Therapy in General

Therapy can help with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship problems, or other issues.   Unhappiness or distress can establish in the form of challenging feelings, behaviours and beliefs.   I  can serve as a listening ear, help identify underlying causes of symptoms, help support lifestyle changes, and provide specific strategies or techniques for changing unwanted thoughts, feelings and behaviours.  When any of these conditions begin to interfere with your normal routine, then seeking help might be beneficial and you will gather tools to face challenges, manage symptoms, and improve stress.  

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy is very much a collaborative process between myself and my clients.  My aim is to help you facilitate change and improve your quality of life by engaging in self-reflective process.  Therapy will give you the strength to confront barriers that may be very painful or that interfere with mental well-being.  It can increase positive feelings such as love, self-esteem and compassion. 

Couples Therapy

In couples therapy this would normally involve an intense focus on improving the communication patterns within the couple.  This involves me entering your way of life more directly.  Habits and routines would be brought into the session where I would offer tools and techniques to improve your communication with each other.  This may also involve couples practicing new techniques away from the therapy session.  Both partners are invited to co-create the process of change. 

Membership of Professional Organisations:

The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) (Membership No: 2011165459)

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) (Membership No:  383134)

The United Kingdom Association of Transactional Analysis (UKATA) (Membership No:  3601)

The European Association of Transactional Analysis (EATA) (Associated with UKATA Membership)

International Transactional Analysis Association (Membership No: 4238)

Professional Code of Ethics

I adhere to the BACP, EATA, ITAA, UKATA and UKCP's Code of Ethics.

Transactional Analysis

Transactional Analysis (TA) is a theory developed by Dr Eric Berne in the 1950s.  It is a social psychology and a method to improve communication. 

The theory outlines how we have developed and treat ourselves, how we relate and communicate with others, and offers suggestions and interventions which will enable us to change and grow. 

TA is underpinned by the philosophy that:

• People can change

• We all have a right to be in the world and be accepted.

Today TA is used in psychotherapy, counselling, organisations and educational and is an effective method of enhancing relationships with oneself and with others.

Ego States

Berne devised the concept of ego states to help explain how we are made up, and how we relate to others. These are drawn as three stacked circles and they are one of the building blocks of TA. They categorise the ways we think, feel and behave and are called Parent, Adult, and Child. Each ego state is given a capital letter to denote the difference between actual parents, adults and children.

Strokes

A stroke is a unit of recognition and can take the form of a smile, a frown, a criticism or a compliment.  A stroke can be both positive or negative, verbal or non-verbal and conditional or unconditional.  Any transaction between people is an exchange of strokes.  Most transactions involve both verbal and non-verbal exchanges, with a possible exception of written communications.  Strokes are necessary for human existence and when we can not obtain positive strokes, then we may settle for negative ones because we need any strokes for survival.  Focusing on strokes is an effective way of changing one's relationship with others and understanding our reasons for accepting certain strokes.  Increasing the awareness can allow beneficial and meaningful change. Learning to get or stop filtering the positive strokes, leads to feeling better about oneself.

The Script

The script is a life plan which is developed as we are growing up and made from our early decisions based upon our life experiences.  Depending on our particular script, we can interpret an event in a number of different ways.  There is a beginning, middle and end and there are characters that play significant roles, such as the heroes and those who were the villains, making the story tragic, futile or exciting.   The theory of life-script was developed by Eric Berne who says that our stories are written unconsciously from birth.  Between the ages of 0-7 years, the roles are allocated and by 7 all the main parts of the story are plotted, tweaked and polished through to the age of 12 years. We rely on fantasy based beliefs through our younger years and through adolescence our scripts are updated with more tangible characters.  

Games

Why does this always keep happening to me?  I always keep meeting people who hurt me and then go off and leave me!   We may like to help people and then it goes wrong as the person we are trying to help says that we got it wrong.  When similar situations keep happening over and over again, then the term TA uses for this is a game. Berne states that a game is a familiar pattern of behaviour with a predictable outcome and are played outside of Adult awareness and they are out best attempt to get our needs met but we don't.  Games are learned patterns of behaviour, and we play some favorite games with different people in varying intensities. 

How much does it cost?

Initial Consultation

If you are interested in considering Counselling or Psychotherapy, the first step is to contact me to arrange an initial consultation (free for 15 minutes).  This gives us the opportunity to meet, and for us to assess the suitability of our working together.  This will take place on the phone or online.

You can call or text me on 07555 734 662 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fees from 1st April 2026:

• Individual therapy costs £65 per session (50 minutes).  Concessional rates for students at £60 per session.
• Couples therapy costs £90 per session (60 minutes)
• Supervision costs £65 per session (60 minutes).  Concessional rates for students at £60 per session.
• Supervision costs £90 per session (90 minutes)

I have online availability throughout the week for new clients and supervisees.

Payment

All payments need to be made 48 hours before your session to secure your slot. 

Cancelled Sessions

48 hour's notice needs to be given should you not be able to make your session.  Sessions cancelled after this, will be charged at the full rate.