I have over twelve years experience in counselling and psychotherapy, having started in 1994.   My experience of coaching goes back to 1999, sparked by a particular interest in coaching and creativity.

I graduated from the Spectrum Pschotherapy training in 2001.  Spectrum is one of the oldest and largest humanistic therapy centres in the the world.  I also hold a Certificate in the Therapeutic and Educational Application of the Arts from The Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education, London. 

My main theoretical influences are Humanistic therapy, particularly Gestalt Psychotherapy; Ecopsychology and The Transpersonal.  However I also integrate other strands into my work when this is helpful.  These include NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and CBT (Cognitive Behavourable Therapy).

I am especially interested in how we can become fully mature and fulfilled, not just also within our human culture (the focus of much psychotherapy), but within the wider world (the focus of ecopsychotherapy).  In this, Bill Plotkin's model has been a particular inspiration for my work. 

I am no stranger to the corporate world, having worked for many years in blue-chip companies - such as Unilever, Glaxo Smith Kline and L’Oreal Golden - in marketing brand management and international brand planning.   I have been a Consultant in Consumer Insight for quango and ex-civil-service organisations, eg English Tourism Council and The Post Office; and for small private companies.  I am therefore familiar with a range of work cultures.  I have experience of coaching people within my team, as well as people who have come to me in my private practice with work-related issues.

I try to live my life in a spiritual way.  For instance, besides my daily practice, I try to make ethical choices and ensure my life is of service.  I can access calm, warm, grounded presence by being in my body; and I am transparent as far as I am able and is appropriate.  I am also comfortable with not knowing spiritually.  

As well as my own self-assessment on these criteria,  I have been peer and tutor assessed as meeting these standards when I completed William Bloom's certificate course in Holistic Spirituality and Spiritual Companionship in 2006-2008. 

The course is certificated by the Foundation for Holistic Spirituality, a non-profit organisation devoted to education in the field of spirituality, religious studies, healthcare & citizenship. The course is also recognised and recommended by the British Holistic Medical Association (BHMA). 

I continue my contact with people from the course in order to reflect on and deepen my spiritual practice.  

My spiritual practices have or do include gratitude, creative writing, contemplation in nature, dance, chanting, childcare and poetry amongst others. My most enduring are shamanism, Five Rhythms dance and creativity.  I  have led workshops on releasing the creative spirit into writing, and on creativity and healing.  I have been a member of several creative circles and of an intuition-raising group.  I was a founding member of Groundtruth Playback Theatre Company, which re-enacts audience member's stories to create community and acceptance.   I am a member of a healing circle.  I have 17 years experience of dancing Gabrielle Roth's Five Rhythms dance including many advanced workshops involving sacred theatre and ritual.

Being a mother to two young children has given me hands-on experience of how we nurture children and introduce them to the culture we live in; how they thrive, learn and individuate; how to manage different temperaments and deal with changing sibling relationships.