Transactional Analysis - Psychotherapy / Counselling

Early in my career, I trained as a General Nurse - working in both hospital and community settings, so I have first-hand experience of the effects of stress on our health, well-being and recovery from illness. I am personally only too aware of the impact of illness and bereavement on our emotional state and, although psychotherapy / counselling cannot change what has happened to us, it can certainly provide valuable tools to help us deal with such issues in a more comfortable, positive way. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, with a particular interest in developmental psychology. I believe that it is only by understanding how we responded to our early experiences of our family lives that we can begin to understand and make sense of who we are today and how we may have become 'stuck' in unhelpful ways of dealing with stress, trauma, illness and / or unhappy relationships.

I have also got a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology which has helped me understand the intimate relationship between our psychological states and our responses to others in different circumstances (eg. work, school, homelife).

In 1990, I completed a Postgraduate training course in teaching and have over 23 years of working with children and families - both as a teacher, and also as counsellor and parent advisor, especially in relation to children with special needs. I am particularly interested in the role that family dynamics plays in developing a child's view of him/herself in relation to the world around them and how this impacts on their emotional and social wellbeing. I have worked closely with parents and children to help understand and manage 'challenging' behaviours and to enable children to make more positive decisions about self and others in the future.

I have studied Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy to Postgraduate Diploma level, and continue to keep up to date through regular supervision and ongoing professional development training.

I am bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice and Complaints of the UK Association for Transactional Analysis.

I am also a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and am bound by its Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy, the Ethical Guidelines for Researching Counselling and Psychotherapy, and subject to the Professional Conduct Procedure for the time being in force.