellor I believe that you are the expert on yourself and your life (although sometimes we need support to remind us of this). Holding you at the centre of our relationship, each session will be led by you, and working together, we will explore your concerns at your pace.  

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Young People

I have over fifteen years’ experience of working closely with children and young people in school and college settings, along with five years' experience working with University students. I offer counselling to young people from the age of 13 years and up. Many adolescents experience a range of issues including social anxiety, stress, depression, self-harm, peer pressure, body image, gender, sexuality, identity and neurodivergent issues. In our fast paced, changing world, with the impact of social media, and increased academic pressure, it is important that young people are given the autonomy and respect to feel accepted and to navigate their way through these complex years with a view to enhancing resilience and self-belief. The pandemic had a huge impact on the mental health of many young people, restricting their ability to socialise which created for some a feeling of being isolated at a time when they are likely to already be experiencing significant transitional changes. Talking to a professional can help to put changes or fears into perspective.

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When working with young people I invite their parent or carer to attend the first part of our initial assessment meeting. It is vital for building a relationship of trust that the young person is aware that I will not repeat to their parent (or the person paying for their sessions) any of the information they share with me. An exception to this would be if I felt the young person or someone else was at risk of serious harm. 

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Neurodivergence

I have many hours experience and training in working with individuals with both ADHD/ADD, autism and AuDHD which may co-occur with dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc. It is an area where I feel particularly passionate about listening to your lived experience, helping with building self-esteem and confidence and an understanding of self in order for you to recognise  your strengths and work with your differences. The secondary 'symptoms' of neurodivergence (whether diagnosed or not) can be anxiety and/or depression or low mood. Our society is not generally set up for neurodivergent people who may find accessing education difficult. Particularly from high school onwards where there is an expectation for the young person to navigate multiple new systems in a very different way to junior schools. Moving into the world of work may be particularly challenging. I can support with exploring together any reasonable adjustments that could be helpful in the workplace in order for you to feel confident and competent when voicing your needs. 

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My Background

I am a humanistic, integratively trained counsellor (which simply means I have trained in different counselling techniques) and tailor my approach to suit your needs. Having had both short-term and long-term counselling myself I am aware of the importance of finding the 'right' counsellor who listens, validates, encourages, challenges and supports so you can more fully discover who you are and the choices you want for yourself; noticing and acknowledging your needs and discovering how to ask for your needs to be met. At my ‘heart’ or ‘core’, I use a person-centred approach as I believe that you, the client, are the expert on yourself and your life and have everything you need within to live the life you want, although at times help is required to connect (or reconnect) us to ourselves and our needs. 

 

​As a counsellor at the As You Are Counselling Charity in Southwick for three years I worked extensively with adults and couples with various, often complex, presenting issues.

More recently, I managed a busy counselling service at a college campus, providing counselling both to staff and students. I have also worked for YMCA Dialogue and in schools and Sixth Forms both as a counsellor and in other roles.

Alongside private practice, I am currently a Specialist Mental Health Mentor providing one to one support to university students. I also counsel at Acorn Pregnancy Counselling Service in Worthing providing grief work to individuals following pregnancy loss.

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Contact Me

Both short- and longer-term counselling can have positive impact on our lives. You will have the choice to decide how long you wish counselling to continue, with regular reviews to discuss how counselling is going for you and to clarify and maintain the focus you choose. Should you decide you would like to work together, I suggest weekly for an initial six weeks after which you can decide whether longer term therapy would be helpful for you.

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It can be daunting to seek help and talk to a stranger. If you have any questions, either about counselling, the way I work, or about your own issues, I offer a free half an hour telephone consultation to talk before you decide whether you would like an initial session with me. Please email me or leave a voicemail, suggesting the best times for me to reach you, and I will call you back, usually within 24 hours. There is no commitment to work with me following this.

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I offer sessions online via Zoom or face-to-face in rooms in Broadwater, Worthing (within walking distance of Worthing train station).