I am a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist having formerly trained as a counsellor. I have worked in private practice for over a decade having started out working for a counselling organisation. I previously worked in North Devon for the NHS in Adult Mental Health. In the past I have worked in the voluntary sector with Kids who Care as a mentor for Child Carers and also as an Appropriate Adult supporting vulnerable adults and juvenile offenders whilst they were in police custody.
I started my training studying for an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling which provided me with a rich and rewarding experience gaining understanding of a range of different therapeutic techniques. Over time my work has become increasingly influenced by psychodynamic/psychoanalytic ideas. I went on to gain a Masters Degree in Psychological Therapies (Psychodynamic-Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy) at the University of Exeter followed by Psychoanalytic training at Severnside Institute for Psychotherapy.
I strongly believe that as human beings, the relationships we form in childhood influence the way we see ourselves and the world around us, throughout our lives. We are constantly influenced by and reacting to others in ways we have little conscious understanding of. How we view ourselves and in relation to others and how we view the other is inherently important in determining how we live our lives. It is often in times of difficulty or when, for example, we experience change, loss, separation or trauma that we can find ourselves struggling to understand why we feel we cannot manage. Psychotherapy provides a space to think about the self in a safe, quiet and confidential setting in order to realise and come to a better understanding of painful or difficult aspects of ourselves in order to try and make changes.
Therapy can be a deep and rich personal experience but does require commitment and effort. It can, at times, feel difficult and painful as it explores the more hidden and unwanted parts of the self, often the parts we find hard to acknowledge. It is in the new awareness that we can hope for more enriched and meaningful lives and relationships.