Therapeutic Connections

I’m an experienced BACP registered counsellor based in Burnley, offering counselling online and in person. I offer a safe supportive space to talk. 
 

Neuro-affirmative Support

I am a neuro-affirmative and neurodivergent aware counsellor, and have worked with a wide range of neurodivergent people, including Dyslexic, ADHD, autistic and AuDHD. 

I have additional qualifications in mindfulness, meditation and relaxation as well as training in bereavement, self harm and anxiety. I work therapeutically with children, young people adults and couples. 

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I offer support to couples where one or both people have a diagnosis or are seeking a diagnosis of ADHD, Autism or other neurodivergence, offering psycho-education around the condition and support as a couple to work through any difficulties around the impact this may have had on the relationship. 

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Children and Young People
As a creative counsellor I offer children a variety of ways to explore their emotions, problems and experiences. Offering children a way of communicating through therapeutic play, creative practices, relaxation, mindfulness, meditation, sand-tray, drawing and talking, role play, painting,  puppets, movement, therapeutic stories and sound. 

I support parents, grandparents, siblings and carers as working together as a family can allow individuals to gain the view of others and understand the child's process.

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Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion

I've had my own mindfulness daily practice for over 12 years, I first found mindfulness in 2013 when completing a mindfulness for health professional course with Breathworks. Over the years I have completed many meditation and mindfulness training courses and retreats. In 2020, I completed meditation teacher training with the British School of Meditation. I have completed my facilitator training with Breathworks and also with Mindfulness UK. I'm trained to deliver bespoke courses, 1-1 mindfulness and also Mindfulness for Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses. I'm interested in mindfulness for burnout in carers and offer reduced cost places on my courses for parents and carers of neurodivergent children, young people and adults. I also offer courses for neurodivergent children and adults. 

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Experience & Qualifications

I started counselling in 2008, completing placements at Brook Sexual Health Clinic with 16-25 year olds, Sure Start child development centres and in 2009 I started volunteering at Place2be working with both children and young people. I'm passionate about volunteering and I now work providing counselling to Veterans and their families at a charity in East Lancashire. 

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In 2012, I piloted a counselling service offering pre and post diagnosis counselling to autistic adults 18+, alongside this I managed a children’s service at an autism resource centre covering East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. In 2019 the service expanded to offer counselling to children and young people post diagnosis. I have over 20 years of experience supporting the neurodivergent community including their families, I offer a neuro-affirmative space to explore identity. 

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Alongside my role as a children's service manager, I also volunteered and worked part-time at Pendleside Hospice working with adults and children pre and post bereavement. I have many years of experience working with grief and have completed post graduate training in bereavement and loss. I currently volunteer with Cruse providing bereavement support to those going through grief. 

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• Level 5 Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (Person-Centred & Gestalt) 

• Post Grad training Autism Studies

• Person Centred Expressive Art Therapies

• Therapeutic Play Skills & Post Graduate training in children & young peoples therapy

• CPCAB Level 4 (IMC) Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion 

• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher training

• Compassionate Mindful Resilience (CMR trained teacher) 

• CPCAB Level 5 Counselling Children and Young People Advanced Specialist Training

• CPCAB endorsed training in Creative Counselling

• Post Grad training in Bereavement & Loss, Compassion Focussed Therapy & Trauma Informed Mindfulness

• ILM Level 5 Leadership & Management

• ILM Level 5 Coaching & Mentoring 

• Breathworks Facilitator Training

• Breathworks Advanced Teacher Training (Mindfulness for Health and Mindfulness for Stress) 

• Hypnotherapy Diploma

• CPCAB Level 5 Relational Supervision (Children and Adults)

• Certificate in Integrative Creative Supervision 

• Couples Counselling

• Trauma and the body: Dissociation and Somatisation

• Somatic Therapy for Complex Trauma

• Integral Eye Movement Therapy (IEMT) 

• Cache Level 2 Domestic Violence

• Neuro-Affirming ADHD Couples Therapy

• Brief Solution Focussed Therapy

• Clinical Supervision Certificate 

• Motivational Interviewing

• Cruse Bereavement Course

• Sleep Practitioner 

• Arts for health 

• Mental Health First Aid

• Mental Health Youth First Aid

• Asist Suicide Prevention Training​

DBS check in place 

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I'm a registered member of the BACP , I adhere to their ethical framework. 

BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 

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