Consultant Therapist, Supervisor and Trainer
My work as a Therapist: I qualified as a Counsellor in 1991, and since then I have built up a practice as a therapist specialising in working with clients experiencing relationship problems, suffering from anxiety or depression, and the aftermath of traumatic events. Clients are referred to me by local GP surgeries, by the charity MIND, and by colleagues in Palliative Care.
I have trained as a practitioner in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, based on the work of Albert Ellis on Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy and the ideas of Aaron Beck on anxiety disorders. I am a member of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). I have just completed the final phase of my training to be a practitioner in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
In the field of Traumatic Stress, I have extensive experience of working with military personnel and their families, gained over 16 years as a member of the Armed Forces and a further 20 years as an employee of SSAFA Forces Help, a large charity working with former service personnel and their families, (see page 2). I am the consultant for training in Counselling Skills at the Royal College of Defence Medicine in Birmingham (see below).
I would describe my orientation as Integrative. I was trained initially in the Person Centred approach of Carl Rogers, but then went on to be trained in Psychodynamic theory and practice, particularly the ideas of Jung, Adler and Erikson which I find particularly helpful when working with relationship problems.
As a Supervisor I have a contract to provide Clinical Supervision for staff working in Palliative Care at the Woodlands Centre at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, and for Doctors, Nurses and Chaplains at Sue Ryder hospices in Moggerhanger and Bedford.
My work as a Trainer: I have a reputation as a highly experienced and versatile Trainer and Tutor, with the ability to organise, administer and teach a wide range of courses on Counselling-related subjects for both Public and Private Sector Organisations. This includes training on Supervision Skills and on working with patients with Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD).
I currently design and teach the full portfolio of Counselling Skills and Theory courses up to and including Diploma level, working to the requirements of the National Framework as laid down by The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). My company is an NCFE Approved Training Centre (no. 000958). A copy of my Centre Registration can be provided on request. I am qualified as an Assessor and Verifier. I am a member of the Institute for Learning as required by OFSTED.
As well as teaching locally at St Ivo School and both Huntingdon & Cambridge Regional Colleges, I am employed to run training courses for The Royal College for Defence Medicine in Birmingham, British Army Welfare Organisations, and Bridgnorth District Council Sheltered Housing Department. I am also an approved Training Provider for the Government of Gibraltar.
I am a BACP accredited trainer (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). A copy of my BACP Trainers Certificate can also be provided on request.
