“Nobody can bring you peace but yourself. “ – Emerson
I am endlessly interested in the experience of being human. How do we deal with self-awareness? How do we each navigate this journey of life, with all its ups and downs, its joy, pain and sadness? How do we make sense of our existence? These questions are the reasons I trained as a counsellor, and form the basis for my work.
On a personal level, my experiences with anxiety and OCD have lead me to search for approaches that actually work. When I discovered ACT and the philosophy of acceptance, my life changed profoundly. For the first time, I learnt to sit with difficult thoughts, feelings and sensations without trying to push them away or ignore them. And when I dropped this struggle, I could look at my fear in a new light; not as a problem to be solved, but as just another part of my experience. I began to see anxiety as a natural response to being in the world, and OCD as a coping strategy I had developed along the way to help me to deal with it. I began to develop different strategies, that felt healthier and gave me more freedom to choose my response.
At the heart of ACT is an emphasis on our values. By identifying what is most important to us, we can aim towards a rich and meaningful life no matter what thoughts, feelings and sensations are showing up. Values are different for everyone, but few of us really consider what they actually are until we are asked. Formulating my own list of values has helped me forge an inner compass that I use to keep me focused and grounded when life feels unsettled.
Which, unfortunately, happens a lot these days. In these times the world can feel like a difficult place in which to live, with threat and uncertainty around every corner. It is no surprise to me that many of us feel anxious and overwhelmed, and I do not think it means that there is anything ‘wrong’ with us. I think it means that we are attempting to navigate an increasingly complex world that feels unstable and out of our control. Identifying where our power lies within this can help to give us back a sense of agency, safety and purpose.
All of these concepts are grounded in ongoing research. I keep track of the ever-evolving discussions and debates in mental health, trying to separate the helpful from the not-so-helpful. I am committed to a pragmatic, practical approach to emotional distress that also allows us to be human. I will not try to ‘fix’ or ‘cure’ you, but I will give you the opportunity to heal, and for you to be the expert in your own healing process.
Qualifications
MA Counselling and Psychotherapy in Practice (2024)
Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling (2015)
Certificate in Counselling
Certificate in Focusing
ACT and Anxiety
ACT as a Brief Intervention
BA Hons English Lit
