My Approach

My approach is grounded in systemic and attachment-informed thinking. This means I am interested not only in what is happening now, but in how relationships, experiences, family histories and the wider circumstances of our lives can shape how we understand ourselves and relate to others.

Systemic therapy doesn't assume that a difficulty belongs to, or is caused by, one person. Instead, we can become curious about how difficulties have developed, what may be keeping them going, and what happens between people when difficulties arise. This can open up different ways of understanding what is happening and create possibilities for responding differently.

Our conversations may involve exploring important relationships or experiences, noticing recurring ways of relating, thinking about family histories, or asking questions that help us look at something from a different perspective. Sometimes we might use a genogram (a visual map of important relationships), timelines or other creative ways of exploring experiences and relationships.

Where couples or families attend together, I make space for different experiences and points of view. The aim isn't to decide who is right or wrong, but to become curious about how each person experiences what is happening and how people affect and respond to one another.

I am also interested in what is already helping. Difficulties can sometimes make it harder to notice the relationships, values, abilities and experiences that have helped you through other times in your life. These can be important in discovering what might be possible now.

Therapy is something we do together, with each of us bringing something important to the conversation. I welcome feedback about what feels useful, what doesn't, and anything you would like us to approach differently. We will regularly think together about how therapy is going and whether our conversations are helping with what matters to you.

About Me

Because relationships matter.

Relationships can bring enormous strength, connection and meaning to our lives, but they can also be where we feel most stuck.

Perhaps you find yourself having the same arguments with people you care about, wondering how you keep ending up back in the same place. You may feel distant from someone you love, or family life may have become dominated by tension, worry or misunderstanding. Sometimes everyone is trying hard to make things better, yet somehow the same difficulties keep showing up. Experiences from the past may also be finding their way into relationships in the present.

Despite its name, you don't need to attend therapy as a family to benefit from Family and Systemic Psychotherapy. You might come to therapy on your own, with your partner, or as a family. We would begin by exploring what is happening for you and the relationships, experiences and circumstances that may be influencing things.

You bring your knowledge of yourself and your relationships; I bring curiosity, therapeutic experience and systemic ideas. Together we'll make sense of what's happening from different perspectives and consider what might make something different possible.

I have more than 25 years' professional experience of working alongside children, young people, adults and families. I originally qualified as a Social Worker before training as a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist. I have particular experience of working individually with trauma, childhood sexual abuse and addiction, as well as the wider effects these experiences can have on relationships and family life.

Therapy can feel like a big step. You don't need to know exactly where to start or what to say, and I won't expect you to talk about anything before you're ready. It's OK to come to therapy with hopes and doubts. We'll also pay attention to what has helped you through difficult times. When it's hard to imagine things being different, we can begin there.

I work in central Brighton & Hove and online. If you're wondering whether therapy with me might be right for you, I offer a free initial telephone consultation of up to 30 minutes. It's an opportunity for us to talk a little about what you're looking for, for you to ask any questions you may have, and for us both to get a sense of whether working together feels right.

I work with

• Children and young people
• Couples
• Families
• Individuals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Types of Therapies Offered

• Family and Systemic Psychotherapist
• Family Therapist
• Systemic Family and Couple Psychotherapist
• Systemic Psychotherapist

What I can help with

• Abuse
• Addiction
• Anxiety
• Bereavement
• Couple Issues
• Depression
• Divorce
• Family
• Mental Health Issues
• Online Counselling
• Parents
• Post-Traumatic Stress
• Relationships
• Sexual Abuse
• Step Families
• Stress
• Trauma