About me
My background
I come from a multicultural background and have lived in the UK since 2016. Prior to that I’ve lived in Gibraltar and Japan. Growing up mixed race and moving between countries, I often felt different from the people around me and experienced some discomfort about standing out. As a result of my background I’ve spent some time questioning who I am, feeling like a foreigner no matter where I was, and struggling to be understood.
Alongside this, I’ve also realised and come to terms with my LGBT identity. Counselling has helped me to explore who I am, accept who I am, build self-esteem and gain confidence in my values and identity. It empowered me to make decisions that are right for me and helped me to improve my relationships. It highlighted my strengths and achievements and has had a profound impact on how I see myself.
My working background is primarily in customer service and hospitality. I understand the challenges that people face in this line of work and the burnout that can come with it. If you are interested, you can read more about this here.
My journey into counselling
What led me to pursue a career in counselling was the mental health stigma I had seen and experienced in different cultures. I felt deeply impacted by the unspoken rules regarding what is acceptable to talk about, and struggled to speak about some of my own experiences and feelings.
My experiences in counselling and counsellor training helped me to work through this and feel more normal about my feelings, experiences and mental health challenges. I have noticed that many people struggle to talk openly about mental health, and I would like to help reduce the stigma.
As a result of these experiences, I can understand and relate to people who have difficulty with opening up or can’t find the words at the start of counselling. I understand how difficult it can be to speak about your feelings, especially if this is not the norm for you or if you’ve never been to counselling before. I have been told that my calm nature, gentle approach, and lack of pressure helps people who are new to counselling feel more at ease.
My personal experiences with identity, self-esteem, and life transitions have inspired my passion of working with these areas in counselling:
- Living through major transitions like moving countries and leaving friends and family behind has given me first-hand insight into identity shifts, belonging, and adaptation.
- Coming to terms with my LGBT identity attuned me to the complexities of figuring out who you are, accepting yourself and dealing with societal pressures and expectations.
- Experiencing mental health stigma across different cultures has made me passionate about creating a safe, judgment-free space for clients to find their voice.
- My own struggles with self-esteem and confidence have driven me to help others build self-worth, embrace themselves, and discover their own inner strength.
Who I work with
A longer list is on my home page, but I especially enjoy working with young adults who are navigating life transitions, identity changes or self-esteem challenges. I help clients feel like themselves and become confident in who they are so that they can live life in a way that is meaningful to them.
I love to work with LGBTQ+ clients, those exploring their gender identity, and people who are neurodivergent or suspect they may be. While I cannot diagnose anyone with autism or ADHD, we can explore your experiences together and figure out what they mean for you. I work in a way that validates your experiences, encourages you and promotes confidence.
I also have a special interest in working with people who have had a background of family secrets and complex family dynamics. This was a topic of study for me for my masters dissertation. This research deepened my understanding of what is important to clients who wish to address family secrets in counselling.
My approach to therapy is called person-centred counselling
You can read more about what this means here. I like this approach as it allows people to express their stories fully and respects their individuality. You as the client are in control of what you bring to a session and your autonomy and decisions are valued within this approach. I find that this counselling approach aligns well with my own values. I especially love helping people learn more about themselves, practice compassion towards themselves, and develop confidence in who they are.
If any part of my story resonates with you, feel free to reach out for a free 20 minute introductory call so we can have a chat and see if we’d be a good fit.