about me

I have had an extensive career working in mental health since qualifying in 1996 and working as a Psychiatric Nurse in inpatient and outpatient settings and then training as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist (CBT) in 2003.

After many years of working clinically with adults in the NHS, I became a lecturer teaching CBT at The University of York, training clinicians to become CBT Psychotherapists. On leaving this and returning to practice in 2013, I found time to fully engage with Mindfulness and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). I have benefitted hugely from this and over the last 10 years this self-practicing using compassionate mind training (CMT) has become a vital part of my life and well-being. I continue to use CFT clinically alongside CBT within individual therapy, group therapy and through the training and supervision of other clinicians.

During Covid 19 I worked for the NHS into ICU and Covid Red wards with staff working on those wards delivering CBT and CFT training and individual therapy.

Over the last seven years I have been project lead for the Compassion in School project which is based on Dr Mary Welford's pioneering work using CFT as a whole school approach. I have led three projects in three schools and Mary has supervised me in this work.

I continue to work closely with Bootham School, an independent Quaker school in York.

I have experience working within secondary and primary care with clients with anxiety and depression. I have lectured in CBT at the University of York and currently guest lecture at the University of Hull.

I have also used Compassion Focused Therapy with individual clients since 2015 and use it on myself. I have been offering CFT whole school approaches for the past six years and this has involved large scale training of staff and students, as well as 1-1 therapy sessions, small group training, staff support sessions (individual and group), compassion based meditation sessions.

I am self-employed as a CFT therapist and CBT therapist and I am able to offer therapy on an individual basis to adults and young people.

I particularly have a special interest in OCD and work using exposure and response prevention. I have experience of working with chronic pain and staff support.

I also work with depression using behavioural activation and CBT for depression, I am well trained in mindfulness and Compassion Focused Therapy which is particularly helpful for people with high levels of shame and self-criticism. I am able to weave third wave approaches in CBT such as ACT and Mindfulness if clients would find this helpful.

I am a CBT Therapist who has been accredited with the British Association of Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapists since 2004 and I completed the advanced CFT therapy training with Paul Gilbert and Mary Welford in 2015.

Following this I have facilitated Compassion Focused Therapy groups. I continue to facilitate a Compassion Focused Therapy Graduate Group in York for The Retreat, York.

I practice Yoga and mindfulness daily and completed an eight week MBSR course with The Northern Centre for Mindfulness in 2015.

2015:

Advanced CFT training with Paul Gilbert and Mary Welford

CFT for groups with Kate Lucre

2017:

Attended CFT for anger with Russell Kolts

Self Practice three day training with Paul Gilbert

2018:

One day BABCP workshop Compassionate Supervision with Tobyn Bell

2019:

CFT conference in Edinburgh

CFT in education conference

2020:

CFT online training (during Covid-19)

Deep healing with Paul Gilbert, Vidyamala Burch and Rick Hanson

CFT online with Paul Gilbert and Choden

CFT online Paul Gilbert Compassionate Mind training

2021:

ACT online training 100 things Act with Richard Bennett and Joe Oliver

CFT training online Russell Kolts anger