MY SPECIALTIES
I specialise in supporting adults who are struggling in their relationships, both with others and with themselves.
Perhaps you have spent much of your life feeling like you don’t quite fit. You may have felt misunderstood, unseen, or as though parts of who you are too much, not enough, or simply not welcome.
You might be thoughtful, sensitive and self-aware, yet still find yourself struggling with anxiety, self-doubt or emotional overwhelm. Perhaps you overthink, people-please, withdraw from others, or find it difficult to understand what you really need.
You may notice familiar patterns in your relationships but feel unsure how to change them. Perhaps you put other people’s needs before your own, struggle to set boundaries, or hide parts of yourself to feel accepted.
Sometimes, these experiences are connected to earlier relationships or difficult experiences in life. You may have felt unsupported, misunderstood, emotionally neglected or hurt. These experiences can continue to shape how we see ourselves and relate to others.
You may have learned to cope by staying busy, overthinking or minimising what you have been through. Perhaps you’ve been told you’re “too sensitive”, or told yourself that things weren’t “bad enough” for therapy. Yet something still feels unsettled, or aches beneath the surface, and you are tired of carrying it alone.
You don’t have to be in crisis to begin therapy.
You may simply want a space away from friends and family to explore your experiences, process the past, understand yourself more deeply, and make sense of patterns that no longer feel helpful. Therapy can help you find a different way of relating to yourself and others.
Sometimes we know we're struggling, but we don't always know why.
Therapy can help us slow down, make sense of what we're experiencing, and begin to find a different way forward.
My work focuses on how our experiences can shape the way we see ourselves, relate to others and navigate the world.
You may recognise yourself in some of the following experiences, or simply know that something doesn’t feel right and want to understand why.
RELATIONSHIPS & CONNECTION:
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Relationship difficulties and recurring patterns.
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Attachment, trust and feeling safe with others.
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People-pleasing and putting others’ needs before your own.
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Boundaries, expressing your needs and saying no.
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Fear of rejection, abandonment or being misunderstood.
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Repeatedly finding yourself in relationships that don't work out.
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Difficult, unhealthy or harmful relationships, including domestic abuse.
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Family difficulties, estrangement and no-contact relationships.
SELF WORTH & IDENTITY:
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Low self-esteem, self-worth and self-criticism.
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Shame, guilt and difficulties with vulnerability.
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Feeling like an outsider or struggling to belong.
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Feeling too much, not enough or somehow different.
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Hiding parts of yourself to feel accepted.
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Feeling disconnected from yourself or unsure of who you are.
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Perfectionism, needing control and difficulties accepting yourself.
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES & RELATIONAL TRAUMA
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Childhood experiences that continue to affect you in adulthood.
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Emotional neglect and unmet emotional needs.
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Difficult or painful family relationships.
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Relational trauma and experiences that have affected your sense of safety.
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Sexual abuse and its lasting impact.
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Feeling unseen, unsupported, misunderstood or invalidated.
MENTAL HEALTH & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
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Anxiety, overthinking and emotional overwhelm.
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Difficulty understanding or expressing your emotions.
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Feeling numb, disconnected or emotionally stuck.
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Feeling constantly on edge or struggling to feel settled.
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Loss, life changes and periods of uncertainty.
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Difficulty recognising your needs or caring for yourself.
“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathic witness.”— Peter A. Levine
HOW THIS SHOWS UP IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Sometimes we know we’re struggling, but don’t fully understand why.
You might find yourself keeping the peace, questioning your feelings, or feeling responsible for other people’s happiness. You may struggle to speak up, trust your own judgement, or feel comfortable being yourself in relationships.
Perhaps certain family experiences still affect you, or you find yourself repeating familiar patterns even when they leave you feeling hurt, anxious or disconnected.
You may feel caught between wanting connection and needing to protect yourself, or find yourself navigating complicated feelings around your relationship dynamics, family distance, no contact or estrangement.
These experiences can look different for everyone. You don’t need to identify with everything here for your own experiences to matter.
But these patterns are not flaws.
They may be understandable responses to the relationships and experiences that have shaped you. Ways of coping that once helped you navigate difficult situations may no longer feel helpful, and therapy can offer space to explore this with curiosity and compassion.
A DIFFERENT WAY FORWARD
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, particularly if you’re used to managing things on your own or putting other people’s needs first. You don’t need to know exactly where to begin, or have the right words to explain what you’re experiencing. We can start with whatever feels most important to you and work together at a pace that feels manageable.
Therapy can help you make sense of your experiences, reconnect with your needs and begin to find a different way forward.
Get In Touch
I offer a free 20-minute online video introduction. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions, share a little about what's bringing you to therapy, and get a feel for how I work, with no pressure or obligation.
If you'd like to arrange an introductory call, please include a brief note about what's bringing you to therapy and your general availability.
I'll respond within 24 hours (unless I'm out of office) with some available times for us to meet via Google Meet.
Please check your spam or junk folder if you haven't received a reply.