Therapy and support that meets you where you are

I am a Specialist Child & Adolescent Integrative Psychotherapist and Play Therapist, supporting children and young people aged 5–18 with their emotional and psychological wellbeing. I have over 15 years' experience supporting children, young people and families, across education, NHS and private practice settings. Since 2021, I have worked within NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), including both community and crisis services. This has given me experience of supporting young people with a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including more complex presentations, alongside working closely with parents, carers, schools and other professionals. I am a Registered Member MBACP (Accred) and hold a full enhanced DBS and postgraduate qualifications in Counselling Children & Young People and Play Therapy. I believe that children and young people need to feel understood, accepted and safe before they can begin to make sense of what they are experiencing. My approach is integrative and developmentally informed, which means I don't believe that one type of therapy is right for every young person. I draw from attachment and developmental psychology, person-centred and humanistic approaches, trauma-informed practice, systemic perspectives and CBT-informed interventions. My specialist Play Therapy training also allows me to use play, creativity and expressive approaches where these are helpful. For some young people, talking may be the most helpful way forward. For others, particularly younger children, it can be easier to communicate through play, art, stories, sand tray or other creative activities. With teenagers, creative approaches can be adapted around their interests and preferences and used alongside therapeutic conversation. I therefore tailor therapy around the individual young person rather than their age or diagnosis alone. Children and young people may come to therapy for many different reasons. Sometimes there is a clear difficulty or diagnosis; at other times, parents simply notice that their child is struggling or that something has changed. I can support young people experiencing: Anxiety, worry and panic Low mood, depression and emotional distress Low self-esteem, confidence and difficulties with self-worth Emotional regulation difficulties and overwhelming emotions Trauma and difficult or adverse life experiences Attachment, relationships and difficulties feeling safe or connected Friendship and peer difficulties, including bullying School-related anxiety, emotional difficulties and adjustment Family difficulties and significant changes or transitions OCD and anxiety-related difficulties Emotional and psychological difficulties associated with neurodevelopmental differences, including ADHD and autism I also work with young people who may be struggling to understand or express what they are feeling, even when there isn't a clear difficulty. Sometimes behaviour is the way a child communicates that something isn't quite right. Therapy can provide a space to look beyond the behaviour and understand what may be happening underneath. I aim to create a therapeutic relationship where young people feel listened to without judgement and are able to explore difficult experiences at their own pace. I also recognise that supporting a child or young person often means supporting the adults around them. Where appropriate, I work collaboratively with parents and carers and can provide guidance to help them understand what may be happening beneath their child's behaviour and how they can support them at home. I also work alongside schools and other professionals when this is helpful and appropriate. A little about Mandala I created Mandala Psychotherapies because I wanted to provide a space where children, young people and their families could access thoughtful, individualised support without feeling that they had to fit into a particular box. The name Mandala reflects the idea that every person is made up of many different experiences, relationships, strengths and challenges. Therapy can provide an opportunity to bring some of these pieces together, make sense of them and find a way forward. Whether your child is struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, low mood, relationships, school, a difficult life experience or simply doesn't seem quite themselves, you don't need to know exactly what they need before getting in touch. We can start by talking about what is happening and work it out together.