I live and work in East Lothian and have done so for most of my life. I love East Lothian as it is ten minutes into Edinburgh City Centre but it is really close to the countryside too. I love going for walks in the country or along the beach but I also love the buzz of city life. In Musselburgh I have the best of both worlds.
I am married with two teenage girls who keep me on my toes and busy! I love dancing, swimming, squash and reading.
In 2003 I embarked on a two year counselling training programme with Persona Counselling - this course is accredited by The University of Stirling.
At the end of my training I achieved a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling and I will explain a bit more about that on the next page.
I also have an HNC in Counselling which gives me a sound understanding of Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and the Humanistic approaches to counselling. I also have a Transactional Analysis (TA)101 certificate.
I have experience of counselling clients in Edinburgh, Musselburgh and Dunbar.
In 2004 I set up the counselling service at CHANGES Community Health Project, Musselburgh. Initially I was the only counsellor seeing clients there however, over the last number of years the service has grown and we can have up to five volunteer counsellors seeing clients at any one time.
I am also a highly experienced group worker and some of the groups I facilitate on a regular basis are:
Understanding Anxiety
Self Esteem
First Steps to Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing
Assertiveness
Developing Positive Thinking
Understanding Anger
Women's Support Group.
Whilst I use a Person Centred Approach when counselling people, all the groups I facilitate are run using a Cognitive Behaviour Approach, this means that I help people maintain their wellbeing by looking at the way we think, feel and behave.
I am a member of BACP, COSCA and PCT Scotland.
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