The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change
— Carl Rogers
I started my counselling studies in 2002
I began bereavement counselling in 2003
I developed my experience in counselling through training and working in many different settings with clients who experienced a range of extensive issues.
I have been teaching further and higher education at colleges and universities.
I have taught from 2011 Counselling Diploma; Bsc. (Hons) and Msc in Counselling & Psychotherapy.
I have run experiental workshops throughout my teaching career
My Doctoral Research involved males who have been counselled in prisons
My approach to education and counselling is holistic and modelled on Roger's Person Centered Psychotherapy
Home-Start works with families in communities right across the UK. Starting in the home, our approach is as individual as the people we’re helping. No judgement, it is just compassionate, confidential help and expert support.
Last year Home-Start supported 56,000 children in 27,000 families, in communities across the UK.
The use of psycho-therapeutic interventions within prisons in recent years has been widespread.
In order to improve the results of therapy, it is necessary to measure the effectiveness of the outcome (Castonguay, 2013). However, the measurement of outcomes is difficult to gauge, in particular because of the hostile environment within prison, which encourages the client to enter a state in which life is stripped of purpose and responsibility. Heidegger (1927) explains his philosophical view of the awareness of existence with his statement of ‘Dasein’ (being there) (Heidegger, 1927).
Incarceration in a prison excludes the possibility that individuals experience and express themselves in an open manner without fear, as Sartre explained as ‘existential anxiety’ (Sartre, 1945), the feeling of anxiety emerging within a prisoner creating a feeling of loss of freedom of choice. Considering the prisoner’s choices within prison, for example, the counsellor of their own choice, access to counselling appointments, unrestrictive counselling facilities, and counselling venues are issues that arise more frequently in prison than in any other therapeutic contexts.
The focus of this research is on the male client’s perspective of counselling in prison. The purpose of the study is three-fold: to gain an understanding of how the male prisoner’s experience counselling; to explore what is useful and what is not useful about counselling; and to further improve knowledge of counselling therapy, so that counselling may be enhanced for the benefit of prison clients.
This study is qualitative, adopting the theoretical framework of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Male prisoners who have had counselling in prison have spoken of their experience of being counselled in prison and this has filled the gap in the literature. This study makes a unique contribution to the existing knowledge base regarding how male clients perceive counselling and may improve the effectiveness of counselling in prisons by ensuring that future counselling of men in prison will become more effective and appropriate to their needs
Ph.D. Counselling and Psychotherapy - University of Salford
Master of Science in Applied Therapeutic Counselling - University of Huddersfield
Professional Graduate Certificate in Education - University of Huddersfield
Bsc Hons in Counselling Studies - University of Huddersfield
Master Reiki Usui Shiki Ryoho - Manchester College of Arts & Technology
Diploma in the Theory and Practice of Counselling - Manchester College of Arts & Technology
Lecturing Counselling & Psychotherapy
Training Home - Start Support and Friendship for Families - Rochdale
Private Practice - Current
Volunteer Counselling - HMP Service
Oldham Bereavement Support Services - Volunteer Bereavement Counsellor
Community Mediation Skills Volunteer - Rochdale Mediation Services Mediation UK
