Fee assured
Verified account
Specialises in
- Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Offers
- Face-to-face consultations
- Video and telephone consultations
About me
I am a qualified and experienced therapist who has provided counselling/psychotherapy to hundreds of teenagers and adults since 2004. I work with those aged 13+. Sessions are available in-person and online via zoom video.
I am a senior accredited counsellor/psychotherapist meaning my practice has been assessed to meet the highest level of training and competences within the Scope of Practice and Education Framework.
Many of the clients I work with are boys and men who I often engage with using male-friendly methods whilst valuing masculinity as highlighted by The British Psychological Society.
Counselling with me is not just sitting and talking; it can be used to help people tackle their problems, eliminate barriers, understand their situation, take control, take action, and make change.
I work with clients to help them make the best use of our time together by identifying what they'd like to achieve from counselling and by trying to ensure they gain something useful from the sessions.
Some clients want a space where they can simply offload and emotionally process life events, and others prefer an action-orientated, solution-focused approach. I often (though not always) adopt a straight talking, direct approach where thoughts can be challenged, options can be explored, emotions can be expressed, and alternative perspectives can be offered.
I am an eclectic counsellor/psychotherapist which means I use different elements of therapeutic approaches, namely Person-Centred Counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. These are the approaches I am trained and competent to practice.
I am also trained in the 'rewind' technique which can be used with those experiencing the effects of trauma and phobias.
I am also an experienced trainer and public speaker and have delivered male sexual abuse/exploitation training to thousands of professionals across the country. I am also a qualified and specialist accredited supervisor and provide supervision to trainee and qualified counsellors as well as other practitioners working with vulnerable children and adults. I have nine years experience of managing a male only sexual exploitation service and in supporting boys and men at risk of, or who have experienced sexual exploitation and abuse.
I have experience in working with stress, anxiety, trauma, bereavement, anger, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties and more.
I have significant specialist experience in working with boys and men affected by misandry, rape, controlling/abusive relationships, paternity fraud, false allegations, and recent and/or historic sexual abuse, assaults and exploitation.
I have appeared on TV and in local and national media addressing the sexual abuse of boys on BBC Look North and Channel 4 News, the sexual harassment of boys and men on GB News, and miscarriages of justice affecting men on LBC Radio after the Andrew Malkinson case. In 2023 I published my first book addressing the sexual abuse of boys and men.
Areas of interest
Stress; depression; anxiety; low self esteem; anger; trauma; bereavement; relationship difficulties; sexual abuse; sexuality; sexual orientation; men; male abuse; rape; false allegations; controlling relationships; paternity fraud
Medical secretaries
About me
Current NHS consultant posts held
Not applicable. I am an independent counsellor, psychotherapist, Supervisor and Trainer
Research interests
Sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, the effectiveness of counselling, working with boys, men and masculinity, the sexual abuse, assaults and exploitation of boys and men
Personal interests
Working with boys and men and addressing issues related to masculinity and gender.
Awards received
Unsung Hero Award by the NWG Network - 'Longest Journey Under Challenging Conditions' (2014). Counsellor of the Year (2020/2021) The Prestige Awards
Publications
Magazine: Sexual Exploitation, Boys can be Victims too, Therapy Today - October 2017 -
Book: Child Sexual Exploitation After Rotherham by Adele Gladman
Online article: Sexual Exploitation - It Doesn't Happen to Boys, Safeguarding Children E-Academy https://www.virtual-college.co.uk/resources/2014/04/sexual-exploitation-doesnt-happen-boys
Online article: Sexual Exploitation - It Doesn't Happen to Boys, NWG Network https://www.nwgnetwork.org/sexual-exploitation-doesnt-happen-boys/
Guidance - Boys are Sexually Exploited too, a guide for professionals, The BLAST Project
Chapter: How We Turn A Blind Eye to Male Victims of Sexual Exploitation. Book: 'Inside Man' by Dan Bell and Glen Poole.
Online Blog: Therapy Minded - Working Therapeutically with Sexually Abused and Exploited Boys and Men https://www.therapyminded.co.uk/working-therapeutically-with-sexually-abused-and-exploited-boys-and-men/
Audio Recording with The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy https://www.bacp.co.uk/cpd/cpd-hub/trauma/working-with-male-sexual-abuse/
Online Article: Fighting For The Rights of Male Abuse Victims: Phil's story. Happiful https://happiful.com/fighting-for-the-rights-of-male-abuse-victims-phils-story/
Online Article: ‘Why are boys overlooked when talking about CSE?’ Safer Schools https://oursaferschools.co.uk/2019/07/17/why-are-boys-overlooked-when-talking-about-cse/ and Ineqe:
Online Blog: Prostasia Foundation Blog – Part 1: The Sexual Exploitation of Boys and Why They Don’t Disclose https://prostasia.org/blog/sexually-exploited-boys-why-they-dont-disclose/
Online Blog: Prostasia Foundation Blog – Part 2: More reasons why boys don’t disclose abuse https://prostasia.org/blog/more-reasons-why-boys-dont-disclose/
Courses offered to GPs
I provide training on male sexual abuse/exploitation and the related issues. I also speak at conferences nationally where I address male sexual abuse and share my own story of abuse. Details at my website https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/boys-cse-training/
About my work
View photos of my work
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My outcomes
Outcomes (self-reported)
January 2017 to June 2017 100% of clients reported having an improved emotional/mental health due to counselling. Examples included clients who felt less anxious about their situation, more confident in tackling their difficulties and more able to confront challenging issues.
My qualifications & training
Qualifications
- BACP Accredited Diploma in Person Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy
University of Warwick 2006
- Accredited EMDR Training
The EMDR Academy 2018
- BACP Accredited Practitioner's Course in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
University of Birmingham 2008
- Introductory counselling certificate
Thomas Danby College, Leeds 2002
- Post-Graduate Certificate in Person-Centred Supervision
Temenos, Sheffiled 2012
- Level two certificate in counselling skills and studies
Thomas Danby College, Leeds 2003
Additional training
- Exploring Practical Challenges of CSE
Basis Training 2016
- Sexual trauma, child sexual exploitation, the brain and the body
Zoe Lodrick - sexual trauma specialsit 2016
- Understanding Bereavement
Cruse Bereavement 2004
- Working with survivors of sexual trauma
Zoe Lodrick - sexual trauma specialsit 2017
- Creative Interventions for working with primary aged children
Time for You - Relate 2005
- Certificate in Personal Coaching
The Coaching Academy 2014
- Skills for managing self harm and suicide
Skills Development Services Ltd 2007
- Working with and understanding trauma
PODS, Wakefield 2016
- Brief Solution Focused Therapy
Skills Development Services Ltd 2006
- Working with teenagers and adolescents
NHS Scotland 2016
Professional bodies (positions held - last 3 yrs)
- Accredited Member
BACP 2009
- Senior Accredited Member
BACP 2019
Affiliations / memberships
I am a senior accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and a specialist accredited supervisor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).