She/her
About me
I’ve spent all of my working life (and long before that) as a writer. I began my training as a therapist in 2019, after going through a lot of life changes and having a lot of therapy myself. I am firmly committed to making therapy available to all who want it, and I bring a creative approach to everything I do.
I was volunteering at a domestic abuse charity in Brighton and saw first-hand the long waiting lists for therapy and the impact this has on people. This inspired me to train as a therapist myself and to help make therapy available in the community.
I trained in person-centred therapeutic counselling at Haulm, having previously completed courses at City Lit in London and Varndean College in Brighton. I have also worked as a therapist at Release Counselling for Women and as a helpline volunteer at Rise. I have particular interest/experience in working with women and issues relating to fertility, disenfranchised grief and living loss. I have experience working with issues relating to domestic and emotional abuse. I have an interest in creative/writing therapy.
As a therapist, my approach is warm and open, and led by you as the client. I believe that you are the expert in your own experience, and I won’t attempt to advise you or tell you what to do. I believe that having someone to talk to in a safe and confidential space outside of usual ‘polite’ social conventions – who will really listen and be with you – can be a powerful and potentially life-changing experience.
Outside the therapy room, I am a published author and occasional creative writing teacher. My most recent book was a ‘creative non-fiction’ memoir about family, mental health and making sense of the world. I have also written two YA novels (and co-written a third), all about friendship, fandom and the messy human experience of growing up. As well as writing my own books, I have worked for 20 years in media and publishing, specialising in healthcare writing.
Writing is a way of making sense of the world and understanding ourselves better, empowering us to find our voice and tell our own story. So is therapy. The person-centred approach to therapy embodies an honest and authentic ‘way of being’, with radical acceptance and empathy – I believe this beautiful ethos lends itself to powerful creativity as well as personal growth and healing.
I believe in the power of therapy and the power of art. They are both about telling stories. They both have the potential to transform individuals, communities and the world around us.
Qualifications and experience
I am a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) and am committed to their ethical framework. I have a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling from Haulm, who specialise in the person-centred approach, and also have the Certificate of Proficiency from the BACP.
I have worked as a volunteer counsellor at Release for Women, and as a helpline volunteer for Rise, dealing with domestic abuse. I have also run trauma-informed writing workshops for the Rise Community Connectors Programme.
How it works
I currently work online and face-to-face in Brighton, with some evening appointments available. I offer a 20-minute initial chat (online or on the phone) free of charge, so that we can see if we are a good fit to work together. Many therapists offer similar initial chats, and I would recommend ‘shopping around’ for the right fit if you can.
If we do decide to work together, sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly, and I charge £50 per session. I offer a limited number of low-cost spaces; please feel free to ask me about this.
If you’d like to discuss working together and to set up an initial chat, please contact me at: ewsussextherapy@gmail.com
Sussex Therapy 