I was born in Australia and grew up in the coastal city of Newcastle on the doorstep of the steelworks. In this photo, I am holding snow for the first time while staying with my loveliest Aunt in one of the few country towns where it snows sometimes. It was so exciting to discover how good the cold weather felt, as growing up in a humid and hot country never suited me. I knew then that one day I would live in a cold place and many years later in 2001, I moved to a secluded glen in the northeast of Scotland where I lived for many years.

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My practice as therapist began in Australia some 35 years ago having come from a background in social justice and community development working within a wide range of contexts with individuals, families, groups, and organizations. This breadth of experience in the field of social justice was profoundly important in shaping my approach to psychotherapy. 

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In addition to being a Psychotherapist, trainer and facilitator some of my other roles in Australia included:

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• Executive Director of a network of alcohol and other drug counselling and rehabilitation services in the community sector

• Director of a charity organization advocating for people with an acquired brain injury and their families

• Family Mediator 

• Workplace Mediator specializing in discrimination and harassment

• Investigator with a state Government Ombudsman​

 

​After moving to Scotland in 2001 I co-established a specialist consultancy in conflict resolution, training, and conducting external workplace investigations of discrimination and harassment in large organizations and government departments.

 

I returned to full-time practice as a Therapist in 2010 and completed further training as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist. During this period I also worked as a sessional group therapist with the Priory Hospital in North London while also completing extensive ongoing training in developing my specialist practice in complex trauma and dissociation.​​​