Penwith Psychotherapy Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy & Counselling
in St Ives & Penzance

My training is psychoanalytical which, put simply, means that through allowing yourself the time and space to unfold, together we can think about the difficulties you are experiencing . It offers a safe and confidential space to speak freely and think about not only the conscious but also unconscious processes that affect how we make decisions and act. It's a place to think about how contemporary life might impact and compound our suffering and where we can set about tracing and untangling some of the threads that are woven into our lives.

Prior to embarking on a four year post-graduate psychotherapy training I spent many years working in a broad range of settings both as a mental health social worker and as as an advocate working alongside service users. From rough sleepers on the streets of central London to helping patients have a voice on acute inpatient units here in Cornwall, I have often worked with people struggling and in crisis. I have worked extensively with people experiencing difficulties with their emotional wellbeing, homelessness, addiction, extreme hardship or social isolation. People who feel they don’t ‘fit’, feel excluded and find themselves caught in the margins of supposedly ‘normal’ life. I am particularly interested in questions of identity and have considerable experience of working with queer sexualities. Whatever the setting, making meaningful and thoughtful connections with people has always mattered. As an art graduate I have a deep interest in creativity and I've been lucky enough to be involved with innovative arts and mental health initiatives in various settings including statutory provision and the independent sector.

It felt a natural progression to gather these different elements of my life, combined with a passion for the ancient landscape of West Penwith, and embark on a training that strives to bring these principles together. The result, I hope, is a compassionate, creative and grounded psychotherapy rooted in everyday life here in rural Cornwall with all its 21st Century complexity. I am a registered member and abide by the code of ethics of both the UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapists) and The Society of Social & Critical Psychoanalysis. I am PSA accredited.