Feelings of sadness and anxiety are normal human responses to difficult situations. However, when these feelings become all encompassing, and start to affect your ability to have an enjoyable, satisfying life, it might be time to talk to someone. Through therapy we can explore and understand where these feelings might be coming from, any underlying issues that might be contributing to them, and together develop healthier strategies to manage them more effectively.

Life is full of change – some anticipated, some unexpected. We are often surprised by our response to these changes. We can be overwhelmed by reactions we did not anticipate, berating ourselves for not feeling the way we were ‘supposed to’ or not coping as well as we thought we might. We can feel rudderless or lost, without an obvious way out. I have experience of working through these periods of transition to a point of understanding, acceptance and eventually to embracing and fully living life on the other side.

Becoming a parent is surrounded by expectations – our own, and those of others. It can be a joyful time, but also overwhelming and exhausting. With the charity HomeStart, I have supported mothers struggling with depression and bonding difficulties, and those suffering loss and grief. 

I have also supported those struggling through fertility treatment and the emotional rollercoaster associated with trying to have a baby. 

The challenges change as the children get older, and our relationships with them can be challenged as a result! I support parents with children of all ages as they work through many of stages of development and their effect on the family.

Living and managing within the expectations of a neurotypical world can be a particular challenge to someone with diagnosed (or suspected) autism or ADHD. How do you remain true to yourself whilst having to adapt your behaviour for others? How do you cope with the exhaustion of being ‘different’ and often misunderstood? How can you feel more confident in social situations? How do you quieten your busy mind?

Exploring these questions, and others, more deeply, will give you a better understanding of yourself. This is turn will help you to navigate the world, find your place within it, and implement strategies for a more satisfying, fulfilling life.

At some point in our lives, many of us will ask ourselves what life is all about. Some of us move on, distracted by the business of life, but for others there can remain a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction, meaninglessness, anxiety or even deep despair. My training and experience in Existential practice provides the foundation for my work with clients who are searching for a sense of purpose or meaning in their lives, or who have lost their sense of identity.

In addition to private practice, I have provided counselling to cancer patients and their families at the Fountain Centre, a charity based at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. This has enabled me to gain a deep understanding of the impact of a cancer diagnosis (or any life-threatening condition). I have also learnt that readjusting to life after cancer can be just as challenging as living with it.

Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in the charity and corporate sectors in Latin America, Europe and Asia. I understand some of the emotional challenges of settling into and living in a country that is not your own.