My Approach

I am a keen learner and committed to regular CPD.

Special Areas of Research and Interest

Adverse childhood experiences, family conflict, grief and bereavement, adoption and fostering, stress and anxiety, depression, trauma, BAME and wider cultural and neuro/diversity issues, adult abuse and bullying, discrimination, sexuality, identity and gender issues, sexual abuse, disordered eating, sex and relationships, anger, chronic stress, self-harm, organisation and work-based challenges, addictive and compulsive behaviours, viral CFS/ME and chronic long-term physical health challenges, menopause/mid life themes, somatic themes and body work, transpersonal, philosophical and existential life themes.

Qualifications

MA., Cert.TA., DipSW
UKCP (Accred).

About Me

Welcome.

I'm Donna. I have worked in the field of mental health for over 25 years and I'm an experienced integrative psychotherapist.

My initial psychotherapy training began in the 1990s working with adults in Transactional Analysis at the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy. I hold a Master’s degree in Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and Counselling from Terapia/Middlesex University and I'm also a qualified social worker.

My therapeutic approach is trauma and attachment informed, grounded in relational and humanistic modalities. I’m particularly curious about how past relationships and early experiences shape our present feelings, thoughts and behaviour patterns.

I describe myself as a deeply sensitive, engaging practitioner, committed to creating an open and welcoming practice that embraces all forms of expression and diversity and I deeply honour the unique narrative each person brings to therapy. I hold a safe space for clients to explore meaning in their personal challenges, and when it feels right I will also offer opportunities for creative expression when sometimes words alone might not be enough. I also like to integrate body awareness into my practice in ways that resonate with each individual.

I also enjoy working closely with parents and care-givers, offering reflective parent consultations. This is a specialised approach - a gentle non-judgmental thinking space to begin to better understand challenging behaviours or attachment ruptures within parent-child relationships and family systems.

Modern living can lead to chronic stress, causing harm to the nervous system when it’s not properly nurtured. I believe healing occurs within safe and healthy relationships - including the therapeutic relationship and our connections with ourselves, others, and the wider natural world. Through working together, my aim is to help you feel genuinely heard, seen and valued and I look forward to working with you.

I work with

• Children and young people
• Companies
• Families
• Individuals
• Private healthcare referrals

Types of Therapies Offered

• Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist