My initial training consisted of four years working towards the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. During this time I worked with various clients ranging from adults to children, both in a home and school environment. I also experienced, personally, mental health issues with my own children, including one child on the autistic spectrum, and another who experienced self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

My experience gave me an insight into the mental health system and led to a real need of wanting to understand a more in depth way of working with children and young people. This resulted in studying at the University of Nottingham where I gained a Masters in Person-centred Counselling and Psychotherapy, specialisng in Children and Young People.

As part of my ongoing professional development additional areas of training undertaken include; working with autism, safeguarding, trauma defined, working with trauma, addressing suicidality and suicide risk online, suicide prevention, suicide and self harm, understanding bereavement by suicide, working with grief and loss, working Online With Children and Young People, domestic and child abuse, bereavement, understanding anxiety disorders, playwork – using creative resources and a diploma in mindfulness.