As a farmer’s daughter raised on a hill farm in East Lothian, I’ve always felt deeply connected to nature. I find peace and healing in the outdoors and often spend time walking my dogs in the stunning countryside around Dunbar. This connection to the natural world informs my approach to counselling.

I'm a qualified pluralistic counselor with a Master's degree (MSc) in Pluralistic Counselling from Abertay University. During my training, I focused in particular on spiritual abuse and religious trauma, subjects close to my heart and central to my work today.

Before becoming a counsellor, I worked for over a decade in learning disability services, supporting people with complex needs and their families. This experience taught me the importance of compassionate support and clear communication, principles that continue to guide my therapeutic work.

I also hold a degree in Adult Nursing, which gives me a strong foundation in understanding the relationship between emotional and physical wellbeing.

As part of my counselling journey, I spent two years volunteering at a busy counselling centre in Edinburgh, where I supported clients facing a wide range of challenges, including:

• Depression and anxiety

• Family and relationship difficulties

• Religious and existential struggles

• Boarding school trauma

• Work-related stress and burnout

• Academic pressure

Today, I run a private counselling practice – The Hopeful Counsellor – where I offer a warm, non-judgemental space to explore the issues that matter to you. I also work part-time for a specialist service supporting women affected by sexual violence, abuse, or exploitation, and I provide mental health mentoring for students in further and higher education.

My therapeutic approach is flexible and integrative. I draw on person-centred counselling, trauma-informed practice, compassion-focused therapy, psychoeducation, and elements of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Sessions are shaped around your unique needs — whether you're looking for emotional support, practical strategies, or both.

I am committed to ongoing supervision and continuous professional development to ensure my practice is ethical, safe, and effective. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).