My Professional Approach

With over 11-years experiencing in private practice, my approach is compassionate and humanistic.  I offer a body-oriented approach to trauma recovery and stress disorders.

My somatic approach ‘resolves symptoms of stress, shock, and trauma that accumulate in our bodies. When we are stuck in patterns of fight, flight, or freeze, SE helps us release, recover, and become more resilient. The large majority of people worldwide have traumatic experiences in their lifetime, which can have major impacts on their health and well-being.’ (SE International) 

I harness a combination of psychology, physiology, ethnology, biology, neuroscience and energy practices. Through this depth-based exploration of both the mind and the body we are able to access a fuller expression of who we really are and ultimately connect to ourselves & others more authentically. I strongly believe we all have access to innate strength, agency and inner-power irrespective of our blueprint, life experience, and trauma.

I guide clients to uncover their wisdom, untangle the parts that no longer serve them, and create space in the body which ultimately leads to more a conscious, vibrant life.

What you can expect:

I integrate five key elements into my personal sessions:

Talking/NLP Coaching

– I use a Neuro Linguistic lens (top down approach) to help you explore your thought patterns, the beliefs you hold about yourself, and the world around you. Talking about past events can help gain insight into the challenges you are facing today. NLP can help bring a different perspective on our past and ultimately change the way the you think about things.  When exploring the spoken word, I will invite you to bring awareness to your body. Safely shifting between the cognitive story and our biological story is an important part of the process. This helps us get to the root cause of the issue.

NLP Coaching is also excellent for goal setting, creating a meaningful vision and ascertaining core values.

Somatic Awareness

– This bottom up approach includes the felt sense – bodily sensations. For many clients this can feel like learning a new language.  Our body has a voice which is constantly communicating to us through our feelings, emotions, sensations and gestures. When we attune to our somatic self we can access deeper wisdom and intuition. It also allows us to have more access to the unconscious. This is where we have greater ability to process trauma and chronic stress.

Therapeutic Touch

– This would not be suitable for all clients and would only be integrated after a number of sessions and with safe connection, consent and clear boundary setting.  Therapeutic touch would be offered in a titrated way (slowly) and provides support to the joints, connective tissue and visceral. Touching into the nervous system can provide deeper insights into our unconscious. We all need safe place to land and feel held.  Unlike other body-touch work, my therapeutic touch happens over clothing.

Somatic Movement

– Like therapeutic touch, this is done with safe connection and boundary- setting.  During sessions some clients feel an impulse to move their body in certain ways. Often these powerful somatic movements have been dormant in our system for many years, waiting to be discovered and expressed. Following our impulses in certain situations in the past might not have been safe at the time so inhibiting our movement was the best form of protection at the time. Often these somatic movements help clients shift from helplessness to inner-power, allowing them to feel stronger and more courageous in their personal & professional lives.

Energy Practices

– I guide clients to tune into their own life-force energy through the process of contraction and expansion. Tracking your own unique rhythm of your nervous system can provide so many important insights. It can also help us release trauma energy which is sometimes stored in our system for many years. This energetic process is carried out slowly and gently so the nervous system can build capacity without overwhelm.

Finally, I integrate a systemic, anti-oppressive and inclusive lens to my practice. We cannot separate the cultural and societal structures from a trauma-lead practice.

My Professional Commitment

I am deeply committed to my own extensive personal therapy and analysis.  I have monthly supervision to hold my practice in integrity, within an ethical framework and professional standards to ensure I am working effectively.

Professional Bodies, Memberships & Networks:

• ANLP – Association of Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioners (Accredited Gold Standard Professional Member)
• IPMH International Accredited Training Provider
• Association of Somatic Experiencing® Practitioners in Ireland
• Anti-Victim Blaming, Trauma Informed Network

Qualifications & Advanced Trainings (2001 to date)

• BA (Hons) Retail Distribution Management
• Counselling Skills
• Certified Bodyworker
• Certified Laughter Yoga Leader
• Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner
• Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher
• Yoga Nidra Teacher
• Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher
• Basic Principles of Somatic Experiencing® (Trauma & Stress Disorder Resolution Therapy)
• Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Practitioner
• Suicide Prevention Trainer

Additional Trainings:

• Chronic Pain & Trauma
• Human Rights & Trauma
• Attachment Styles
• Restoring Relational Resilience
• Breath work & the Nervous System
• Money & the Nervous System
• Domestic Violence
• Somatic Experiencing® in Group Work Facilitation
• LGBTQIA+
• Suicide First Aid
• Sand Therapy
• Advanced Somatic Strategies for Sexual Trauma & Sexuality

Investment & Commitment:

This type of therapeutic support is an investment and a commitment of your time, energy and money.  Whilst I recommend a minimum of 6 sessions, most people need more.

We live in a culture that values instant gratification and ‘quick fixes’. In the ‘Insta Therapy’ world we have coaches suggesting their model is ‘instant’ and ‘transformational’ after just one session. There are no quick fixes for the nervous system and trauma.  This is because trauma & chronic stress happens when a life event(s) were too fast, too much, and too overwhelming for us to process moment to moment. The trauma/stress energy gets stuck in the body as an incomplete traumatic stress cycle.   That’s why working at a pace that is gentle, slow and safe is essential.  And that takes time because we are working with the core wound and root cause.

Concessionary Rates:

I have a small number of spaces available on sliding scale for those who are unemployed, on a low income, and students. If you are concerned about your finances or affordability, please send me an email at info@thesunshineproject.co.uk