I am a mother, a therapist, and a lecturer. As well as working, I find joy in travelling to different countries. I find replenishment and a sense of life from the sea, animals, and music.

Where I work

My private practice is situated in the Chandlery Buildings on Westminster Bridge Road. The building is in a courtyard, which gives it a secure feel, set back from the main road. The space is easy to access and about a ten minute walk from Waterloo or Elephant and Castle station. Waterloo Counselling is wheelchair accessible.

I also run sessions online via zoom.

Image provided by Shane Griffiths, Blackredmedia

Beginning therapy

It’s hard to find a way of telling our story - but not having a voice can be agony..

Starting therapy is hard. You might not know how to begin your story, how to express the complexity of your narrative or you might not know what to say. You might feel frightened, desperate or uncertain. But coming to therapy is an act of courage. It is the decision to find a voice. It is having enough trust and hope to ask another person for help and guidance. Good therapy can help you understand yourself, your story and the ways you relate to others.

I started my own therapy with a yearning to have a voice and to be seen. I now have the privilege of working with other people and seeing time and again, the difference this therapy space makes to peoples’ lives. (see the Testimonials page for some things people say).

A reason to begin

I began my own therapy journey due to a bereavement and difficulties in my relationships that made me fundamentally question who I was and where I was going. I needed a space to make sense of things and I needed a therapist whom I could trust.

It is useful to ask yourself why you are seeking therapy. Often people start therapy/counselling by realising that something is wrong and that they need some help. Perhaps looking at the Waterloo counselling website is a sign of you reaching out for support for the situation you are in? Perhaps you have experienced:

• crisis

• bereavement

• relationship breakdown

• low self-worth

• trauma or a traumatic experience

• a trigger that has made you look at your life and realise you are not happy?

• Flashbacks, nightmares and trauma symptoms

My training

I originally studied psychology (BSc and MSc) and then trained as a psychodynamic psychotherapist (with license to practice) at WPF Therapy which is recognised as one of the leading psychodynamic and psychoanalytic training bodies in the UK. I am also a member of the EMDR association which is an effective form of treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I attend regular training programmes and courses to ensure my training, skills and abilities are kept up to date.

Other work

• I work in the NHS (South London and Maudsley NHS Trust) as a staff counsellor.

• I am an associate lecturer at Birkbeck University of London

I also hold workshops and supervision groups. For more information, please see the Workshops and supervision page.

A safe space

My approach is to offer a safe, grounded, and empathetic space where people can explore who they are and think about change. I am a member of BACP and UKCP and adhere to their code of ethics. I offer an affirmative space and hope to enable each person to have the freedom and safety to explore all aspects of identity in a way that feels supported, heard and respected. Member of the EMDR association Membership No: D0547