Experience
- I have over 30 years experience working in health and social care settings.
- I began my career working in NHS administration and management before joining the voluntary sector, working for charities providing adoption support, bereavement support and advocacy. I began my counselling training at the University of Birmingham in 1992.
- As a counsellor and psychotherapist I have experience working in general practice, adoption support, palliative and cancer care. Including the management of a Family Support Service in palliative care and the setting up of a specific service to work with children and young people.
- I currently work as a counsellor/psychotherapist and supervisor in palliative and cancer care, where I lead a team of counsellors, as well as working in private practice.
- I hold a Diploma in Supervision, and provide group and individual supervision to both organisations and individual practitioners.
- I am a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist.
Counselling in the UK is currently unregulated, therefore anyone can use the title of Counsellor, Psychotherapist or Supervisor regardless of their level of training or qualifications. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy is the largest organisation overseeing the accreditation and registration of counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK.
A BACP Accredited Counsellor & Psychotherapist has met and is required to maintain BACP’s standards of professional training, practice and development and works to their Ethical Framework for Good Practice.
Please visit their website for more information by clicking here. - I am a UKRCP Registered Independent Counsellor & Psychotherapist
The United Kingdom Register of Counsellor & Psychotherapists (UKRCP) is a record of professionally qualified and accredited counsellors and psychotherapist in the UK. A UKRCP registered counsellor must:- be appropriately trained and qualified
- work to a Code of Ethics & Practice
- be subject to a Complaints Procedure
Please visit their website for more information by clicking here. - be appropriately trained and qualified
Qualifications
University of Birmingham
- Certificate in Counselling Skills
- Certificate in Counselling Studies
- Diploma in Higher Education in Integrative Counselling
Awarding Board Consortium (ABC)
- Post Qualifying Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People
Sherwood Institute
- Diploma in Supervision
Training
In order to maintain my accredited status with BACP, I am required to undertake a minimum of 30 hours continuing professional development each year.
I am currently training in Family Therapy and Systemic Practice at Parkview Clinic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, having recently completed my second year's training. Parkview Clinic is part of the Birmingham Children's Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust and the Birmingham Training Programme in Systemic Psychotherapy and Systemic Practice with Families is Accredited by the Association for Family Therapy.
Other training undertaken includes:
- Elder Abuse
- Working with Spirituality in Counselling & Psychotherapy
- Psychosis Awareness Training
- The Adoption & Children Act 2002 Implementation Workshop for Managers & Practitioners
- Child Protection Level 1 & Level 2
- Working with Children’s Grief
- Mental Health Capacity Act 2005 - Awareness Training
- Brief Focal Therapy
- Understanding, Living & Working with Eating Disorders
- The Development of Gender Identity
- Extensive training in adoption issues, attachment and the impact of early life trauma
- Focus Group – Integrative Counsellor Training - Working with Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Clients
