Location
Holywood & Belfast
I am registered/accredited with
BACP
Code of ethics observed
BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling
Qualifications
Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling (QUB)
PhD English
MA Sociology
Special interest/experience
Adoption and Fostering
Family Support and Challenging behaviour
Attachment and developmental trauma in adoption
LGBTQIA+ issues
Neurodiversity (particularly ADHD and Autism)
Additional information
I am an adoptive parent. I have worked in the area of parent support for many years, focusing particularly on challenging behaviour and the parent/child relationship. I also work with university students, providing mentoring for students with Autism. My initial training was in person-centred counselling.
In recent years I have undertaken training in fostering and adoption, developmental trauma, attachment issues, suicide and self-harm, parent-to-child violence, secondary trauma, suicide prevention and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. I bring to my counselling practice a professional and personal understanding of the challenges of adoption, as well as its rewards.
I have experience of the Statementing process for children with additional support needs and of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Northern Ireland. I was commissioned by the TESSA Project to write the ‘Love and Rage’ support programme programme for adoptive parents of children with challenging behaviour.
In addition to my work at the TESSA Project I am a sessional counsellor for the Rainbow Project, working with LGBTQIA+ people and people who are questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation. In addition to my sessional work with charities, I have a small private practice.
