Trauma-Informed & Anti-Oppressive Counsellor
Warm Introduction
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Taking the first step towards counselling can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate things alone.
I offer person-centred counselling in a warm, supportive and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly at your own pace. I believe that you are the expert in your own life, and my role is to walk alongside you as you explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Every person’s story is unique, which is why I take time to understand you as an individual — without labels, assumptions or judgement.
My practice is trauma-informed, meaning I work with sensitivity, compassion and an awareness of how past experiences can shape the way we feel today. Together, we can explore what has happened in your life and how it may be impacting you now.
Whether you are experiencing anxiety, stress, trauma, low self-esteem, grief, relationship difficulties, or simply feeling stuck, counselling can provide a space to be heard and understood.
At the heart of my work is creating a relationship built on trust, safety and genuine care — helping you move forward in a way that feels right for you.
What is Person-Centred Counselling?
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Person-centred counselling was developed by the psychologist Carl Rogers, who believed something quite radical for his time: that people, given the right conditions, have everything they need within them to grow, heal, and find their own way forward.
My role isn't to diagnose you, fix you, or guide you towards a particular outcome, it's to offer the kind of relationship Rogers saw as the heart of therapeutic change. That means meeting you with genuine warmth and acceptance, doing my best to truly understand your world from the inside, and being real and honest with you rather than hiding behind a professional mask.
Within that kind of space, something quietly shifts. Many people find they begin to trust themselves again, make sense of what they've been through, and move forward in a way that feels authentically their own.
My Values
I am committed to working in a way that is actively inclusive and anti-oppressive. This means I reflect on and challenge systems of power, privilege, and oppression — and how they may affect your life and wellbeing. I also recognise that these systems intersect: that race, gender, sexuality, class, disability, and other aspects of identity overlap and shape experience in ways that can't be separated out.
You are welcome here exactly as you are. I work with people of all identities, backgrounds, cultures, and communities.
My values aren't a list of credentials — they're commitments that shape how I show up in our work together. Here's what they mean in practice.
Non-Judgmental
My aim is to offer a space of total acceptance and warmth, where you can explore your thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement or disapproval. So much of what brings people to counselling carries shame, or fear of being misunderstood — the parts of ourselves we've been told are too much, too difficult, or not enough. Whatever you bring, including the parts you find hardest to share or have learned to hide, will be welcome here. You don't have to perform, edit, or soften things to make them easier to hear. You just have to be you.
Trauma-Informed
My practice is trauma-informed, which means I understand that difficult experiences — whether a single event or something that unfolded over many years — can leave a lasting imprint on the mind, body, and nervous system. You won't be asked to share more than feels right, or to revisit anything before you're ready; instead, we'll work at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you, with choice and control kept firmly in your hands. You'll be met with warmth, respect, and genuine care, and your reactions to what you've been through will be approached with curiosity and openness — never as if there's something wrong with you.
Survivor-Centred
My practice is survivor-centred, which means you are the one who decides what to share, when to share it, and what feels important to focus on. I won't push for details, ask you to prove or relive what you've been through, or treat your experience as something to be doubted — it's yours, and you remain in charge of it throughout our work together. You'll be met with warmth, respect, and genuine care. You will be believed, and what you've survived will be held with the seriousness it deserves.
LGBTQIA+ Affirming
I welcome clients of all gender identities, sexualities, and relationship structures, and I'm committed to offering a space where you don't have to explain, justify, or educate me about who you are. My practice is informed by an understanding that LGBTQIA+ people often carry the weight of minority stress, family rejection, or experiences of being misunderstood — even within healthcare settings — and I take care not to add to that. Whoever you are and however you love, you'll be met with warmth, respect, and genuine care.
Culturally Sensitive
My practice is culturally sensitive, which means I recognise that culture, faith, language, family, and community shape who we are and how we make sense of our lives. I won't assume I understand your background, and I won't expect you to leave any part of yourself at the door — your culture is welcome in the room, in whatever way feels right to you. You'll be met with warmth, respect, and genuine care, and the parts of your life that matter most to you will be honoured as part of the whole picture of who you are.
Anti-Racist Practice
I welcome clients of all races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds, and I'm committed to offering a space where you don't have to explain, justify, or educate me about your experiences of racism. My practice is informed by an understanding that racism — whether overt, everyday, or systemic — causes real harm, and that this harm is often compounded when it goes unseen or unacknowledged in therapy. You'll be met with warmth, respect, and genuine care, and your experiences will be taken seriously as part of the whole picture of your life.
Anti-Ableist
My practice is disability aware and anti-ableist, which means I recognise the diverse range of visible and hidden disabilities people live with — physical, sensory, cognitive, neurodivergent, and those related to mental or chronic health — and that living in a world not designed with you in mind can be exhausting. I won't expect you to explain or justify your needs, and I'll work with you to make our sessions as accessible and comfortable as possible, in whatever way works best for you. You'll be met with warmth, respect, and genuine care, and you'll be seen as a whole person — never reduced to a diagnosis, a label, or a list of symptoms.
Intersectional
All of us have overlapping identities — our race, gender, sexuality, class, disability, faith, and more. Intersectionality describes the way these parts of who we are can combine to create unique and compounded experiences of discrimination, produced by the overlap itself. My practice holds this in mind. You won't be asked to leave parts of yourself behind, or to focus on one identity at a time. You'll be met as the whole, complex person you are.
Power Conscious
I work to equalise the therapeutic relationship and empower you as the expert on your own life — moving away from the traditional model where the counsellor is positioned as the one who knows best. At the same time, I acknowledge that some imbalances are built into the work itself, such as the boundaries that hold our sessions and the professional knowledge I bring. What I can do is be honest about that, and create space for us to talk openly about power if and when that feels useful.
