How I Work
My approach to counselling and psychotherapy is grounded in evidence-based practice, with your voice and experience at the centre of everything we do together. I believe that effective therapy requires both proven methods and genuine collaboration between us.
Feedback Informed Treatment: Putting You in Control
I use an evidence-based approach called Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT) to ensure that our work together is making a meaningful difference for you. Rather than relying solely on my clinical judgment, this systematic approach puts your voice at the centre of our therapeutic relationship.
How It Works
At the beginning of each session, you'll complete a brief rating scale (the Outcome Rating Scale) that takes less than a minute. This measures how you're doing in key areas of your life:
- Personal wellbeing and internal state
- Close relationships with family and friends
- Social functioning (work, school, broader connections)
- Overall life satisfaction
At the end of each session, you'll provide feedback on our therapeutic relationship using the Session Rating Scale, rating whether:
- The session felt right for you
- We worked on what you wanted to focus on
- My approach felt like a good fit
- You felt heard and understood
These scales create a clear visual graph of your progress over time, allowing us both to see whether things are improving, staying the same, or getting worse.
Why This Matters
Research shows that clients whose therapists use FIT are 2.5 times more likely to experience positive outcomes from therapy. This approach offers several key benefits:
- Improved results: Systematic feedback leads to better therapeutic outcomes
- Reduced dropout: We can address concerns early before they become problems
- Efficient treatment: Clear progress tracking often leads to achieving results more quickly
- Your voice prioritised: You have genuine input into the direction and pace of our work
- Early course correction: If something isn't working, we can adjust our approach immediately
If you're not showing improvement by session four, we'll have an honest conversation about what needs to change - whether that's our focus, my approach, or other factors affecting your progress. This isn't failure; it's valuable information that helps us work more effectively together.
Creating a Culture of Feedback
My commitment to you is to create a safe space where honest feedback is not only welcome but also essential. I genuinely want to know if something isn't working in our sessions so we can adjust course together. This transparency ensures we're working collaboratively toward your specific goals rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.
A Holistic, Present-Focused Approach
While FIT provides the framework for tracking our progress, my therapeutic style draws from humanistic and relational approaches, particularly Gestalt therapy principles. This means I focus on:
- Present-moment awareness: What you're experiencing right now, rather than just talking about the past
- The whole you: Your values, beliefs, cultural background, and life experiences
- Your own wisdom: Recognising the knowledge and resources you already possess
- Experiential learning: Sometimes trying new ways of communicating or relating in session
- Our therapeutic relationship: Using what happens between us as valuable information for your other relationships
A Psychobiological Approach to Couples Work
When working with couples, I use a psychobiological approach to couples therapy (PACT) that recognises how our brains and bodies respond during relationship conflict. This approach recognises that when we feel threatened or disconnected in our relationships, our nervous system automatically shifts into protective mode, often referred to as "fight, flight, or freeze" responses.
During these moments, the emotional centres of our brain take over, making it nearly impossible to think clearly, listen effectively, or respond with empathy. You may notice this as feeling overwhelmed, shutting down, becoming defensive, or saying things you later regret. This isn't a character flaw - it's simply how our nervous system is designed to protect us.
In our sessions, I help you and your partner recognise these patterns and learn how to regulate your nervous systems together. This means understanding your individual triggers, learning to pause when you're becoming activated, and developing skills to return to a calm, connected state where productive conversation becomes possible again. When both partners feel emotionally safe, you can access the parts of your brain responsible for empathy, curiosity, and problem-solving—the essential ingredients for resolving conflict and deepening intimacy.
Your Voice Matters
Throughout our work together, you have a voice in how we proceed and what you need for success. This collaborative approach, supported by systematic feedback, ensures that therapy is truly tailored to your unique situation and goals.
Whether you're working on relationship issues, personal challenges, or life transitions, my evidence-based, client-centred approach is designed to help you achieve meaningful, lasting change.
