About Me
I am a counsellor, Hakomi practitioner and trainer, coach and TRE provider. I have a background in science and 20 years’ experience in education, both as a teacher and coach. I worked for over 10 years developing one-to-one methods of supporting people to help them manage their personal and professional growth through reflective practice.
Alongside my experience working in education, I have 8 years’ experience as a volunteer listener with Samaritans, and this was where I first became interested in supporting others emotionally. During my time at Samaritans I was also a leader and a trainer. Hakomi was my first love in terms of therapy, it is the approach that brought me home to myself. I have 14 years' experiential training with a variety of therapy practitioners in the Hakomi Method of mindfulness-based, body-centred, assisted self-study.
I am also trained as a Person-Centred counsellor and have volunteered in various places for my training and beyond. These include Widnes and Runcorn Cancer Support Centre and Liverpool Bereavement Service (as a counsellor), the Family Survival Trust (as a group facilitator and counsellor) and Mersey Care chaplaincy team (as a non-religious pastoral volunteer).
Position statement:
I don't believe that I am neutral in how I approach my work and it feels important to me to name some of the life experiences that influence how I see the world. I am a white, educated, neurodivergent, queer woman and I use she/her pronouns. My socioeconomic background was poor and I now live a middle class lifestyle. I also manage chronic pain. As well as supervision and training to help me to uncover the limitations and bias my life experiences bring, the people that inspire me in relation to these areas are: Resmaa Menakem, Tricia Hersey, Sonya Renee Taylor, Nick Walker, Janae Elisabeth and Meg-John Barker.
Qualifications
Counselling
I have a BACP Accredited Master's degree in Clinical Counselling (with distinction) and I am a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy which means I work within their ethical framework. You can find out more about this here: https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/
Hakomi
Having completed the Hakomi training, I am also a certified Hakomi Practitioner and Trainer. Over the years I have assisted on the Hakomi trainings and also facilitated introductory workshops, practice groups and coaching groups in this method. Currently I teach as part of the Hakomi Lancaster training team.
You can find more information about Hakomi through the Hakomi Education Network here: https://www.hakomieducation.net/
Teaching and coaching
In addition to completing a PGCE in Secondary Science teaching I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE) and have a Master's degree in Advanced Educational Practice which focused on mentoring and coaching. I have also completed a certificate in coaching and mentoring with the Institute of Leadership and Management.
TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises)
This is a practice made up of a series of movements that support our bodies to release tension, stress and trauma. You can find out more on the TRE website: https://traumaprevention.com/what-is-tre/
My interests
Embodiment
I have a long interest in bodies from my growing fascination during school and college which led to my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences. Following this I trained as a science teacher and taught biology for a number of years. It has always fascinated me how our bodies work and they inspire awe in me.
When I then found Hakomi, it seemed to bring together my interest in our physicality with my curiousity about what it is to be human, how we experience the world, learn and relate in different ways. Hakomi is a mindfulness based somatic practice that supports your exploration of yourself and your experiences. This is part of my own self-care and I use this to support others.
Connected to this is also the significance of how our bodily experiences differ through gender, race, sexuality, neurodivergence, mental and physical health and social status which feel important in considering power and how this impacts us.
Spirituality
I have been studying Hakomi for a number of years which has its roots in Taoism and Buddhism. During my counselling training, my research explored the connection between body, mind, emotions and spirit. This holism is one of the principles of Hakomi.
Alongside these things, I have completed non-religious pastoral care training and was part of the chaplaincy team at Mersey Care for a time. I am currently researching spirituality and the impact it can have on us, particularly in relation to spiritual trauma. I would describe my own spirituality as secular, agnostic, and steeped in my love of nature.
It seems to me that questions of life and death are such a big part of our experience as humans. My volunteering work has included listening as a Samaritan, counselling in a cancer support service and a bereavement service and facilitating Death Cafes. Suicide, health and loss feel deeply related to our embodiment and spirituality can be a way for us to make sense of these things.
Creativity
"Poetry is not only dream and vision: it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. " Audre Lorde
I enjoy creating things and this ranges from online creation of writing paired with images for social media, to the production and design of resources for work and workshops. I have also supported the design of educational materials over the years.
I connect most deeply to my own creativity through poetry and have been writing it since my teens.
Deeper than this is the creative process which seems very much about connecting to the core of who we are. There is something fundamental in all that I’m trained in that seems to be about non-directivity and supporting people to listen deeply to themselves. It is a vulnerable place to trust our inner voice and express this outwardly in some way and finding safe spaces to do this feels vitally important.