"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. "
Nelson Mandela - Politics and President of South Africa (1918-2013)
I am a fully qualified Integrative Children and Adolescent Therapist and registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
I work with children both with counselling and with the Breathwork programmes (see Breathwork page).
I provide one-to-one counselling for children and adolescents from five years of age, offering them a safe space to express and explore who they are and what they feel. I work from my bright and comfortable therapy room near Axminster, as well as offering counselling services and workshops to nurseries and schools.
I start from the premise that every child is well, whole and unique. I value each young person as an individual with their own mind, views and ways of seeing the world and I adapt my work in a way that is responsive to the particular needs of each child, rather than using a single approach for all.
Young people, just like adults, can experience strong emotions and all sorts of difficulties . When they struggle, they might need someone to listen to them and it is often easier to talk to a person they don't know.
My job is to meet a young person where they are, without judgement, by listening and witnessing what they are sharing and helping them to understand themselves and their situation.
When I help a young person investigate, understand and explain what is going on for them, how they feel, what their needs are, I become their witness and I validate what they experience. Receiving this space and support on a regular basis may help young people come to terms with what they are struggling with so they can find healthy ways of coping and communicating how they feel to others.
The work we do together is aimed at enabling a young person towards greater self acceptance so they can become more well adjusted and successful in their lives at home, school and in the future. It should be an empowering tool for a child to help them build self awareness, resilience, and confidence so they can trust and use their own inbuilt capacity to thrive.
I work in a child-centred way, using play, games, creative work and talk, to help young people express their thoughts and feelings in a way that is comfortable and natural for them. My Integrative training means that I draw on a number of therapeutic theories - including Psychodynamic, Attachment theory, Play and Person-Centred approaches.
As a parent myself, I understand the worry, anxiety and sometime panic at wanting to but not knowing how to help your child. I imagine that if you are a parent reading this, you have tried to do something at home, or might have sought help at your doctor or school, but still feel something more is needed.
I am happy to have an initial talk with you about what you think might be going on for you and for your child and to get a sense of what is happening in your family. I find that parental input and commitment is a vital ingredient for long lasting positive change in young people’s lives, so I provide regular reviews to offer a listening ear, an update on how your child is doing and strategies for the future, while honouring the trust that each child places on me when we work together.