I am a relationship counsellor who works with both couples and individuals.

I also offer sessions with family lawyers – we call it “therapeutic supervision” –managing work pressures and balancing these with the demands of home life.

Therapeutic supervision for lawyers often involves talking about the emotional toll of dealing with divorcing/separating couples, quite apart from the heavy legal workload encountered day to day. On top of that it’s a chance to discuss life outside the office – in personal relationships (usually close family and relatives) and general mental and physical health. “Supervision” in this therapeutic sense is about talking one-to-one alongside the counsellor; it’s not a “top down” process.

I act too in a family consultant role when family lawyers need outside help managing couples when the emotions are getting in the way of progress.

In general, couples that come to me want one of the following:

• to rekindle their relationship because it has deteriorated
• to decide if they should separate or stay together
• to manage their divorce or separation in a constructive and hopefully kind way, thinking particularly of any children. This work will usually have been referred to me by family lawyers

Whatever the circumstances, I work on the basis that it’s better to talk.

I use an integrative counselling approach. This draws on different therapeutic styles, including emotionally focused therapy (EFT), so I can use whichever is best for the client. The therapeutic relationship we build is at the heart of our work.

Aside from counselling, I have a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and a master’s degree in modern English literature. Before I became a therapist I was a commissioning editor at The Times and before that a secondary school teacher in England and the Far East.