Services offered
- individual therapy for children and adolescents
- consultation for parents
- supervision for counsellors working with children and adolescents
- consultations to schools on development of school counselling services
My approach
In my work with children, I often invite them to make pictures; these can express what may be difficult or even impossible to say in words; and one picture may contain a story which would take hours to say.
When parents ask me to work with their child, we have an initial discussion on the telephone. If we agree to proceed, the parent(s) bring the child to meet me. At that first meeting, once the child is comfortable to stay alone with me, I suggest that the parent(s) leave us for a stated length of time, and then we talk. At the end of the meeting I raise the question with the child of whether we should work regularly together. Older children tend to give their decision straight away; some younger ones like to discuss it at home with their parents.
I am accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, whose Code of Ethics I abide by; and my work is regularly supervised.
Experience
I trained as a Marriage Guidance Counsellor and worked for seven years for Relate. Since 1991 I have practised privately too.
In 1990 I was appointed to be School Counsellor at Marlborough College; in 1994 I was invited to set up school counselling at St Edward’s School, Oxford; and in 1996, at the Dragon School, Oxford.
In 2011 I left Marlborough College after 21 years. In September 2010 I started work as School Counsellor at St Mary's Calne, and at present work there and at Cheam Prep. School. I also see some children and adolescents as private clients, and offer supervision to other counsellors who work with children.
Training and qualifications
1984 qualified as Marriage Guidance Counsellor with Relate
1992 certificate in Transpersonal Psychology
1999 postgraduate diploma in Child Art Psychotherapy
1995 Accredited by BACP
1996 Registered Independent Counsellor on UKRC
Rates
£45 per hour (Negotiation is possible in individual cases of hardship)