My Story

Why I Became a Therapist

I have always been fascinated by people — by the different ways we experience the world, the stories we carry with us and the ways we can change and grow, sometimes in ways we never expected.

I became a therapist because I believe that being genuinely listened to can be transformative.

Not judged. Not analysed. Not told what you should be doing.

Simply having another person alongside you who is willing to listen carefully, think deeply with you and try to understand your experience can create the space for something new to emerge.

How I work

My foundation is person-centred therapy. This means that I don't arrive with a formula for who you should become or a set of boxes you need to tick.

You are the expert in your own life.

My role is to bring my experience, training and curiosity to our work together, while giving you the freedom to discover what feels right for you.

Although my approach is person-centred, I have trained in a range of therapeutic approaches, including CBT, DBT, EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Transactional Analysis and clinical hypnosis, as well as coaching, consultancy and biography work.

I don't believe that one approach works for everyone. Different people need different things at different times — and sometimes the same person needs something quite different from one session to the next.

So rather than asking you to fit a particular therapy, we can draw on different approaches when they genuinely seem likely to help.

What this might look like

Sometimes you may need a safe space simply to talk and be heard.

Sometimes it can help to understand the thoughts, feelings and patterns that keep you stuck. At other times, you may want something more practical — developing new ways of responding to difficult situations, understanding relationships differently, processing a painful experience, or finding a way forward when you feel overwhelmed.

We can explore what is happening together and decide what would be most useful.

You can also tell me when something isn't helpful. You can disagree with me. You can change your mind about where we are going.

I want therapy to feel like something we are doing together, rather than something being done to you.

What you can expect from me

I will take you seriously.

I will listen carefully.

I will be interested in the person behind the problem.

And I will not assume that there is something fundamentally wrong with you that needs to be fixed.

My hope is that, over time, you will not only feel better supported, but understand yourself more deeply and have greater freedom to make choices that are genuinely your own.

You don't have to arrive knowing exactly what you want from therapy.

You can simply arrive as you are, and we can begin there.

Ways of Working

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Finding what works for you

You may have a good idea of what is troubling you — or you may simply know that something isn't working and you want help making sense of it.

Either way, you don't need to know in advance which type of therapy you need.

My approach is pluralistic, which means that we work together to find the way of working that is most useful for you. Rather than assuming that one therapeutic model will suit everyone, we can draw on different approaches according to your needs, preferences and goals.

A range of therapeutic approaches

Depending on what you want to explore, our work may draw on:

• Person-centred therapy – providing a supportive, accepting space in which you can explore your experiences at your own pace.

• Psychodynamic therapy – exploring how earlier experiences, relationships and unconscious patterns may be influencing your life today.

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) – looking at the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and developing different ways of responding.

• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) – helping you make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while moving towards what matters most to you.

• DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) – developing practical skills for managing intense emotions, relationships and difficult situations.

• EMDR – helping to process traumatic or distressing experiences so that they have less power over your present life.

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) – exploring the different parts of yourself and developing greater understanding, compassion and inner balance.

• Transactional Analysis – exploring patterns in relationships and the different ways we may respond to ourselves and others.

• Gestalt therapy – bringing attention to what you are experiencing in the present moment, including thoughts, feelings, relationships and bodily responses.

• Brief Solution-Focused Therapy – focusing on your strengths, possibilities and what you would like to be different, rather than spending lengthy periods examining the problem.

• Single-session therapy – focusing intensively on one particular issue, decision or difficulty when one focused session may be what you need.

• Clinical hypnosis – using focused attention and relaxation to support therapeutic change where appropriate.

We don't have to choose just one approach. Your therapy may naturally move between different ways of working as your needs change.

What happens when you contact me?

Your first step is a free 15-minute telephone conversation.

This gives you an opportunity to tell me briefly what brings you to therapy, ask any questions you may have and get a sense of what it might be like to work together.

There is no obligation to book.

If we decide to work together, I will send you some straightforward working arrangements so that you know what to expect regarding appointments, confidentiality, cancellations, payment and communication.

You will also be invited to complete a confidential client intake form. This helps me understand a little more about you and what you would like from therapy before we begin.

From there, we can agree how you would like to work.

Where can we work together?

