Counselling works for people and it could work for you.I am an integrative therapist and as such use a wide range of therapeutic approaches, tailored to the client. I am results-oriented, as I recognise that you want to make a real and lasting change.I decided to specialise in healing from narcissistic abuse after decades of experience of the disorder in family, relationships and work. That allows me to bring a deeper level of understanding and to validate your story; it also means that I have a good instinct for the appropriate methods to help you to heal and, if relevant, to deal with on-going interactions with a narcissist.
I offer a wide-ranging knowledge of the mental health impacts of narcissistic abuse and how to work with them in therapy, as well as an awareness of the particular dynamics and behaviours that you might unconsciously enact in your life and bring into the therapy.
We cannot solely talk our way into healing from narcissistic abuse, so while the therapy is client-led and we speak about your experiences and emotions, I also weave in a programme of readings, tools, techniques and approaches that I have observed over the years work well in terms of bringing about change – I want you to get better, not feel better. However, all of these take thought, practice through repetition and a willingness to see yourself and your situation through a completely new lens. Because the therapy can be demanding, I ask for a high-level of motivation for change, including the willingness to set aside time in your life to do the change work and to give your brain the space to have insights.
My overarching aim too, is that you learn to become your own therapist – healing will be life-long and new wounds can appear out of the blue. Many existing impacts will shrink but have a tendency to recur to some degree given certain triggering situations or levels of stress and anxiety, so self-observation and management is vital.
I am not qualified to clinically diagnose Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
I very rarely encounter a client with a relative or partner who has been formally diagnosed with NPD, but we know that narcissism is a spectrum disorder, and that people on the mid to higher end of the spectrum are also relationally harmful to others.
What I am able to do is recognise the traits and the impacts on you that indicate a person is on the narcissistic spectrum. In the hundreds of client stories that I have heard, there are striking similarities, with particular behaviours and even phrases that signal to me a narcissist is involved. It goes without saying that if I don’t believe a person is a narcissist, I will say so.
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I am fully CRB checked and on a register that has been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
I worked as a volunteer counsellor for Basildon Mind for three and a half years. While at Mind I trained in the Rewind technique for PTSD.
Advanced Professional Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Ad Pro Dip PC) National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society.
Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Counselling Skills (Dip Hyp CS)
National Hypnotherapy Society.
I undertake regular Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training in areas related to narcissistic abuse
Trained at the British Psychological Society ‘Masterclass in Complex-PTSD’
Training at PTSD Trauma Workshops ‘PTSD Trauma & Beyond’
Applied EFT Level 2 (Practitioner) certificate
Practitioner certificate in EMDR from EMDR Centre London
Advanced workshop training with Dr Laurel Parnell in Attachment-Focused EMDR for Healing Relational Trauma and Adults Abused in Childhood
Member of the Parnell Attachment-Focused EMDR Academy
Please note: I am not able to offer legal advice regarding narcissists in legal disputes; I am not an emergency resource in acute situations.