Therapy is allocated time spent with a mental health professional (usually 50 minutes) and it is often done ‘one to one’, just you and the therapist, but it can also be done in a group with other people. ​ There are lots of different types of therapy and there certainly is not a ‘one-size fits all’ approach. It’s important to consider which type of therapy might suit you best.

Children, young people, and adults, can all go to therapy if they want to. Usually someone considers starting therapy because they are struggling with their mental health. ​ Perhaps someone is having thoughts and feelings that are overwhelming, worrying, or uncomfortable. Sometimes someone has experienced something distressing which they are struggling to move on from. People go to therapy who want things to feel different in some way, and therapy can provide a vital space where new possibilities, and ways of being, can be imagined and put into action. ​

Often, people come to therapy feeling like they are unable to cope. Therapy provides a confidential space where you can speak to someone about the things that are impacting you. The therapist will listen to you without judgment, help you to make sense of your experiences, and teach you new coping skills. As a Creative Arts Psychotherapist, I usually speak with people about what is troubling them, and then may offer creative exercises and techniques to help people explore coping tools, dig a little deeper into their feelings, and help make sense out of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, when words alone might not be enough.

I am a HCPC registered 'Dramatherapist', however you will also find that I refer to myself as a 'creative arts or creative psychotherapist' - this is an umbrella term for the different types of creative therapies that are out there. You can find out more about them in the FAQ section 'Types of Therapy'. You can also find out more about Dramatherapy there, too! I am also trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a values based intervention that stems from CBT, and I am CBT and DBT informed having worked in lots of multi-disciplinary mental health teams. This means that at times my approach to therapy will be to focus on feelings, experiences, and your inner world, and this might feel more free-flowing and imaginative. At other times we will need a bit more structure, and we will look at your thoughts and belief systems in order to challenge, and/or possibly change them to better suit you.

There are a branch of therapists called 'Creative Arts Psychotherapists'. These therapies are rooted in psychotherapy (a type of talking therapy) but you will find that the therapist also has a background as a creative professional too. This means that they are qualified to use their creative modality (e.g Drama, Art, Music, Dance) as part of the therapeutic process with you. Creative Arts Psychotherapists may also refer to themselves as 'creative therapists', 'art psychotherapists', however they will each be trained under the modality they are trained in (e.g Dramatherapists, Music Therapists, Art Therapist) - for me that is Drama, so my official title is 'Dramatherapist', but sometimes I use the word creative interchangeably, to capture the broad nature of what I can offer.

Dramatherapy is a type of psychotherapy (talking therapy) that uses the healing aspects found in drama, storytelling, and creativity, to aid the therapeutic process. Like myself, Dramatherapists are usually mental health professionals, with a background in the professional arts world. I have been using drama and creativity to help people grow, and develop themselves, for over a decade! I bring this experience, and use it alongside my training in psychotherapy, to offer a therapy experience as unique as you are. Dramatherapy doesn’t mean that we will be ‘acting’, instead we might be painting, creating stories, listening to music, using image cards or objects. Drama is an umbrella term for all types of creativity. And whilst there is opportunity to be creative in Dramatherapy, often sessions feel very similar to any other talking therapy, with lots of conversation. What we do in sessions, and how I approach them, is guided by what you need, your communication style, and how you want to explore the material you bring to therapy. I like to suggest seeing the ‘Drama’ part as a bonus toolkit I can draw from to help support you, because sometimes talking isn’t enough and doesn’t work effectively for everyone.

Sessions are £60

Payments can be made by bank transfer, and I ask that you please pay by the end of the working day that you had your appointment on.