You can choose the setting that feels most comfortable and practical for you:

In person
Sessions are available at my comfortable home therapy office, or at a professional office in Aberdeen or Deeside.

Online
Meet with me securely from wherever you are, without the need to travel.

Telephone
Sometimes simply talking without being on camera feels easier and allows you to concentrate fully on what you are saying.

Walk and Talk
For some people, walking side by side makes conversation feel more natural. Where appropriate, we can combine therapy with a gentle walk outdoors.

You can also change the way you work if your circumstances change. What matters is finding a setting in which you feel comfortable enough to do the work.

How much therapy do you need?

There is no requirement to commit to long-term therapy.

For some people, one focused session can be valuable. Others find that several sessions give them the time and space to make sense of something and begin making changes. Some people choose longer-term psychotherapy because they want to explore deeper or more longstanding patterns.

We can review how things are going as we work together.

The aim is not simply to keep you coming to therapy. It is to help you develop greater understanding, choice and confidence in your own life.

You don't have to know exactly what you need before you get in touch.

The free 15-minute conversation is a chance for us to explore whether I might be the right therapist for you and, if so, what way of working might be most helpful.

Which Therapy Is Best For Me ?

The right therapy is the one that works for you.

Choosing a therapist or deciding which type of therapy to try can feel confusing. You may have heard of CBT, EMDR or other approaches, but not know which would be most helpful. Perhaps you have tried counselling before and found that it didn't quite meet your needs.

The good news is that you don't need to work this out on your own.

I offer a pluralistic approach to therapy. This means that we recognise that different people benefit from different ways of working, and that what helps one person may not be right for another.

Rather than asking you to fit a particular therapeutic model, we start with you: what is happening in your life, what you hope might change and what you feel ready to explore.

Different approaches for different needs

Here are some of the approaches we might consider together.

If you want to understand yourself more deeply

Person-centred, psychodynamic, Transactional Analysis and Gestalt approaches can help you explore your experiences, relationships, emotions and recurring patterns. They can offer a deeper understanding of how your past may be influencing your present.

If you want practical ways to manage difficult thoughts and feelings

CBT, ACT and DBT offer different ways of working with anxiety, stress, overwhelming emotions and unhelpful patterns of behaviour. They can help you develop practical skills and greater freedom in how you respond to life's challenges.

If you are struggling with the effects of trauma

EMDR can help you process distressing experiences that continue to affect how you feel and respond in the present. Psychodynamic and other relational approaches may also help you understand the wider impact of difficult experiences.

If you feel pulled in different directions internally

Internal Family Systems (IFS) offers a way of exploring the different parts of yourself, including those that seem to conflict with one another. It can help develop greater self-understanding and compassion.

If you want to focus on solutions and moving forward

Brief Solution-Focused Therapy and coaching approaches concentrate on your existing strengths, possibilities and the changes you would like to make. Sometimes a single-session approach can provide a useful opportunity to focus on one particular issue or decision.

If you would like to explore a different way of working

Clinical hypnosis can be incorporated where appropriate, using focused attention and relaxation as part of the therapeutic process.

What if I don't know what I need?

That is perfectly fine. In fact, many people come to therapy without knowing exactly what is wrong, let alone which approach might help.

We can begin with a conversation about what is happening for you. As we get to know each other, we can explore what feels useful, what doesn't and whether a different approach might help.

You are always encouraged to have a say in how we work. Therapy should be something we develop together, not something that is simply done to you.

Can I change my mind?

Absolutely. What you need at the beginning of therapy may be quite different from what you need a few months later.

You might initially want practical strategies to manage anxiety, then discover that understanding the experiences behind it becomes more important. Or you may begin by exploring your past and later want to concentrate on making changes in your everyday life.

Our work can adapt as you do.

Let's find the right way forward together

You don't need to choose a therapeutic approach before contacting me. The most important thing is finding a therapist with whom you feel comfortable, understood and able to work.

I offer a free 15-minute introductory telephone conversation, giving us an opportunity to talk about what you are looking for and whether working together might be right for you.

Sometimes the first step towards feeling different is simply having a conversation.

Get in touch to arrange your free introductory call.

Supervision

The practice also offers clinical supervision for counsellors and therapists.

We welcome enquiries from counsellors seeking supportive reflective supervision, including trainees looking for low-cost supervision opportunities.