Psychotherapy that includes the whole of you
Sometimes we know that something isn’t right, even when we can’t quite explain what it is.
Perhaps you feel low, anxious or overwhelmed. You may find yourself putting other people first, struggling to speak up or set boundaries, or feeling stuck in patterns that no longer seem to serve you.
You may have spent years being capable, keeping things going and looking after everyone else, while putting your own needs somewhere further down the list.
Or perhaps you simply know that the things that used to work for you no longer do, and you’re ready to look at things another way.
I offer compassionate, collaborative psychotherapy for adults, working primarily online across the UK from my practice in rural Cheshire.
Perhaps you’ve become very good at putting yourself last
Some of us learn early in life to keep the peace, look after other people, avoid conflict or put our own feelings to one side.
These ways of coping can become so familiar that we don’t always notice them. We may know that we are unhappy or exhausted, but find it difficult to say what we need or imagine doing things differently.
You might find yourself:
- saying yes when you really want to say no
- worrying about what other people think
- feeling responsible for everyone else’s wellbeing
- struggling to express anger or other difficult feelings
- finding it hard to know what you want for yourself
- feeling unseen or unheard in your relationships
- being very hard on yourself
- repeating patterns that you understand intellectually but still find difficult to change
You don’t have to identify with all of these. They are simply some of the experiences that can bring people to therapy
When the things that used to work no longer do
Sometimes the ways we have learned to manage life have served us well for a long time.
Perhaps you have been the capable one, the person who copes, keeps things moving and looks after others. But something has changed. Life may have become more demanding, a relationship may have changed, or you may simply have reached a point where carrying on in the same way doesn’t feel possible anymore.
When the things that used to work for us no longer do, it can be tempting to try harder.
But more of the same doesn’t necessarily get us somewhere different.
Therapy can offer a space to pause, understand what is happening and explore what might be possible now.
When talking isn’t quite enough
Talking can be an important part of therapy, but we don’t experience our lives through words and thoughts alone.
Our bodies are involved in how we experience emotions, relationships, memories and the world around us. Sometimes the body responds to something before we have found words for it.
You might notice tension, restlessness, changes in your breathing, a feeling of shrinking back, numbness, or simply a sense of being disconnected from yourself.
As a Dance Movement Psychotherapist, I pay attention to these embodied aspects of experience alongside your thoughts, feelings and words.
This doesn’t mean that you need to dance or be physically active in therapy. Movement can be very subtle. It might simply mean becoming curious about what you notice in your body, how you respond in particular situations, or what happens when you allow yourself to move in a different way.
For me, this is not about adding a technique to talking therapy. It is part of understanding the whole person.
A space to explore what is happening
I don’t have ready-made answers or a formula for how you should live.
Our work together is collaborative. I bring my professional knowledge and experience, while you bring your knowledge of your own life and experience.
Together, we can explore what has brought you to therapy, make sense of patterns that may have developed over time, and consider what you might want to be different.
There may be times when we look at difficult experiences from the past and how they continue to affect you now. There may be times when we notice what happens between us in the therapy relationship, or pay attention to something you are experiencing in your body.
We work at a pace that feels manageable for you.
You don’t have to know where to begin
You don’t need to arrive with a diagnosis, a clear goal or the perfect words.
Sometimes the starting point is simply:
“Something isn’t working anymore, and I think I need to look at it differently.”
That is enough.
Therapy isn’t about changing who you are or telling you what you should do. It is about creating enough space to understand yourself more fully and discover what feels possible.
Therapy that includes the whole of you
As a Dance Movement Psychotherapist, I work with both the psychological and embodied aspects of experience.
Our thoughts, feelings and relationships are closely connected with what happens in our bodies. Sometimes the body notices or communicates something before we have words for it. Tension, restlessness, numbness, changes in breathing or a sense of being disconnected from yourself can all be part of how we experience what is happening in our lives.
This doesn’t mean that you need to dance, perform or be physically active in therapy.
Instead, we may gently pay attention to what you notice in your body alongside your thoughts, feelings and words. This can offer another way of understanding yourself and, over time, developing greater choice in how you respond.
A space where you don’t have to have the answers
I don’t believe that therapy is about giving you ready-made answers or telling you what you should do.
You are the expert in your own life. My role is to bring curiosity, experience and a different perspective, while offering a safe and supportive space in which you can explore what is happening for you.
Therapy can give you time to slow down, notice what has been difficult to see, and begin to develop a different relationship with yourself and the patterns you have become caught in.
Change doesn’t have to be forced.
Sometimes it begins with having enough space to notice what is already there..
When old ways of coping stop working
Perhaps you have spent a long time being capable, looking after other people, keeping things going or putting your own needs to one side.
Perhaps those ways of coping were necessary at one point in your life. But something has changed, and they no longer seem to be helping in the same way.
When the things that used to work for us no longer do, it can be useful to pause rather than simply try harder.
Therapy can offer a space to understand what has brought you to this point and explore what might be possible now.
You don’t have to arrive knowing exactly what needs to change.
About me
I am a Dance Movement Psychotherapist and embodied psychotherapist.
My work is grounded in psychotherapy, with a particular interest in the relationship between mind, body and emotional experience. My professional experience includes clinical practice, research, university teaching, therapist training and supervision.
I’m interested in how different ways of understanding people can come together, while remaining attentive to what is unique about each person’s experience.
Working online
II work primarily online with adults across the UK, from my practice in rural Cheshire.
Online therapy means you can work with a therapist whose approach feels right for you without geographical distance being a barrier. Sessions take place in a private space using secure video, and we can still pay attention to both what you say and what you notice in yourself.
Some in-person sessions may be available in Cheshire, subject to availability.
Taking the first step
Reaching out for therapy can feel daunting, especially if you’re used to putting other people first or managing things on your own.
You don’t need to know whether therapy is definitely right for you before making contact.
You can tell me a little about what has brought you here and include any questions you have. I’ll respond by email, usually within two working days, and we can take it from there..
