I'm a registered Occupational Therapist and offer brief therapies that can be geared towards treatment of simple mental health problems or coaching in focusing on solutions, moving towards meaningful change and bringing more kindness and compassion to ourselves. Everything I do is evidence based and person centred.

I have a Certificate in Solution Focused Practice having completed 8 days of training with BRIEF - the UK's leading practitioners of Solution Focused Brief Therapy. If nothing else, this means I tend to look for people's hopes and strengths rather than just focusing on what's getting in the way. I don't just ask what's wrong, but what's better than it was.

I have completed level 1 and 2 training courses with Cardiff University in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT and having taught ACT courses in the community for the last 7 years I was instrumental in the development of the online ACT-ion for Living course available to the public at www.stepiau.org/action-for-living. I have completed further training in offering another brief therapy called Focused ACT that focuses primarily on openness, awareness and engagement.

I was trained in Compassion Focused Therapy by Dr Chris Irons and Dr Andrew Raynor over two courses of three days each focusing on working with shame and self criticism. I have assisted NHS colleagues in the development and online delivery of an online compassionate mind course called Understanding Me (www.stepiau.org/understanding-me) 

I have been working in Primary Mental Healthcare in the NHS since 2013, offering assessments and brief interventions to a really broad range of people and helping to make a difference to their lives. I've been working in mental health in Occupational Therapy for the NHS since 2007, and in healthcare since 2002 giving me a breadth of knowledge and experience beyond just mental health awareness.