Qualifications
Personal PhilosophyI believe the values we carry with us are instrumental in helping us to cope with uncertainty and change. This, in turn, develops a healthy sense of self worth and a greater ability to work through any difficulties. I feel fortunate to have worked directly with people for the vast majority of my career. My experience has been invaluable to me as a counsellor.
I hold the Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling. This involved studying various therapeutic models including Person Centred, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis, Brief Therapy and others. A member of the British Association of Counselling and Psycotherapy (MBACP), I adhere to it's Ethical Framework For Good Practice and Confidentiality procedures. Committed to continuous professional development, I am passionate about lifelong learning and have qualified as a counselling supervisor.
As an accredited loss and bereavement counsellor I have extensive knowledge in both these areas. I have had positive outcomes particularly when working with anxiety and depression.
Currently working in Palliative Care, supporting people with life limiting illnesses and their families, I feel privileged to have contact with such extraordinary people. During my career I spent a good deal of time working in the criminal justice system with children and families. During that time I became acutely aware of social exclusion and discrimination and how multiple deprivation impacts on daily living. Ultimately, these experiences led me into counselling.
I would like to quote part of a poem written by James Fenton (Short And Sweet, 1999) as I believe our past experiences can be used to influence the present.
The Ideal
This is where I came from.
I passed this way.
This should not be shameful
Or hard to say.
A self is a self.
It is not a screen.
A person should respect
What he has been.
I am also a member of the Counselling Society and hold a certificate in supervision (1:1 work), and a Diploma in Creative Cognitive Behavoural Therapy.
