What I can help with
- Trauma
- PTSD and Complex-PTSD
- Personality disorders
- Clients with complex needs
- Neurodivergence - autism & ADHD
Recent Client Feedback
'Anshin' is a Japanese word often found in Buddhist literature meaning 'peaceful mind' or 'heart at peace'.
How I Work
My aim is to integrate a coherent combination of cognitive, emotional and somatic, trauma-focused approaches within a supportive therapeutic relationship to help facilitate new meaning, new possibilities and new choices to enable you to live a more fulfilling, meaningful and liberated life.
About Me
Hi and welcome to my website. I’m guessing you’re here because you’re looking for help for yourself or a loved one. Let me tell you a little about myself.
I am a qualified counsellor, psychotherapist, trauma, IFS, SE and EMDR therapist with over 40 years’ experience of working in mental health with a wide range of issues. Based in Banbury, Oxfordshire I can help people who have experienced trauma or abuse. You may have been told that you have a personality disorder. Many people who have been told they have a personality disorder have experienced abuse or neglect in their childhood. In the past few years I have worked with clients who are neurodiverse – autism and/or ADHD – who also experienced trauma.
My initial training in counselling was as a humanistic-integrative therapist, and I have undertaken further training in existential therapy, somatic psychotherapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Hakomi Therapy. In addition I have specialist training in trauma-focused therapy and I am a qualified EMDR therapist, IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapist and SE (Somatic Experiencing) therapist. I have a Diploma in Trauma Therapy and a Certificate in Somatic Trauma Therapy and I am qualified in the Flash technique (a recognised EMDR related therapy).
I have been a practising Buddhist for over 40 years and I integrate aspects of Buddhist-informed therapy into my work which draws you into a different kind of experience – a way of being in which you are more present and aware of what is happening in the present moment rather than being addicted to and driven by your memories, thoughts and attachments or worrying about the future. As these melt away you will begin to connect with and embody a more authentic, alive and peaceful self. How I do this is explained in some of my posts on the ‘My Thoughts’ page. I take a secular approach to Buddhism, for me it is a way of living and a spiritual path, it is not a religion. I do not preach, I do not attempt to convert anyone and I see clients of any religion or faith and those who have no religious beliefs. I mention Buddhism because as a therapist my main healing tool is myself and the therapeutic relationship. Buddhism is part of who I am so you need to know what you’re getting!
You can read more about me by clicking on the link below:
My Thoughts and Musings
Soul Work: The Journey to Inner Fulfilment
Exploring the Depths of Self-Discovery, Healing, and Trauma Therapy For me, the journey into soul work was illuminated through the gentle teachings of Buddhism. The practices of mindfulness and compassionate self-awareness, so integral to Buddhist philosophy, opened a doorway to
Autism and Internal Family Systems: Exploring Inner Worlds
Understanding Neurodiversity through the Lens of IFS Autism is often spoken about in terms of behaviours, challenges, and gifts, but rarely do we take time to consider the rich inner landscapes that autistic individuals experience. One therapeutic approach that offers
The Self & Buddhism
The concept of the self is one of the most profound considerations of human existence. Who are we? What defines our identity? These questions have occupied philosophers, theologians, and spiritual seekers for centuries. Among the myriad perspectives, Buddhism offers an