About Me
I have thirty years experience of delivering psychological support services to individuals and groups. Originally qualifying as a Social Worker in Child Care and Mental Health in 1989 I secured an MA at Lancaster University, my dissertation entitled The Disaster Experience and Social Works Role. Subsequently I worked in Skelmersdale where I counselled bereaved families and survivors of the Hillsborough football stadium tragedy. I also worked extensively in hospitals working alongside the Accident and Emergency staff, offering Bereavement and Crisis Intervention Services.
As a Trauma Consultant with the Centre for Crisis Psychology (1993 – 1995), an organisation renowned in the Critical Incident field, I provided Consultation, Training and Critical Incident Stress Debriefings throughout the United Kingdom and in Ireland. Providing support following incidents such as armed raids in banks/building society’s, physical/sexual assaults, attempted murder, suicide, bombings and industrial accidents.
About my Consultancy
Since 1995 I have been in private practice running my own therapeutic service - Crisis Management Consultancy - where I have continued to develop and refine my services in accordance with individual and organisational needs. In my capacity as a Trauma Consultant I have provided Psychological First Aid to organisations and individuals following the Manchester Bombing, Kosovan Refugee Crisis, Selby Rail Crash, Hatfield Derailment and the London Bombings.
I was accredited as an Integrative Therapist with the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) in 2006. In this capacity I provided therapy for people who were experiencing a range of difficulties including work related stress, loss/bereavement and marital/familial stress. A variety of EAP’s commissioned my services and also Lancashire Constabulary whom I am still affiliated to, to date. In the same year I also qualified as an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing) Therapist.
In 2011 I qualified as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and secured accreditation with the British Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy (BABCP). I now work from my own home as a CBT Therapist, a form of therapy which I am passionate about, treating people with a range of anxiety disorders, low self esteem, depression, bereavement/loss issues, relationship difficulties and work related stress.
EMDR forms an integral and crucial part of my practice, originally solely utilised in the treatment of P.T.S.D. but latterly successfully employed to treat a range of emotional problems.
I work both privately and for a variety of Health Insurers, Rehabilitation Companies, Specialist CBT services and Solicitors including AXA PPP, BUPA, Curian Medical, Vita Health Group, CBT Clinics, CBT Health, Rehab Works, The Psychology Service, Manchester Resilience Hub (established following the MEN tragedy), Walking with the Wounded (working with war veterans) and The Priory Hospital.
My Approach
Whilst I mainly draw upon CBT and EMDR treatment modalities, my approach is that of an Integrative Psychotherapist.
Integrative Counselling, as the name suggests, is a combined approach to psychotherapy that brings together different elements of specific therapies (for example psychodynamic psychotherapy, person centred counselling, transactional analysis, Gestalt therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy).
Originally qualifying as a Integrative Therapist in 1996, and proudly securing my accreditation with the BACP I take the view that there is no single approach that can treat each client in all situations. Rather, each person needs to be considered as a whole and therapeutic techniques must be tailored to their individual needs and personal circumstances. I liken it to having a psychological tool bag upon which I can to draw to best serve the needs of my client.