Hello

Being outdoors is really important to me, and I spend quite a significant amount of my time moving, breathing and noticing outside. I describe myself as a nervous adventurer, and one of my creative outlets is rock climbing which I have engaged in for the last 30 years. Climbing is my way of feeling connected to my body, to the earth and to my friends. I’ve met some amazing people and been to some great places through climbing over the years, and I really appreciate how the things we do can be so important to us, and shape who we are. 

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Before I enrolled on my psychotherapy training I worked in large organisations – mainly in the manufacturing sector. What sticks with me now from that time is the different experiences people can have of the same place, and how relationships between people can make the difference between not coping and thriving. My interests in this area drew me to working with groups of people in the early part of their careers, running adventurous coaching and development programmes in the outdoors. 

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I still remember my first therapy session, feeling anxious and wondering what I was going to talk about. I remember being surprised and relieved when my therapist just accepted me exactly where I was in that moment. We started with what it was like for me to be anxious and to not know what to say, and we went from there. My therapist helped me to identify what needed to be addressed and was with me wherever I chose to take the sessions. My therapist challenges me at times, and is observant to my attempts to deflect from important issues. 

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I still have regular therapy, I think it’s vital to my work with clients that I’m able to recognise my patterns and processes clearly. As well as supervision, it’s an essential part of looking after myself so I’m available and open for deep therapeutic work. I look forward to my own therapy and find it difficult to imagine life without it.