The person behind the therapist

I didn't always plan to become a psychotherapist

Before retraining, I spent over twenty years working in design, advertising and technology. It was a creative, fast-paced world that taught me a great deal about people, pressure and performance – but it also gave me first-hand experience of how easy it is to lose touch with ourselves while appearing to cope on the outside.

Like many people who find their way into therapy, my own path has been shaped by both professional experience and personal challenge. Years of therapy, recovery and self-exploration eventually led me to retrain as an Integrative Arts Psychotherapist. Today, I bring both professional training and lived experience into my work.

How I work

I'm naturally curious about people and the stories they carry.

Rather than looking for quick answers, I'm interested in understanding the patterns that have developed over a lifetime – how we learned to protect ourselves, relate to others and make sense of the world.

I'm warm, thoughtful and collaborative, but I'm also active in the therapy room. I'll ask questions, notice patterns and gently challenge you when it feels helpful. Therapy isn't simply about being listened to; it's about discovering new ways of understanding yourself.

Why creativity?

People are often surprised that an art psychotherapist spends so much time talking. Conversation sits at the heart of my work. Creative materials simply offer another way of exploring experiences that don't always have words.

Some clients never pick up a pencil. Others discover that an image, a piece of clay or a handful of objects helps them understand something they hadn't been able to reach through conversation alone.

There is never any expectation to be artistic.

A little about me

I grew up in South London in a complicated family, and I've spent many years in 12-step recovery myself. Those experiences don't define my work, but they do mean I understand something about resilience, change and the courage it takes to ask for help.

One of the reasons I'm so passionate about making creativity accessible is because I never felt naturally gifted at drawing. I went to art school and discovered that my creativity lived elsewhere – in design, ideas, making, problem-solving and finding different ways to express myself. That experience has stayed with me, and it's one of the reasons I often reassure clients that artistic ability has nothing to do with whether creative therapy will be meaningful.

Outside the therapy room I'm usually making something. It might be sewing, designing, experimenting with AI, building a website or turning an idea into something tangible. I've always loved the point where creativity and technology meet, and I'm rarely without a project on the go.

Experience

Over the years I've worked in private practice, the NHS, community organisations and addiction services.

I currently work in private practice in Central London and one day each week as a psychotherapist at the Nightingale Hospital. Alongside individual therapy, I also deliver talks, workshops and teaching on psychotherapy, creativity and psychological wellbeing.