I joined Relate as a Volunteer Counsellor in 1991. Since then I have clocked up around 12,000 hours of Counselling experience of working with couples, individuals, and Young People. Over the years, I have added to my qualifications, developed new skills, and practiced in new ways of working. But have the same enthusiasm and passion for Counselling as I had in 1991. I am still working with Relate as a Counsellor and Supervisor, and I have a private practice in High Lane, Stockport.
Being passionate about Counselling, and the benefits it gives to people, has led me to develop new services across Greater Manchester to enable a wider, and more diverse community to access support. One of those services has been an out- post in Glossop, which I have run for 17 years, serving the local community, Derbyshire and Tameside with Couple Counselling. Working with MacMillan I have helped set up services, and offered Counselling for both Breast Cancer Patients and Prostate Cancer Patients, and their family members. Through a Supervision service I have been involved with the provision of Couple Counselling for ethnic minority groups.
As one of the main providers for an Employer Assisted programme (EAP) with Social services I have worked with a vast range of issues from Bereavement to Post-Natal Depression, OCD, Stress, Depression. As well as employment issues, such as disciplinary issues, retirement, redundancy, work place bullying. With such a wide range of potential issues that clients bring, a wide range of therapeutic interventions, and ways of supporting people has been needed. So, I have trained in different therapeutic approaches, such as CBT, Brief Solution Focused Therapy and Psychodynamic Counselling.
My experience has led me to believe in the potential of us all to learn and grow, and this is at the heart of all my counselling practice. Having this approach, I feel that personal and professional improvement is important if we are to feel fulfilled as human beings. This experience has shown me that we are all able to build positive attitudes that help us to change and deal with our difficulties. For me it is important to rise to life’s challenges and view them as opportunities to learn and develop.