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How I Work

How I Work

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change”

Carl Rogers – Founder, Person-Centred Therapy

As a person-centred therapist, my approach is grounded in the belief that we all have an inherent ability to heal and make positive change.

For such change to occur, a person must feel safe, heard and empowered. Non-judgement and collaboration are central to my therapeutic approach for this reason.

Therapeutic needs are as diverse as human beings. Therefore I provide a select range of treatment approaches that can be integrated in tailoring therapy to the individual.

How I work also factors into account the negative impact of distressing experiences (physical and/or psychological), which can be profound and enduring. A trauma-informed approach is required to help reestablish a sense of safety and wellbeing.

For these key reasons, my therapeutic approach is: 

Collaborative and non-judgemental

You need and deserve a therapeutic rapport within which you feel safe to be vulnerable, accepted without judgement, and empowered. Therapy is a collaborative process; therefore, I will enable you to take an active role in your own healing and growth, providing you with tools, insights and support.

Our initial session(s) will help frame your needs, concerns and boundaries. Together, we will establish your goals and determine the best therapeutic approach(es) to meet these.

Through our work together you will foster self-awareness and resilience, cultivate self-compassion, build new perspectives and develop coping strategies to navigate life’s challenges with greater ease. We will always work at a pace with which you feel comfortable, reassessing goals as needed and measuring progress.

Integrative

I take an integrative approach to therapy. This enables me to tailor your treatment to you applying, as appropriate, elements of the following evidence-based modalities: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) within the framework of a Person-Centred approach.

I also use , which has been found particularly effective in the treatment of traumatic or painful memories, by reprocessing them in a safe setting.

A tailored therapeutic treatment may combine the following approaches:

  • ‘Top-down’ – cognitive or talk-therapy (e.g. CBT) 
  • ‘Bottom-up’ – somatic or body-based  (e.g. EMDR)
Trauma-Informed

The way I work is grounded in an understanding of how trauma can impact you neurologically, psychologically, biologically and socially, with a view to the prevention of re-traumatisation. The key principles of trauma-informed practice are safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment and cultural consideration. These factors are at the forefront of my therapeutic work, which is strengths-based and compassion focused.

Trauma itself is not the event, but what happens inside a person in response to the event. When a traumatic event is experienced, the feelings, thoughts and physical sensations associated with the event can become ‘stuck’ in the body, impeding healthy functioning until they can be safely reprocessed and released.

What are EMDR Intensives?

An emerging form of EMDR Therapy known as EMDR Intensives condenses treatment into a shorter timeframe. Instead of standard 60 or 90-minute weekly EMDR Therapy sessions, treatment sessions are 120 minutes and scheduled closer together – generally three sessions per week, for one or two weeks depending on the presenting concern, with an initial assessment.

While conventional EMDR Therapy allows for some checking in with daily challenges around the EMDR reprocessing, EMDR Intensives focus exclusively on moving through the eight phases of the EMDR treatment protocol in relation to the presenting issue, accelerating relief from trauma symptoms. Clients for whom the traditional cadence of weekly sessions doesn’t work may prefer this streamlined and effective mode of delivery.

This is a targeted approach with an evidence base for highly effective results when directed at discreet issues, in particular PTSD resulting from single-event trauma. Please note that some complex trauma may not be suitable for processing with EMDR Intensives.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)

EMDR uses Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) — such as side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or sounds — which activates the brain’s natural healing mechanism. This mimics what happens during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase of your sleep, when your eyes flicker left and right.

During EMDR, when a memory is reprocessed using BLS, it effectively ‘overloads’ your working memory. As a result, three key changes often occur:

  • The memory feels more distant or less vivid
  • Emotional distress significantly decreases
  • More adaptive or positive beliefs start to emerge

Over time, new neural pathways develop between the emotional and logical areas of the brain. This can lead to more positive and constructive thoughts, feelings and behaviours. These changes tend to be long-lasting, as EMDR targets and resolves core issues rather than simply managing symptoms.

EMDR Therapy will take different lengths of time depending on your individual circumstances. Some memories resolve in a few sessions, sometimes EMDR takes several weeks or months.

As EMDR addresses painful memories and emotions, you can say ‘stop’ if you feel overwhelmed and need to pause the process at any time. You are always awake and in control during your sessions.

What is a Professional Voice User?

Professional voice users are individuals who rely on their voice as a primary tool for their occupation. They often need to maintain a high level of vocal performance and health to perform their jobs effectively. Categories and examples of professional voice users include:

  1. Performers:
  • Singers: vocalists who perform in various musical genres including opera, classical, pop, rock, jazz, country, and folk, balancing the demands of conveying emotion while maintaining technical mastery.
  • Stage, Screen and Voice Actors: artists who use their voices to portray characters, convey emotions, and deliver lines with nuance.
  1. Public Speakers:
  • Motivational Speakers: individuals who give speeches to inspire or motivate audiences.
  • Government and other Corporate Representatives: individuals who need to communicate to large audiences in a clear and impactful way often under pressure.
  1. Broadcasters:
  • Radio Hosts and DJs: professionals who speak on air for long periods, engaging with listeners and presenting content.
  • News Anchors and Reporters: journalists who deliver news reports on television or radio.
  1. Educators:
  • Teachers and Lecturers: individuals who communicate with students, often in large groups, requiring clear and sustained vocal projection.
  1. Healthcare Professionals:
  • Doctors, Nurses and Therapists: medical and health professionals who need to communicate clearly and effectively with patients and colleagues.
  1. Legal Professionals:
  • Judges, Barristers and Courtroom Lawyers: individuals who rely on their voice to advocate for their clients, convey legal arguments, and deliver rulings to support legal proceedings.
  1. Sales & Customer Service Representatives:
  • Individuals who spend significant time on the phone and in person assisting customers, requiring clear and friendly vocal communication.

Overidentification with the voice

Rosen and Sataloff (1997) assert that for all of us, self-esteem is what we believe ourselves to be, paired with the contribution we believe we make. For all who invest at the highest level in their art or career, their ‘self’ may be tied to their instrument or professional identity. However, unlike other musicians for whom artistry is expressed in an interplay between the instrument and the player, singers’ voice ‘is in’ therefore ‘is the self’ (in the words of Rilke, “to sing is to be”).

In summary, while the voice is a distinct aspect of identity for everyone, for singers and professional voice users, identification with their voice is intensified, making their psychological experience unique, to the extent that there may be no divide between ‘what I do’ and ‘who I am’.

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