I practise as a Integrative psychotherapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, CRM Practitioner, and am a lifelong explorer of Franciscan spirituality – of universal inclusion and that ‘everything belongs’ and is interconnected.

I fit my practice round the needs and constraints of clients. Many clients suffer from chronic acute anxiety, life-depleting shame, a pervasive sense of helplessness to find joyful life – its roots often lie deep in early years developmental trauma. Some suffer additional single incident, medical, relational, work related, and other traumas.

CRM and SE are fantastic models for working with clients, particularly with those who like or need to understand what is happening and why they react as they do. They work with the whole person and how all parts of us continually mutually influence each other. The aim is to restore a sense of control to the client in their own life, to build a sense of vitality and pleasure in being alive, and to find a new way of connecting with self, others, and the wider world.

‘Trauma can be any stressful life event where we feel helpless or overwhelmed’

Louise is passionate about supporting people in their recovery from traumatic events. She wholeheartedly believes that healing from trauma is possible.

Louise, a registered nurse and accredited psychotherapist, has spent the majority of her career working in the NHS. Having spent many years as a nurse in ICU, her interest in supporting people following their survival of a critical illness, led her to re-train as a counsellor/psychotherapist. Since then, Louise has worked closely with NHS staff, patients and family members developing her speciality in trauma therapy as well as undertaking further training in trauma processing and self-regulation techniques. She has also done research in this field.

CRM Trainings – Basic, DID & Advanced CRM with Core Self.

I work with adults and adolescents, and have a particular interest in trauma; PTSD and C-PTSD, addictive behaviours and coping mechanisms and their link to developmental/realtional/childhood trauma; ‘ACE’s’ (Adverse Childhood Experiences), and how these affect survivors as adults.

Trauma comes in many forms; obvious, overt ones such as physical or sexual abuse, car accidents, war, disasters etc, and also less obvious or covert forms like emotional abuse or neglect, bullying, or just ‘not getting what we need’ on an emotional level. If you have experienced trauma (defined here simply as anything that ‘overwhelms’ your nervous system’s ability to adapt healthily) then it’s likely that some emotions connected with the trauma are either unavailable to you or intermittently or relentlessly disturbing to you. I can help you with that.

I have completed the CRM basic training, and also Somatic Experiencing Beginning 1, Integral Somatic Psychology Level 1, and Internal Family Systems Level 1 trainings. I am in the submission stage of a Masters degree in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy and have been running a successful private practice for 6 years. I believe in ongoing updating and learning. I am a member of UKCP and BCPC and abide by their code of ethics. I am also a member of ISST-D (International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation); Trauma Research Foundation; European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and ACE’s Connection.

During my training I completed a placement with Barnardo’s Sure-start programme providing therapy for young Mums, and a mental health placement with Avon and Wiltshire Assessment and Recovery team.

I am a volunteer psychotherapist with ‘Help! Counselling’, a charity supporting 9-25 year olds.

At the heart of my work is a belief in the deep value of simply being in a calm, confidential and safe space where you can explore what’s troubling you at your own pace. You may be looking for therapy because you know that you have experienced some form of trauma or you may simply be feeling a bit down and that things are ‘not quite right’, or something in-between. I will offer you good humoured warmth and acceptance, that will support you to express what is going on for you, and together we can try to make sense of things. Through being heard, allowing feeling and being genuinely ‘seen’, things get better…