I am a mother, a therapist specialising in trauma work, and a lecturer. As well as working, I find joy in travelling to different countries. I find replenishment and a sense of life from the sea, animals, and music.

Where I work

My private practice is situated in the Chandlery Buildings on Westminster Bridge Road. The building is in a courtyard, which gives it a secure feel, set back from the main road. The space is easy to access and about a ten minute walk from Waterloo or Elephant and Castle station. Waterloo Counselling is wheelchair accessible.

I also run sessions online via zoom.

Image provided by Shane Griffiths, Blackredmedia

Beginning therapy

It’s hard to find a way of telling our story - but not having a voice can be agony..

Starting therapy is hard. You might not know how to begin your story, how to express the complexity of your narrative or you might not know what to say. You might feel frightened, desperate or uncertain. Coming to therapy is an act of courage. It is the decision to find a voice. It is having enough trust and hope to ask another person for help and guidance. Good therapy can help you understand yourself, your story and the ways you relate to others.

I started my own therapy with a yearning to have a voice and to be seen. I now have the privilege of working with other people and seeing time and again, the difference this therapy space makes to peoples’ lives. (see the Testimonials page for some things people say).

A reason to begin

I began my own therapy journey due to a series of traumatic events that occurred for me as a young woman. These events changed me and made me fundamentally question who I was. I felt I had lost myself. I needed a space to make sense of things and I needed a therapist whom I could trust. Eventually, these experiences let me to train in therapy and specialise in trauma work.

You may also be searching therapy after a traumatic event, or simply seeking a space to make sense of things. You might have been prompted to ask for help after a crisis, or because of a feeling of holding too much for too long. It is so valuable to speak your needs and thoughts in a space of respect and care and to begin to find your own way.

At Waterloo counselling I specialise in working with trauma and complex trauma but welcome anyone who feels a need to reach out and to be truly heard in their story. I bring a wide range of experience and training but most of all, I offer you respect, care and time as you find your path.

Perhaps you have experienced:

• early childhood trauma that still impacts and hurts you as an adult

• crisis

• bereavement

• relationship breakdowns

• low self-worth

• trauma or a traumatic experience

• a feeling that you are numb or spaced out, or anxious and afraid a lot of the time.

• Flashbacks, nightmares and trauma symptoms

• Addictions

Sometimes experiences we have, make us feel isolated and separate from others. At Waterloo counselling I hope to offer a space where you feel understood and seen and together we can understand what you need most from therapy and in your life.

My training

I originally studied psychology (BSc and MSc) and then trained as a psychodynamic psychotherapist (with license to practice) at WPF Therapy which is recognised as one of the leading psychodynamic and psychoanalytic training bodies in the UK.

In recent years, I have specialised in working with trauma and complex trauma. I hold personal experience, grounded and respectful clinical experience and a wide range of specialist training. I have specialist training in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). I hold a level 1 training in EMDR and internal family systems work and a level 1&2 training in complex trauma. All of these trainings can be supportive but most importantly we work together on what you may need at this time.

I attend regular training programmes and courses to ensure my training, skills and abilities are kept up to date.

Other work

• I have worked in the NHS (South London and Maudsley NHS Trust) as a staff counsellor.

• I was an associate lecturer at Birkbeck University of London

I currently hold workshops and supervision groups. For more information, please see the workshops and supervision page.

A safe space

My approach is to offer a respectful, grounded, and empathetic space where people can explore who they are and think about change. I am a member of BACP and UKCP and adhere to their code of ethics. I offer an affirmative space and hope to enable each person to have the freedom and safety to explore all aspects of identity in a way that feels supported, heard and respected. Member of the EMDR association Membership No: D0547