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My story

Helping you connect with yourself... and others

Max and flower.jpg

Background

I'd always been inquisitive and sensitive growing up. I saw depth in many things and was a big thinker. I first picked up the book 'Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway' by Susan Jeffers in 1991 after I’d finished my Psychology degree at Cardiff University. Although I'd graduated, I felt I’d not done enough and was missing my chance to ‘achieve my full potential’. This feeling lived inside me for a long time and I couldn’t get rid of it. I felt locked into a prison of my own making. My chatterbox was always turned up at full volume and I didn’t know I could turn it down. As I read the first few pages, the essence of the book literally threw me a lifeline and I thought “I don’t have to live like this”. Over the next few decades, I practised the exercises (and still do) and made small steps towards living the life I wanted to live. I would also bring the titles of Susan’s other books ('Embrace Uncertainty' and 'Dare to Connect') into mind and that became enough to embody the message of the books, to give me strength and focus.

 

Career development

I have worked in various roles in the South West of England for over 30 years in the areas of domestic abuse, young people’s issues, supporting victims of crime, work related problems such as discrimination, living with HIV, sexual orientation, sexuality and gender identity (LGBTQ+).

 

During that time, I qualified as a counsellor, as I love providing one-to-one or couples work at depth and found I was good at it. I also found a passion for delivering workshops and courses that I had a deep connection with. I like connecting with other human beings, helping them identify things that trouble them, and show them tools and techniques that I’d found professionally and personally useful. I became more confident in writing my own sessions and courses and gained a certificate in teaching adults.

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I have used my counselling to inform my training and wellbeing workshops – and have used the compassionate focused therapy model in these different areas to ensure my training and workshops are delivered in a safe and compassionate way.

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Testimonials

My perspectives

I don’t see myself as a ‘do-gooder’, but more as a fellow soul who has carried on navigating a sometimes very tricky and challenging world. I believe everyone needs opportunities to look into themselves and to find their own sense of power, passion or to find meaning in their life.

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I try to use a sense of powerlessness I may feel during difficult times and look for opportunities to get my voice heard. I have participated in many consultations and service user surveys in order to improve services. Find out more on my Expert by Experience page.

 

I like sharing both Eastern and Western philosophies to help people journey towards their own sense of themselves, for example, the Japanese philosophy of finding happiness 'Ikigai' and making incremental changes towards one's goals 'Kaizen'.

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I am proud of working through life's challenges, and feel a sense of achievement at living my life to the max!

My community development work

I'm proud too of the community work I've developed over the years. For details of my previous work, go to my Portfolio.

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     Other qualifications

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Qualifications and professional bodies

Registered member number 58366 of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy Mark
Street name for Lower Goat Lane Norwich photo

The rooms I work from

​​Booked appointments only.

Please do not write to or drop into these addresses.

The Practice Rooms 

9/11 Lower Goat Lane,

Norwich, 

Norfolk, 

NR2 1EL

Cathedral Psychiatrists,

Holland Court, 

The Close, 

Norwich, 

NR1 4DY

Norwich Practice Rooms with two chairs
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