Having been a drama teacher for 15 years, I registered the therapeutic potential of creativity. When my own daughter experienced mental ill health as a young child, and temporarily became an elective mute, I realised that traditional talking therapy isn’t universally accessible. I personally acknowledge how frightening and disempowering it can be for the whole family when a loved one is unwell; which is why I then decided to retrain to become a Creative Arts Psychotherapist. This two year Masters in Dramatherapy provided me with the opportunity to work with: drama, music, art, movement and play. Although most of my clients would just like to ‘talk’, I have found creative resources can help ‘break the ice’ and offer a gentle distraction when the ‘talking’ feels overwhelming. Particularly for young children, the ‘play’ we do together is a beneficial way to begin the therapeutic journey. Adults find creative metaphor a powerful way to share emotions often too difficult to express verbally.

Alongside my private practice, I work in a variety of settings, mainly educational, providing both 1:1 and group therapy. I am qualified to work with fostered and adopted children and adults and much of my work is supporting children in the care system. As such my practice is trauma-informed and I specialise in supporting clients with complex needs. The majority of my clients are neuro-diverse and I have trained with the National Autistic Society to advance my knowledge in this field. I have a particular interest in OCD and much of my work is supporting families affected by this complex and debilitating presentation.