About me

I’m a psychotherapist with a background in trauma, addiction, and working-class experience. My path to becoming a therapist was shaped by my own struggles, including psychosis and recovery from addiction. I have been sober for more than 30 years and bring honesty, directness, and a deep respect for people’s lived experiences to my work.

I have been married for many years and have two adult daughters and two granddaughters who continue to inspire me and teach me about love, for which I will be eternally grateful.

My work

I have over 20 years of experience working in private practice and as a counsellor, psychotherapist, and group facilitator for various organisations. My professional journey has included roles at:

• TVI (The Violence Initiative) – A community-based charity with a unique approach to working psychotherapeutically with perpetrators of violence, rooted in conflict resolution.
• RAPT (Rehabilitation for Addictive Prisoners Trust) – I worked at HMP Pentonville and the Island Drug Project, supporting individuals in recovery from addiction.
• FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency) – I taught drug education in schools and was one of FCD’s first teachers in the UK. I trained at FCD’s campus in Boston, Massachusetts.
• Charter Harley Street – A specialised addiction and trauma treatment centre where I worked with individuals and groups as part of their intensive outpatient team.
• Sporting Chance – A charity supporting professional sportspeople with mental health and addiction issues.

I have also been a volunteer counsellor at the mental health charity Mind and the addiction charity Addaction.

Training & Qualifications:

• Spectrum (London) 1999-2002 – Four-year post-graduate training in humanistic psychotherapy.
• Open University, 2018 – Open degree, BSc (Hons).
• Mankind Project, 2018 – Group process – Chicago, USA
• MBACP – Registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, registration number 212946