About Me

I’m a registered, accredited therapist with over 24 years experience.

 

For 20 of those years, alongside private practice, I have worked within a multidisciplinary team supporting Families and Young People affected by substance use, be it their own use or someone else’s. My role there is to help people explore the underlying causes of symptomatic use and the origins and legacy of addictive behaviours.

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I have found that most of my work focuses on my being someone with whom people can explore and come to terms with the wounds they carry often caused by abuse, loss, grief and trauma. There is genuine strength and energy in these 'woundings' and our surviving them. Through investing in this work and trusting the blessings and alchemy of life, we can reclaim ourselves and in so doing, move on.

 

There is a lot of research now evidencing the value of working to heal the body, the container of all we are and all we know and don't know. From a somatic perspective, working with what is held in the body helps us to listen to and connect with the truth of our bodies and the wisdom we can find there. The living body is always present, evidenced in each heart beat and breath taken, it is the bridge to healing. 

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I worked directly with a Shaman, Emaho from 1996 - 2012 for my own self development and to support my work. This relationship continues to inspire and challenge me.

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My background is in the Arts, I received a 1st Class Honours Degree in Fine Art Textiles from Manchester Met many years ago and went on to work within Community Arts and Community Development. I was asked by a friend to be her case study for her therapeutic massage training and got more than I bargained for. The experience completely blew me away. I realised, through the receiving of therapeutic touch, how much pain was held in my body, build up from past experiences and how scared I was inside and how vulnerable I felt. And up until that point, I was pretty much unaware of it, I discovered what I thought was true was a veil covering who I really was built up over years of coping/not coping . It was a wake up call; I listened and decided to address my life path. I enrolled on the renowned Glasgow College of Holistic Medicine therapy training to find out who I was. Showing up in my life as it is has made a great difference to my perspective and to how I relate to 'me', others and life.

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In addition to my psychotherapy and bodywork practice, I make and sell shamanic drums and sacred tools. I offer drum birthing workshops and hold therapeutic drumming sessions in nature, with horses and online. This is a sacred practice that informs all my work, shamanic and otherwise.

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As a qualified BAWMA and NADA acupuncturist, I deliver training in Auricular Acupuncture to organisations in order to equip their staff or volunteers with a professional qualification so they can provide this valuable treatment to clients and participants.

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Being lucky to live in a beautiful part of the world, I'm blessed to be surrounded by nature. I'm guardian to a feisty Shetland pony, a foal and a Welsh mountain filly. They live on the land with the wild birds and animals. The website photos are of the sun setting over the fields.​

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I consider myself, as Emaho would say, a 'student of life' and as such, my education doesn't end.

However, listed below are some of my most relevant qualifications and trainings:

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I am currently studying on Janina Fisher's Complex Trauma Practitioner Course (PESI)

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Dip Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (The LEAP Method)

Dip Therapeutic Counselling (CPCAB - CHM)

Dip Life Development Counselling (CHM)

Cert Relationship Counselling 

Cert Person Centred Expressive Arts Therapy 

Cert General Online Therapy (CPCAB)

Systemic Supervision Training (Collective Space/SMBC)

Reflective Supervision Training (RiP/SMBC)

Cert Narrative Therapy Level 1 (Centre for Narrative Practice)

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Dip Holistic Massage and Reflexology (Glasgow College of Holistic Medicine - CHM)

Mindful Compassion Practitioner Training (Mindfulness Association)

Wild Therapy Retreat (Embodied Relational Therapy - Alison Priestman)

Dip Forest Bathing (CoE)

BAWMA Licensed Acupuncturist 

Cert Auricular Acupuncture Trainer (ACT)

Cert Auricular Acupuncture Practitioner (NADA)

CS1 + ECS1 Upledger Cranio-Sacral Therapy (Humans and Equines)

Complex Safeguarding, Drug & Alcohol Awareness and Risk Assessment training (SMBC/RiP)

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Internal Family Systems and Complex Trauma - Frank Anderson (PESI 2 day workshop)

Trauma and Attachment - Peter Levine and Diane Poole Heller

Trauma and Abuse - Zoe Lodrick

Neuroscience and Well being - Rick Hansen

Mindfulness of Sleep and Lucid Dreaming - Charlie Morley

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Numerous Trauma Focused and Somatic Practice Trainings and Workshops

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Enhanced DBS

Fully insured to practice

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I receive regular Clinical Supervision from a registered and accredited supervisor in line with professional guidelines.

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I was a member of BACP from 1998 until recently (Accredited and Registered). I recently moved to NCPS - National Society of Counselling and Psychotherapy - as a Accredited Professional Registrant on their Professional Standards Register.