About My Approach
This page is here to give you a clearer sense of how I work in practice.
Therapy can often feel full of jargon or difficult to translate into everyday life, so I’ve tried to keep things simple and straightforward. You’ll find a brief explanation of trauma-informed therapy, along with examples of what change can actually look like in practice - so you can get a feel for how therapy with me might support you.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Making sense of patterns - with compassion, not criticism
Sometimes...
Anxiety, self-criticism, people-pleasing, overthinking, or the need to stay in control can feel confusing or frustrating - especially when part of you knows these patterns no longer feel helpful.
From a trauma-informed perspective, we might become curious about whether these ways of coping developed for a reason.
Perhaps...
- Being responsible helped you feel safe, so now you find yourself carrying too much and struggling to ask for help.
- Keeping the peace protected relationships, and now saying no, expressing needs, or disappointing others feels uncomfortable or guilt-provoking.
- High expectations, criticism, or feeling you had to get things right taught you to be hard on yourself - leaving you constantly striving but rarely feeling good enough.
- Life felt unpredictable at times, and now your mind stays one step ahead through overthinking, planning, reassurance-seeking, or trying to stay in control.
- Or you learned that your needs came second, and now prioritising yourself feels unfamiliar or difficult.
This doesn't mean...
Something traumatic must have happened, and therapy doesn’t have to focus on the past.
Instead, we make sense of the patterns that exist today with curiosity and compassion - understanding what they may once have protected or helped with, and creating new ways of relating to yourself that feel more balanced, flexible, and supportive.
What Change Can Look like in Practice
Change often starts with understanding your patterns differently. Here are some of the ways that can begin to show up in everyday life.
From “I’m such a failure.”...
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Noticing your inner critic without automatically believing it.
From constant self-doubt and overthinking...
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Trusting your judgement more and getting unstuck from endless analysis.
From avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable...
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Gradually facing what you’ve been avoiding, at your own pace.
From people-pleasing or saying yes out of guilt...
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Practising boundaries and tolerating the discomfort that comes with them.
From taking responsibility for other people’s emotions...
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Staying connected to your own needs without over-functioning for others.
To needing certainty or reassurance to feel okay...
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Learning to tolerate uncertainty without it taking over.
From pulling away or shutting down when overwhelmed...
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Staying present with difficult emotions and building confidence you can cope.
From “This is just who I am"...
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Seeing patterns as learned responses - not fixed identity.
Rather than seeing these as fixed traits, trauma-informed CBT helps us understand where they come from and how they can shift.
How We Work Together
Therapy with me is collaborative and paced by you. I see us as a team, working together to understand what’s going on for you and what might help things feel different. You’re not expected to have the answers - we figure things out together.
I often use practical tools within sessions, such as drawing things out, mapping patterns together, or writing down key ideas as we go. I also enjoy explaining psychological concepts in relatable, easy-to-understand ways, helping you make sense of why you think, feel and respond the way you do. Many people find this brings clarity, makes things feel more manageable, and gives them something practical to reflect on and use between sessions.
I offer a confidential, safe space where you can talk openly without judgement. I’ll often act as your biggest cheerleader, while also gently helping you notice patterns, make sense of your experiences, and explore new ways of responding.
My approach is guided by what matters most to you, so therapy stays relevant, personal, and meaningful.