I see myself as a relational practitioner guided by humanistic values — prioritising empathy, warmth and genuine curiosity to create an environment where each child or young person can begin to make sense of what they are experiencing.
I draw on person-centred, psychodynamic, attachment and child development thinking — not as a fixed framework, but as different lenses that help me stay curious about what a particular child needs. I also bring a psychosocial lens, attending to the wider systems, culture and context that shape a child's experience.
Alongside the relational work, I draw on psychoeducational approaches where helpful — practical strategies, grounding techniques and ways of understanding feelings that a child or young person can use both in and outside of sessions.
Toys, art and symbolic play are taken seriously as communication. What unfolds in the room is met with curiosity, not correction.
Older children and young people are met more directly — with space to think aloud about identity, relationships, the pressures of growing up, and the impact of the online world.
Attention to how someone manages closeness, dependency, breaks and endings shapes the pace and texture of the work, whatever their age.
A child's difficulties rarely exist in isolation. I attend to the wider systems around them — family, school, community — and work with those too where possible.
Where helpful, sessions include practical tools a child or young person can use day to day — grounding techniques, ways of naming and managing feelings.
Much of my work has taken place within a multicultural community. I bring genuine attention to identity, difference and cultural context in every piece of work.