About me

Experience

I believe that therapeutic practice should be grounded in "real-life" experience. At 18 I joined the army and served 3 years. After leaving military service I undertook a number of non-clinical roles gaining a wide range of life skills and experiences in the process.

My journey to becoming a CBT therapist started with mental health nurse training in 1988. As a Registered Mental Nurse (RMN), I gained experience on acute psychiatric admission wards and working as a community psychiatric nurse. I have clinical and therapeutic experience working with people across the full range of mental health issues and disorders.

My interest in psychological approaches led to a Diploma in Counselling (1996) and for a time I provided staff counselling within an NHS Trust.

Managerial and leadership roles led to an MSc in Management, gaining experience across many areas of mental health provision and NHS Talking Therapy services. A Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) enabled me to practice CBT parallel to my leadership role. I have since gained accreditation with the British Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapies (BABCP). I am a member of UK EMDR association.

Now partially retired from the NHS, I remain committed to helping others, drawing on a lifetime of professional and personal experience. I would be delighted to support you with the challenges you now face.

Of course, I also have a life outside psychotherapy! I have a close family and friends, hobbies, interests, challenges and opportunities like many people. I like exercise, including cycling and swimming. I occasionally try to play golf! I also have an allotment where I attempt to grow fruit and vegetables! I try to stay grounded.

A little more...

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Nurse - 1991

• Diploma in Counselling - University of Manchester 1996

• MSc Management Studies - University of Salford 2003

• Postgraduate Diploma Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (Merit) -University of Salford 2016

• Eye Movement and Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) - EMDR Masterclass 2025

Why me?

I will ask you to set realistic goals and review these regularly. I will be goal focused and avoid sessions that are not necessary.

Your wellbeing and safety are paramount. I will ask if you have thoughts of harming yourself.

We jointly work on your issues. I will explain and seek your agreement when using psychotherapeutic techniques.

Each session is focused on you, it is your time and I will use that time to improve the issues you bring.

I will avoid jargon, I will not impose unusual ideas or philosophies onto you. I will focus on your recovery and value for money, using approaches underpinned by evidence.

I will, where appropriate inject humour into our work.

I have over 35+ years experience in mental health nursing and psychological talking therapies.

I have management experience and qualification to masters Level (MSc Management Studies). If you are a professional in similar roles then I am able to work with you from a position of shared experience.

Although I work with many psychological conditions I have a particular interest in how difficult memories from childhood may impact on you as a professional leading to low confidence, impostor syndrome and low self-esteem.

If you are male and hesitant to talk, please contact me I am Keen to encourage more men to speak about their mental health.

My practice is goal and outcome focused

"Talking into action"

My pledge to you

Values

I have always found working with people an incredible privilege, not only in times of distress and/or psychological pain, but particularly when people overcome their difficulties as a result of CBT or EMDR. I would like you to be able to trust me with your thoughts, worries and fears, building and establishing a therapeutic relationship is perhaps the most important aspect of psychological therapy. It is important to me that you understand some of my core values and a little bit of "who I am".

Integrity

Therapeutic relationships centred on Integrity, honesty and trust are significantly improved, but why? As in all relationships, there may be times where difficulties arise. I may say something that evokes past memories for you. Working through these memories and the emotions they generate can provide fantastic learning opportunities on which you can gain greater self-awareness and better outcomes. Likewise, you will find that I will be honest with you regarding the therapeutic journey.

Compassion

Many people seeking CBT and EMDR have had difficult life experiences. These experiences may have tainted your view of self, others and the world. Not only as a psychotherapist, but as someone who wants the best for you, I will be compassionate towards your experience, pain and desire to recover. I will also encourage you to be self-compassionate towards yourself and free yourself from harsh and self-critical thoughts.

Equality and worth

Everyone, if given the right circumstances has the potential to grow and change, be it your thoughts, behaviour and emotional reactions. CBT and EMDR therapy offers you the opportunity to make improvements in your life. For others, simply having a positive experience of CBT or EMDR in itself may be enough on which to build for your future improvement. Valuing your potential and enabling you to tap into that potential is a key aim of my practice.

All too often people understate or underrate their own qualities and strengths. I believe that everyone of us has personal qualities and the potential to emerge from psychological issues stronger. CBT and EMDR therapy offers you a way to tap into those qualities and build on your strengths in order to cast off your unhelpful views and images of self that I often see in the therapy room.

Qualities and strengths

Self-growth and change

All of us has a story to tell and none of us chooses where, to whom and into what circumstances we enter the world. While some of us are lucky by genetics and fate, other's are less fortunate and can experience difficulties with psychological issues along life's journey. People experiencing psychological difficulties do not need the added difficulties imposed on them by being judged, discriminated and abused. If you seek support from me you will be treated equally and your worth acknowledged.