MY STORY

Clinical Psychotherapist | PGDip Advanced Practice in CBT

BA (Hons) Post Compulsory Education | EMDR Practitioner

As a psychotherapist, I usually focus on my clients' needs and stories rather than my own. However, if we’re going to work together, it’s important we get to know each other.

What led me to become a psychotherapist?

My journey began as a personal trainer at a private health club, followed by a role as a Prison Officer at HMP Leeds after I failed the hearing test for the armed forces. Within a year, I became a qualified Physical Training Instructor, spending six intense months at Loughborough Athlete Centre, gaining expertise in physical and mental fitness.

For the next decade, I worked in prisons across the UK, with a strong interest in rehabilitation and cognitive restructuring. My last role in Norfolk led me to transition into education, fearing that more time behind bars would harm my mindset.

But it was too late—my mental health had already suffered.

During my transition from the prison service, compounded by a toxic relationship, I was treated for severe depression. I worked hard to overcome it, despite not receiving the best support. This experience drives my commitment to providing exceptional care to my clients. I emerged from that dark place and now, as a wife, mother, and successful business owner, I find joy in giving back.

I dug deep and got my life back on track.

My Path to Well-being

I didn’t anticipate that my career in education would lead me to an executive role, overseeing teaching, learning, and support services. While it was exciting, I lost sight of what I loved: making a positive difference in people’s health and well-being.

Instead, I found myself entrenched in Ofsted processes, board meetings, and endless scrutiny. When I was made redundant in 2015, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise—a chance to step off the hamster wheel and rediscover my ‘why.’

That clarity led to my mission: ‘Timely, impactful, client-led psychotherapy.’

I retrained as a psychotherapist, specialising in High-Intensity Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), with a specific emphasis on trauma therapy.

While my career path has been diverse, it has always been connected by a commitment to mental health—helping individuals live positively, both physically and mentally.

My vision is trauma-focused therapy that empowers growth and self-belief, to live a life you love.

My practice, offering both in-person and online sessions, quickly evolved. My dedication to providing tailored therapy, combined with genuine care and strategic foresight, has made a significant impact on my clients’ lives.