I am a qualified and BACP Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist, and also a qualified Life Coach. The services I can offer are:

• counselling and psychotherapy
• cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
• life coaching - specialising in coaching for engineers, IT professionals and technical staff
• group facilitation
• stop smoking programme

Approaches and theoretical models
My therapeutic approach is integrative, using techniques from:

• psychosynthesis
• cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
• psychodynamic psychotherapy
• person centred counselling
• self psychology
• life coaching
• Transactional Analysis (TA)
• Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)

My training enables me to work using techniques such as visualisation, relaxation, guided imagery and dreamwork.

Training and experience
I trained in therapeutic counselling at the Institute of Psychosynthesis in London, and trained in Life Coaching with Newcastle College. I am currently working toward an MSc qualification in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at the University of Chester. I was trained as a stop smoking adviser by Central Cheshire Primary Care Trust.

I am actively involved with mental health issues locally, and represent the Centre at the Open Minds Group which promotes mental health awareness in Congleton Borough, the Central Cheshire Mental Health Forum and the South Cheshire Suicide and Self Harm Network (Sashnet).

I established my counselling and psychotherapy practice in Sandbach in 2000 in the building at 10 Hope Street which is now home to The Hope Street Centre, of which I am the founder and director. Shortly afterwards I opened the space to other counsellors, psychotherapists and complementary therapists. There are now over 12 therapists working from the centre offering a wide range of psychological and alternative therapies, and together we have helped hundreds of people from Sandbach and the surrounding areas of Cheshire and Staffordshire.

Prior to training as a counsellor and psychotherapist I gained experience over several years as a volunteer on telephone helplines, talking to people in crisis and distress, both with the Samaritans and Saneline. I have also worked with organisations in managing change, helping businesses and the people who work for them to prepare for and deal with change and reorganisation.

Qualifications

BA (Hons) and MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University

Diploma in Psychosynthesis Therapeutic Counselling from The Institute of Psychosynthesis, London

Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist with British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Diploma in Life Coaching from Newcastle College

Contact Details
The ideal way of contacting me is by telephone, either on my mobile phone (07870 129659) or at The Hope Street Centre (01270 764003). When I am working you may get my answering service - please leave a message and I will reply as soon as I can. You are welcome to try contacting me by email ( ), but in common with most businesses I find myself plagued by vast quantities of unsolicited emails (spam), which makes it easy to miss the genuine messages - so please keep trying if you don't get an immediate answer. For letters, please write to me at The Hope Street Centre, 10 Hope Street, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 1BA.

Sessions and Fees for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Sessions last one hour and take place weekly, but other arrangements are possible. If my diary permits I aim to offer you a regular slot on the same day and time each week, which is the most effective way of working. My charges are £50 for a single session of 1 hour, or £220 for five sessions (paid in advance).

Sessions and Fees for Life Coaching
My charges are £50 for a single session of 1 hour, or £220 for five sessions (paid in advance). For life coaching you can choose whether to come to The Hope Street Centre for coaching sessions, or to have sessions by telephone. A typical programme of life coaching would last for 12 sessions.