Welcome to the "About Me" section. Here, I aim to provide you with a snapshot of me as an individual and who I am in the various roles that I work in.
I hope this glimpse into my beliefs, values and modalities of working will help you to determine if you believe we could work well together.
I am a devoted husband to my wonderful wife and a proud father of two incredible young children. In our household, we share our lives with Bear, a Labradoodle whose endearing personality comes with a fondness for occasionally indulging in the consumption of socks.
Presently, I find profound contentment and stability in my life, a state that was not always the case. I have experienced periods where life seemed to veer off course, grappling with a sense of personal inadequacy and anxiety. My own experience of counselling has led me to recognise the transformative power of therapy and the value of voicing my thoughts.
My positive encounter with personal therapy inspired me to embark on a new path—training as a counsellor and subsequently as a counselling supervisor. This transformative journey has guided me through various life stages, bringing me to a point where, despite life's inevitable fluctuations, I am focused on embracing and appreciating every moment. My desire is to extend assistance to those seeking a similar transformative experience.
I am a firm believer that every individual is capable of taking positive steps in their lives; however, this may not always be an easy task to undertake. Navigating a unique journey, encountering fears, worries, and complexities is challenging to do alone. At times, we all need a helping hand.
As a counsellor, it is my privilege to support others in navigating and overcoming these challenges. Whether individuals are seeking a safe space to share their thoughts, wanting to understand what is going on for them, aiming to make active changes to their immediate situation, or maintaining progress toward overarching goals, I am committed to providing tailored guidance.
My core training was in the 5-step integrative model (Clarkson), providing a framework to employ various psychological modalities tailored to meet each client's specific needs. This forms the underpinning of my work, and I have since completed my Masters Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, further enhancing my theoretical knowledge base.
In my role as a counselling supervisor, I approach supervision with a collaborative mindset, emphasising support and a conducive learning atmosphere for my supervisee's. With a background of working in addiction, I bring a practical understanding of working within an organisation as well as working in private practice.
My supervisory approach is characterized by empathy, constructive feedback, and a genuine concern for the well-being of those I supervise. I aim to create a space where supervisees feel encouraged to explore their clinical skills, navigate case work, and reflect on their professional journey. Through ongoing dialogue and a strengths-based perspective, I seek to build a supervisory relationship that addresses challenges while acknowledging and celebrating successes, contributing to the ongoing growth of my supervisee's in their counselling practice.
I employ Page and Wosket's cyclical model and Hawkins and Shohet's seven-eyed model in my supervisory practice. This comprehensive approach underscores the importance of practitioner growth and development, providing a structured framework for examining the therapeutic process, enhancing self-awareness, and refining clinical skills within a supportive and reflective context.
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