Over the years I have been counselling, I have been on a journey of exploration into what makes us tick, and I am as passionate today about counselling as I was on my first day of training!
Every day I feel honoured and privileged to be able to do this job, as others share their lives with me.
I originally trained as a Therapy Radiographer in the NHS and having learned about the body and how it functions I became aware, as I was treating cancer patients, of the emotional impact there was when people had a life changing diagnosis- the fear and anxiety around the unknown and the existential issues around the meaning of life and death. My curiosity increased as I brought up my three children and so my fascinating journey of discovery and exploration into the human condition started.
Once my children became less reliant on me I retrained as a counsellor. A large part of person centred training was understanding ourselves and how we interrelate with others. The course required me to have personal therapy so I have a good understanding about what it feels like to be a client and the benefit I derived from counselling. My self awareness and insight developed which in turn helped me to develop my therapeutic practice.
In 2009 I trained as a clinical supervisor and work with trainee and qualified counsellors offering one to one or group supervision. I also provide group supervision to trainee counsellors at Leicester University.
Education
Diploma (Therapy) Radiographer 1979 NHS Leicester Royal Infirmary
Certificate in Person Centred Counselling Skills RSA North Warwickshire and Hinckley College 1998
Advanced Diploma in Person Centred Counselling - Counselling Training Initiatives (CTI ) 2002
Counselling and Bereavement - Cruse Bereavement Care - 2005
Diploma in Supervision - Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute (SPTI) 2011
BACP Certificate of Proficiency May 2013
Mindfulness 8 Week Course - Alison Beck November 2013
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Depression - Dr Trevor Friedman from Leicester Royal Infirmary - April 2001
Bereavement Workshop - Wigston College April 2001
Counselling those Bereaved by Suicide and Coping with Post Traumatic Shock - Cruse Bereavement Care Melton Mowbray Branch March 2002
Cancer Counselling and The Ending of Therapy - University College London April 2002
Introduction to Responding to Loss - CancerLINK September 2002
Depression - Monk-Steel Associates September 2003
Forms of Feeling - Monk-Steel Associates January 2004
Self Esteem - Monk-Steel Associates January 2004
Consequences of Suicide - South Leicestershire College February 2004
The Hardest Words: Integration, Suicide Risk Assessment into Therapeutic Discourse - Dr Andrew Reeves Brooksby Melton College November 2005
Psychological Issues in Cancer Care - Dr Alex Mitchell February 2006
Vicarious Traumatisation - Loros April 2006
Person Centred Counselling and Psychopathology - Roger Casemore Warwick University February 2007
Self Harm, Self Injury and the Counselling Relationship - Dr Andrew Reeves Brooksby Melton College April 2007
‘Sacred Space’: a Transpersonal Perspective - Ian Thorpe October 2007
Managing Anger - Helen O’Neill CBT November 2007
Meeting At Relational Depth - Steve Nicholls February 2008
The Business Of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy(CBT) - Rod Booth CPD East Midlands January 2009
Depression - Leicestershire’s Psycho-oncology Service February 2009
Compassion Focussed Therapy - Mary Welford - Compassionate Mind Foundation March 2009
Happiness and Psychotherapy: an existential perspective - Emmy van Deurzen May 2009
Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace - Highfield awarding body for Compliance June 2009
Working Alone Safely Training - Coping with Cancer (CWC) July 2009
End of Life Issues and Concerns - Steve Nicholls CWC September 2009
Benefits of Narrative Therapy Holistic Intervention at the End of Life - Loros September 2009
Psychological Aspects of Loss with reference to the dying and bereaved - Loros January 2010
Counselling Assessments - Steve Nicholls CWC March 2010
Emergency First Aid at Work - PCR Training Services February 2011
Cancer Survival and the Moving On Group April 2011
Survivorship - Loros September 2011
Cultural Aspects Of Death and Dying - Anjana Vaja CWC November 2011
The Use of Creative Tools in the Counselling Room March 2012
Supervision Workshop with Robin Shohet - SPTI April 2013
Introduction to Mindfulness Silent Day - Alison Beck June 2013
Approaches to Loss and Grief - DVD 2013
How the Use of Images can help the Client’s Process in Therapy Sarah Taylor March 2014
Working with Couples -Relate Video - discussion CWC March 2014
Timelines - Mary Graham Leicester University CWC August 2014
When Neitzsche Wept - Book Discussion September 2014
OCD a CBT Approach Sally Ingram November 2014
The Psychopath Test - Book Discussion CWC January 2015
Sane New World - Book Discussion CWC May 2015
BACP Network Meetings March 2016
BACP Network Meetings July 2016
Training Written and led by Me
Listening Skills - December 2011
Exploration of the use of Stones and Art in Therapy -Angela Varnham and Steve Nicholls October 2011
Stonework March 2012
Bereavement and Loss October 2012
My Sister’s Keeper - Ethics November 2013
Cancellations and Endings in Counselling June 2014
