I am a qualified, COSCA-registered counsellor, with a private practice based in Edinburgh and East Lothian. As well as seeing people face-to-face, I offer specialist telephone counselling. I have a particular interest in telephone counselling people who live in small or rural communities.
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What do you love most about your job?
Witnessing people emerge from places that they previously felt stuck and limited is such a privilege. I am continually inspired by the strength and potential for change in human beings.
What inspired you to start your own business?
I firmly believe that everyone can benefit from counselling at some point in their lives. I'm very committed to making it as accessible as possible to people. In addition to offering face-to-face counselling locally from a dedicated counselling suite in Cockenzie Business Centre, East Lothian, I also offer telephone counselling.
Telephone counselling offers great flexibility to those for whom access to a counsellor is a challenge. You may live somewhere remote or you may have a disability or caring responsibilities for e.g. children or elderly relatives. Telephone counselling is a highly practical and therapeutic option.
Having undertaken additional, specialist telephone counselling training, I have adapted my counselling practice to the telephone, to ensure that you feel as supported as you would with me in the therapy room. In my experience, people get used to working via phone by the end of the first session. Indeed, some people find exploring thoughts and feelings easier without being seen by the counsellor. Telephone counselling also has the advantage that you can do it from your own home, provided you have private, uninterrupted space.
Why should our clients choose you?
I work in a person-centred way and believe that you are the expert on your experience and what is right for you. I offer warmth, complete respect and deep empathy for the experiences that my clients bring. By exploring what is painful and confusing, we make sense of it and this is what enables change.
Sometimes it becomes clear that relationship patterns established in early relationships with carers/other early role models are impacting current relationships. I am also trained in Psychodynamic Counselling practice and can support you in examining and challenging those patterns and deciding what you need from relationships in the present day.
I have received first class training from Edinburgh University and qualified with distinction. I regularly undertake additional professional training to support my work with both children and adults. I am fully insured and a member of COSCA, Scotland's professional body for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I adhere to COSCA's code of ethics and complaints procedure.
