Services

Therapy sessions

I offer talk-therapy or art therapy sessions in the setting of my private practice, in local green-spaces, or in schools.

Sessions last either 50 minutes or 1 hour and 20 minutes, and tend to take place on a weekly basis. The sessions are adapted to the individual needs of the person and, on occasion, we may agree a lower or higher frequency of sessions.

Where art-making is introduced to the sessions, the client is invited to work with a verbal process, as well as a non-verbal creative process. Through the combination of dialogue and creative expression we may explore what is of importance to the client in the “here-and-now”. We will draw on conscious and unconscious processes. The client will have the opportunity to create paintings, drawings, sculptures and written work to express and explore what is of relevance or importance to them. These will be considered together with the dialogue that emerges around them. The materials will vary depending on the client, and what feels appropriate or helpful for them.

Therapy sessions outdoors

Therapy sessions may also take place outdoors in a greens-space in the local community. The location for the therapy is agreed together and tends to remain the same from week-to-week.

Where art-making is introduced, the client would tend to work with natural materials in the vicinity of the session, which may include, for example, leaves, twigs, and water. We might consider together how to work with materials in a way that feels respectful to the environment. Other art materials would also be available such as pencils, paper etc.

Outdoors there can sometimes be challenges to maintaining confidentiality and we will decide together what to do in these circumstances. In the first session we will discuss how to manage different situations and we may revisit this in the course of the therapy.

Free initial consultation

I offer an initial free 50-minute consultation. This is an opportunity for you to share a bit about yourself/your child and what has brought you to therapy now, and for us to get a sense of whether we may be suited to working together. I would also share a bit about my approach and answer any questions. Through this conversation we will hopefully be able to establish how best to move forwards. I may suggest having further initial consultations, should we feel this could be beneficial.

Work with children

When working with children, regular pre-accorded meetings will take place with parents to consider the process of their child, whilst respecting the child’s right to confidentiality. As part of this, art work will tend to remain confidential until the end of the treatment unless it is deemed necessary or beneficial to share it. This will be done with the agreement of the child.

Supervision

I offer supervision for psychotherapists and art therapists, as well consultation for non-clinical practitioners, such as outdoor and mental health professionals.

My intention it so create a supervisory environment that feels safe-enough to facilitate thinking and reflection. The focus of sessions will be whatever the practitioner defines as most useful for them in that moment. Through a collaborative approach, I hope to establish a working relationship that allows the practitioner to feel able to bring the parts of their practice that may feel more vulnerable or challenging, and thus facilitate growth and development. My approach is broadly psychodynamic, whilst holding in mind somatic interventions and trauma-informed practice. I supervise both indoor and outdoor work. Sessions can be 50 minutes for £65, or 1 hour and 20 minutes for £90. A sliding scale can be discussed.

Code of Ethics

Therapy is conducted on the basis of a Professional Code of Ethics. To know more about the code of ethics, please follow this link: Code of Ethics.

Safeguarding

In keeping with safeguarding, if I become seriously concerned for the safety of a client or for someone else, I may need to break confidentiality to raise an issue of concern. This would ideally happen with the consent of the client, however, this may not always be possible. Examples of this would be if a child or adult were at risk or abuse, serious harm or suicide. In such instances I may be obliged to contact a General Practitioner, the Police or Emergency Services.

Confidentiality and record keeping

The sessions and records of sessions are strictly confidential. This includes any artwork created in them, which are stored securely by myself until the end of the therapeutic work when the client will decide what they wish to do with the artwork. The client can have access to their records at any time through making a written request.

All records kept about a client are stored securely according to GDPR regulations. The records collected will include storing the client’s personal information, such as their contact details and their General Practitioner. Written records of the sessions will be kept and stored anonymously without reference to the client’s name, as well as photographs of the artworks created. The client’s personal information and the session records will be stored separately. All records will be stored in a two-step-verified secure folders.

The records will be used for no other purpose than to work with the client. They will not be shared with anyone other than the client. Themes around the work with the client will be shared anonymously with a professional supervisor. The professional supervisor exists to oversee that the quality of my therapeutic work is upheld. Information about a client will also be shared if there are safeguarding concerns (please see safeguarding section) or if there is a court order or police enquiry.

Languages

Therapeutic sessions can be conducted in English or Spanish, according to the client’s wishes.

Rates

Rates are agreed on a case by case basis, depending on the length and nature of the therapy and the client’s circumstances. 50-minute sessions cost between £50 and £70 per sesssion. A few low-cost places are available. Please enquire about availability.