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about me

Autumn

“Forgetting oneself is opening oneself.”

 – Dogen

background

I combine person centred counselling with mindfulness from my practice in Glastonbury, Somerset. I began by restoring medieval sculpture and originally came to Somerset  to work on Wells Cathedral in 1982. Through carving stone I became aware of the healing aspects of creative practice and interested in the links between a state of creative ‘flow’ and the experience of inner peace and happiness. In 1984 I started a weekly art therapy group for psychiatric patients at Bristol General Hospital, and later went on to set up my own therapeutic stone carving school which eventually led to my becoming a counsellor and mindfulness teacher.

training

Initially I trained in person centred counselling which I now integrate with other therapeutic approaches according to the needs of my clients. I have a Post Graduate Certificate in Mindfulness-Based Approaches from Bangor University and am registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). My approach focuses on the creative potential of the present moment, always keeping my client’s therapeutic goals in mind, and addressing any material from the past as necessary.

what can I expect?

I offer my clients an opportunity to be fully heard in safe, non-judgemental and confidential surroundings, while exploring their problems with acceptance and compassion. Being listened to with unconditional presence, and understood with an open-hearted acceptance is in itself healing, and allows us to explore new ways of resolving our problems and coming to terms with those things that can’t be changed.

I work with individual clients of all backgrounds, particularly those who are questioning their identity or reflecting on their life’s choices, possibly in response to some change or loss.

I also teach 8-week mindfulness courses to classes of up to 30 people in and around Somerset, including Glastonbury, Wells and Shepton Mallet. See the Mindfulness Courses page for further details.

reasons for counselling

People come to counselling for many reasons, including:

benefits of counselling

Some of the benefits of counselling include:

  • family or relationship problems
  • difficulties at work
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • past trauma
  • bereavement or loss
  • addictions
  • anger
  • fear
  • abuse
  • childhood problems
  • personal development
  • or simply from a sense that something is not quite right
  • more self-awareness
  • understanding and acceptance
  • developing better coping strategies
  • release from the past
  • greater intimacy and openness in relationships
  • relief from depression and anxiety
  • increased freedom
  • better overall health and happiness

and this list is by no means exhaustive.

“Maybe the fear is that we are less than we think we are, when the actuality of it is that we are much much more.”

 – Jon Kabat-Zinn