How I Work
We begin wherever you are, and go at a pace that feels manageable for you.
At times, we may also pay attention to how your nervous system is responding, whether you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or shut down - and begin to find ways to bring more stability and ease.
A space to explore your experience
My approach is grounded in relational mindfulness. This means we pay attention not only to what you’re experiencing, but how you are experiencing it, both in your wider life and within the therapeutic relationship itself.
This can help bring awareness to patterns that are often outside of conscious awareness, including ways of thinking, feeling, and relating that may have developed earlier in life.
Sessions are conversational, but also spacious.
At times we may slow things down, allowing space to notice what is happening in the moment. There is no pressure to perform or to have things figured out.
At the heart of the work
- creating a sense of safety and stability, so you feel more resourced
- developing awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and experience
- gently understanding patterns and different aspects of yourself
- allowing change and integration to emerge at your own pace
The therapeutic relationship
The therapeutic relationship is central to the work.
I aim to offer a space that feels safe, grounded, and non-judgemental, where you can explore difficult or confusing aspects of your experience without feeling overwhelmed or rushed.
While we may work with specific difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, or relationship issues, the process can also open into a deeper inquiry into who you are, how you relate to yourself, and how you want to live.
There is no fixed agenda. Some sessions may feel reflective and exploratory, others more focused. We follow what feels most alive and relevant for you, while keeping an awareness of the wider patterns that may be unfolding.
Working with patterns and protection
Sometimes, we develop ways of protecting ourselves that once made sense, but no longer feel helpful.
At times, we may explore different aspects of your experience, parts of you that feel vulnerable, as well as ways you may have learned to protect yourself.
Bringing awareness to these patterns can allow something new to emerge, without forcing change.
Background and influences
My training and approach have been shaped by a range of perspectives, which I integrate in a way that is grounded, relational, and responsive to each person.
I am a BACP-accredited humanistic existential counsellor and completed a master’s degree in Core Process Psychotherapy at the Karuna Institute (UKCP-accredited), which brings together mindfulness, Buddhist psychological understanding, and Western relational psychotherapy.
My work is informed by:
- Trauma-informed approaches: including an understanding of the nervous system, and ways of working safely with overwhelm, influenced by the work of Babette Rothschild
- Developmental and relational perspectives: recognising how early relationships shape our inner world, including ideas from Donald Winnicott
- Parts-based and depth approaches: including working with different aspects of the self, patterns of protection, and what might feel hidden or split, drawing on ideas from Franz Ruppert and related approaches
- Mindfulness and contemplative practice: developing awareness of thoughts, feelings, and experience as they arise, and cultivating qualities such as compassion, balance, and acceptance
These are not applied as techniques, but form a background to the work, supporting a process that is led by your experience and what feels most alive and relevant for you.
Personal perspective
Alongside my professional training, my own life experience also informs the work.
As a gay man, I am aware of the particular challenges that can arise around identity, belonging, and relationships. I work with people of all backgrounds, and I also welcome those who are looking to explore aspects of sexuality, identity, or lived experience in a space where this is understood.
I have also undertaken additional training with Pink Therapy, which informs my awareness of working with gender, sexuality, and diversity.
Practical details
- Sessions are 60 minutes and take place weekly
- I offer sessions in person (Cardiff) and online
- Fee: £65 per session
