I’m inspired by the capacity of mindfulness and self-compassion to change lives – and love sharing this so others may benefit. At the heart of my work lie a longstanding meditation practice, and personal experience of how mindfulness and self-compassion have helped me manage emotional pain and chronic ill-health.

I know that developing mindfulness and self-compassion skills is no small undertaking. People often say they appreciate the care and thought I give to creating a warm, relaxed and supportive atmosphere. There's space for quietness and reflection. And there's often laughter.

Informing my skills as an experienced practitioner - and reinforced by specific post-graduate training - mindfulness and compassion are seamlessly, organically, integrated into the psychotherapy and counselling I offer - you might say 'caught' as opposed to 'taught'.

A suitably trained therapist may also, where appropriate, introduce simple exercises into the therapeutic process for you to practice between sessions. And as part of our work together I'd be happy to explore this with you, should you wish.

As an experienced mindfulness and self-compassion practitioner, I have specialist training in bringing mindfulness and self-compassion into therapy and counselling. Trained in teaching mindfulness and self-compassion to an advanced level, I’ve taught mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and compassion-based courses since 2005 in the voluntary and public sectors.

With extensive training in the theoretical framework and teaching of mindfulness-based approaches, I have a postgraduate diploma (PGDip) from the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice (CMRP) at the University of Bangor, pre-eminent base of mindfulness research and development; I have extensive further training in compassion-based approaches, including with the Compassionate Mind Foundation, and group facilitation at postgraduate level.

Committed to lifelong learning, and to support my own regular mindfulness and self-compassion practice, I regularly go on meditation retreats; to keep up to date with developments I attend frequent training courses and seminars.

In accordance with the requirements of the British Association for Mindfulness-based Approaches (BAMBA) and the Mindfulness Network, the bodies which uphold professional and ethical standards, I adhere to the professional guidelines of the CMRP, of NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), and receive ongoing supervision with an experienced registered mindfulness supervisor.