I currently am not taking insurance payments, but will be looking into this in the future

Sometimes missing a session is unavoidable, especially if you are having weekly sessions long-term. I have a 24 hour cancellation policy where I ask that you let me know that you will not be attending a session, at least 24 hours prior to the next arranged session time, or a fee may still be incurred. In the first instance, if you can't make a session and cancel with either early or late notice, I will try to offer you a reschedule which will either be online or in-person. Continuous cancellations will need to be discussed, and may result in you losing your allocated slot. In instances of sickness, I am happy to offer two adjustments where possible: I can meet with you online instead of in-person I can meet with you online the next day (availability permitting) If you struggle with chronic illness I don't want this to be a barrier to you making the most out of therapy. Please do discuss this with me in your initial consultation so we can consider how to increase access to sessions for you should your illness impact attendance, or find a more flexible approach that can work with the rhythms of your chronic illness. In a case of hospitalisation or bereavement, no fee is charged for missed sessions.

As of August 2024 I currently work across a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: Wednesdays: Between 10am and 6pm Thursdays: Between 3 and 8pm Fridays: (Fortnightly) between 3 and 6pm From October 2024 I will be opening up my availability on Tuesdays between 3 and 8pm.

I mainly work from The Old Rectory Clinic, in Iron Acton. It is a lovely, peaceful, welcoming building on the outskirts of Yate. The address is: High Street Iron Acton BS37 9UQ There is free parking on site, and anyone supporting the client to their session is welcome to wait in the designated waiting area. I work more flexibly from Goldney House on Chipping Sodbury High Street. It is a warm and welcoming building. The address is: 59 Rounceval Street Chipping Sodbury BS37 6AS There is free parking outside on the high street, or a 5 minute walk away in the free town car park. I also offer online appointments but this needs prior discussion.

More information about The Old Rectory Clinic, and their facilities, can be found on their website. The key facilities they offer are: Free Parking A designated waiting area Toilet facilities Walking access to the village More information about Goldney House, and their facilities, can be found on their website: The key facilities they offer are: Free Parking on the high street A stair lift Toilet facilities Located on the Chipping Sodbury High Street

I am happy to discuss the potential to work online in an initial consultation, however where possible, I encourage in-person sessions.

Sessions are 50 minutes long. This is the usual amount of time allocated by therapists, for sessions.

The Old Rectory Clinic is a lovely, peaceful, welcoming space. Here are some key things that you need to know about The Old Rectory Clinic and it's accessibility: Therapy rooms are located on the first floor of the building, there are two short flights of stairs to access them. There are also two independent toilet cubicles in the building, both are located on the first floor. At present there is no lift available for use at The Old Rectory Clinic, however accommodations can be made to use a room on the ground floor, instead of the first, if this will enable you to access sessions - please speak with me about this at time of enquiry so that I can work with you to ensure an accessible space is available. At present, there is no accessible toilet on the ground floor, and no hoist facilities on site. Please do reach out to me if you are concerned about accessibility, I am happy to think about this with you in more detail. Goldney House is a tranquil and modern space. Here are some key things that you need to know about Goldney House and it's accessibility: The therapy room is located on the first floor of the building, there is a flight of stairs to access it, and a stair lift. There is one unisex bathroom opposite the therapy room. At present there is no lift available for use at Goldney House, except the seated stair lift. There are no hoist facilities on site. Please do reach out to me if you are concerned about accessibility, I am happy to think about this with you in more detail.

I understand that each client is unique. We all have different preferences, and ways in which we best learn, explore, and communicate with other people. In our initial discussion I will ask you about this, I will seek to adapt my approach so that it suits you and your needs; I want to assure you that I do not expect you to modify, or mask, to get through your sessions. It is my responsibility to adjust to ways of working that suit you best, and I am happy to do so. If you are someone with a communication passport, or one page profile, I encourage you to share that with me so that I can understand how best to support you in the space. I also have a one page profile that I am happy to share with you if you would like to learn more about me prior to meeting me in person. One great thing about Dramatherapy is that we do not need to rely on words to engage in a therapeutic process together. I will have lots of things to hand that you may find help you to express yourself, and explore your thoughts and feelings, non-verbally. For example, I always have art materials, picture cards, games, and objects on me, and find them to be helpful ways of engaging in therapy.