My Approach

Counselling begins with conversation. It doesn't necessarily stay in the story

Our work begins with conversation.

We talk about what is happening in your life, what brings you to counselling, what you are struggling with and what you would like to understand or change.

But we don't necessarily stay in the story.

We can understand a great deal about ourselves. We can know our history, recognise our patterns and have very good explanations for why we react as we do.

And still find ourselves doing the same things.

I am interested in what happens when we begin to notice those patterns as they are happening — in our thoughts, emotions, reactions, relationships and present-moment experience.

This is where counselling can become more than simply talking about what happened.

It becomes an opportunity to become more aware of what is happening now.

Beyond understanding

My work is grounded in a long-standing exploration of consciousness, self-awareness and the relationship between mind, body and inner experience.

For more than 14 years, I have explored these areas through counselling, breathwork, meditation, pranayama and InnerWork, including many years of working closely with Graham Mead.

I am interested in what becomes possible when we move beyond simply understanding ourselves intellectually and begin to experience ourselves more directly — noticing the patterns, beliefs, emotions, bodily responses and relational dynamics that shape our lives.

At a deeper level, this work is an exploration of who we are beneath the familiar patterns of personality and conditioning.

It is not about becoming someone different. It is about becoming more conscious of what is already here — and allowing greater truth, presence, freedom and authenticity to emerge.

What I mean by InnerWork

I use the term InnerWork to describe the deeper exploration that can happen within counselling.

It isn't another therapy, and it isn't a separate service.

It is simply a way of describing the process of becoming more aware of what is happening within you — rather than only talking about what is happening around you.

Sometimes that means noticing a familiar thought or reaction.

Sometimes it means becoming aware of what happens in your body when something feels threatening, uncomfortable or difficult.

Sometimes it means staying with an experience for long enough to discover something you had previously moved away from, explained away or simply not noticed.

The purpose is not to force an experience or make something happen.

It is to become more familiar with your own inner experience.

For me, this is an important part of counselling: developing the capacity to notice what is happening, rather than automatically being carried by it.

Relationship as a Mirror

Relationship can be one of the clearest places to see ourselves.

The people closest to us can bring our familiar patterns into view — how we pursue, withdraw, defend, control, seek approval, become angry, feel rejected or protect ourselves.

Often we can understand these patterns intellectually and still find ourselves repeating them.

In relationship, however, these patterns are not simply something we think about. They are happening in the present moment — in our thoughts, emotions, body and reactions.

I am interested in using relationship as an opportunity for deeper awareness: not to decide who is right or wrong, but to become curious about what is being revealed and what lies beneath our habitual responses.

This can create the possibility of seeing ourselves more clearly, meeting one another with greater awareness, and responding with more choice rather than simply repeating what is familiar.

Understanding Is Not Always Enough

There is a difference between understanding something intellectually and actually noticing it as it happens.

You may know that you become defensive when you feel criticised.

You may understand where that comes from.

You may even know that you want to respond differently.

And yet, in the moment, the reaction can still happen before you have a chance to choose.

This is where I am interested in slowing things down.

What are you noticing?

What happens just before the reaction?

What are you feeling?

What are you doing with that feeling?

What happens in your body?

What are you telling yourself?

Rather than immediately trying to change the experience, we can become curious about it.

Sometimes, simply becoming more aware of what is happening gives you a different relationship with it.

Where Breathwork May Fit

Conversation remains central to my counselling work.

Breathwork is one of the tools I may use when it seems appropriate.

Sometimes bringing attention to the breath can help us notice an experience more directly rather than continuing to analyse it.

There is no requirement to do breathwork.

I don't use it as a formula or because every client needs it. We decide together what is useful for you.

I also distinguish between contemporary breathwork practices and traditional yogic pranayama. They are related, but they are not the same thing.

My separate Breathwork & Pranayama page explains this distinction in more detail.

Session Structure & Format

Counselling sessions are offered:

• Online via zoom video

• In‑person when available

• 60–90 minutes, tailored to your needs

We work at your pace, with curiosity and compassion — not judgment.

Considering Counselling?

If you'd like to talk about whether working together might be a good fit, you can book a free 10-minute consultation.