My Qualifications and Credentials:
When seeking a therapist, perhaps for the first time, you want to feel confident that the person you are consulting is suitably qualified to help you. It is important that you check your therapist’s credentials and make sure that he or she is affiliated with a recognised governing body or regulator and is suitably insured.
I am:
• A Registered Member (MBACP) of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP), the largest body in its sector, which sets standards for therapeutic practice in counselling and psychotherapy. My registration number is 084216 and you can find me on the BACP Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists here.
• An Accredited Member of the National Counselling Society – MNCS (Accred.), membership number NCS21-01840
• An Affiliate Member of the National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED) meaning that I can work professionally and ethically with those suffering from eating disorders, as well as with their families and carers.
• Registered with the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (registration number 001154-L10). The CNHC is the government accredited UK voluntary register for complementary healthcare practitioners, including Hypnotherapists (approved by the Professional Standards Authority).
My principal qualifications:
• I hold a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling specialising in Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Transactional Analysis and Relationship counselling. The counselling methods that I use are systemic approaches, which means that they are helpful for working with individuals within the contexts of their environments and their relationships, but also in situations where there may be more than one person involved, for example working with couples, families, groups or teams. I am a voluntary counsellor for Mind, the mental health charity, in Hertfordshire, where I work with clients coping with a variety of mental health and emotional issues.
•I hold the Master Practitioner award for Eating Disorders and Obesity from the National Centre for Eating Disorders which includes a certificate in nutritional skills. As such I have passed their rigorous training and assessment processes to demonstrate that I am able to work with people coping with all types of eating disorders including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Purging Disorder, Binge Eating Disorder, Night Eating Syndrome and others, as well as body dysmorphia and body image issues. I have undertaken additional training in approaches for working with eating disorders at the Maudsley Hospital/Kings College IoPPN and the British Psychological Society (BPS). I am also trained to work with obesity and weight problems. This is an area of great interest to me and one which I continue to study.
•I am trained in Mentalization Based Therapy for Parents under Pressure (MBT-PP) which has been devised by Tavistock Relationships, the internationally renowned training and research organisation for supporting couples and relationships. This programme helps couples and co-parents to prevent the negative effects of conflict from impacting upon their children, whether they live together or apart. I am also trained in the 4Rs and 2Ss group family therapy model.
•I hold a Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy (DHP) and have completed supplementary training in several areas including managing IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), hypnotherapy approaches for weight management, dealing with phobias and eliminating problem habits. I continue to keep my skills up to date with further study and ongoing training; this, as well as my affiliation with CNHC means that I am able to remain current on regulatory matters pertaining to the use of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy and to make sure that I am complying with all statutory requirements.
•I am an Advanced Practitioner of Brainworking Recursive Therapy™ (BWRT®) – a safe, rapid and dynamic form of therapy, based on modern neuroscience, that takes advantage of the brain’s ability to change our responses, thus enabling fast and long-lasting results for many types of problem.
• I hold a certificate in couple and relationship counselling and have completed subsequent training in other approaches and skills for working with couples and relationships.
• I am trained in various approaches for addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including Dr David Muss’s acclaimed Rewind Technique
• I am a certified NLP Practitioner and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner
• I have received further professional training in:
- The Anna Freud Centre, Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) for Eating Disorders
- Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders
- Eating Disorders in pregnancy
- Eating Disorders and Body Image
- Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Anorexia (Kings College/IoPPN)
- Maudsley Model of Anorexia Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)
- Addressing obesity
- Nutritional Skills for Eating Disorders
- Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)
- Parents Plus group facilitation for separated parents
- 4Rs and 2Ss for Strengthening Families
- Coaching skills
- Anger Management
- Conflict Resolution
- Approaches for Self Harm
- Working with Depression
- Working with Anxiety
- Domestic Abuse
- Working with Stuck People
- Mindfulness for recovery
- Ericksonian Hypnosis
• Client confidentiality is assured¹
• I follow the BACP Ethical Framework and am bound by the CNHC code of ethics
• I have comprehensive liability insurance with a reputable professional insurance provider
• DBS certificate (enhanced)
I receive full and regular supervision from a BACP approved counselling supervisor, a specialist eating disorders supervisor and a mentalization based therapy supervisor. The role of my supervisors is to advise me on case treatments, to make sure that I comply fully with regulations, to ensure that I keep up to date with my competencies and that I remain fit to practice. When I discuss your case or treatment with my supervisor it is always with your best interests in mind and is strictly in complete confidence without disclosing your identity.
Client – therapist rapport is also very important and this is one of the reasons that I offer clients a lower cost no-obligation initial consultation, to help them to decide if they want to work with me.
Personal:
I love working as a therapist and counsellor as it enables me to meet remarkable people and to witness their transformations. My clients inspire me; I am constantly uplifted by their capacities to improve their lives, to develop better relationships with themselves and to become happier, more fulfilled and more successful. I first became interested in a career in therapy having experienced for myself how transformational it can be. Since then I have witnessed many times over the power of therapeutic techniques to change lives.
Before studying hypnotherapy and NLP and subsequently counselling, I worked for several years in international scientific publishing, managing large and multi-cultural teams. As part of that work, I was responsible for motivating and developing staff, as well as problem solving and conflict resolution. I am still passionate about working to improve ‘human systems’ – how people work together – whether that be within relationships, family groups or organisations.
Although my client work, voluntary work and ongoing studies don’t leave me much free time, I try to stay active. I enjoy swimming and Pilates and I also enjoy supporting my local rugby team. I also love to take walks in the beautiful countryside of the Chilterns, where I am very lucky to live. I love music and play the flute; however, I am somewhat out of practice at present, but I fully intend to brush up my skills again in the near future!
¹There are a few ethical and legal limitations to client confidentiality, which I will explain to you in our first session.