As well as my work with adult clients, I also work with young people from the age of 14. If you are the parent of a young person in need of therapy, or a young person looking for some support, then welcome.

I have undergone additional training to work with children and young people, I have therapist experience working in a educational setting, and 15 years experience as a Secondary school teacher. In addition, I work with a specialist supervisor to support this area of my practice.

The therapeutic work with young people is similar to that with adults, in that each relationship is unique and we work in the way that suits the client. However, there are key differences in that young people cannot by themselves consent to a therapeutic relationship, and so parents and carers get involved at the very beginning to help set the relationship up. Beyond that, they have no involvement in the work.

Please see the FAQ section below which will outline additional information. If you have further questions, please feel free to get in touch for a chat.

You can also find a link to the contract I use specifically for work with young people at the bottom of this page.

How old are the young people you work with?

I work with young people aged 14 and over.

 Can a client under 18 consent to work in therapy?

The simple answer is yes. If the client is under 16, we will need to have a conversation to make sure they understand what they are consenting to, and what they agree to happen in therapy. This process is called ‘Gillick Compentency’, and it means that both sides can be sure that they are entering into the contract of therapy freely and aware.

 How will parents/carers be involved?

It may be the case that it is the parents that reach out to me initially, and will be my first contact and source of information about the client. For all my relationships with clients under 18, the parents will need to be involved in the first part of therapy – agreeing the contract. They will be invited to an initial 50 minute session to go over the contract along with the client, and once that is signed and any questions have been answered, their formal involvement ends. Apart from agreeing to help the client to attend and pay for sessions where necessary, they play no role in a normal therapeutic relationship and I don’t discuss the work with them.

 Is the work confidential?

Yes and no. For the majority of the time and the majority of clients, I never share the details of the work with a 3rd party. One exception to this is supervision, where I may reflect on the work and its impact on me but clients details aren’t shared. Another exception is explained in my contract – I am legally and ethically obliged to contact a 3rd party if the client discloses certain criminal activities, that a child or vulnerable adult is in danger, or that the client plans to harm themselves or another person. In the case of a direct suicide attempt, parents will always be informed as well as the GP. I do not normally inform schools or GPs of the therapeutic relationship. I will endeavour to discuss any sharing of our work with a 3rd party with the client first if it safe to do so.

 Who is responsible for the client attending the sessions and providing payment?

 The client is responsible for booking, attending and paying for appointments. This is an important part of accepting the responsibility for their own wellbeing and shows a commitment to helping themselves. The client might need a lift to the session, and I expect them to organize and schedule their appointments with that in mind and make the necessary arrangements. The client might need parents or carers to provide cash or transfer funds for sessions, but the responsibility for making the payment belongs to the client. If a session needs to be cancelled or rescheduled, I expect to hear from the client directly, as it is their responsibility not the parents’. A lot of these expectations will be explored together in our first meeting, and we can find ways together to facilitate and support the communication around this.

 How long does therapy take?

I offer open ended therapy, so it takes as long as we agree it needs to. There is no simple way to know in advance how long it might take, but I always check in with my clients to see if the work is what they need and is what they want.

 What kind of therapy do you do?

 I am a Person-centred psychotherapist. That means I work in relationship with what the client choses to bring, at the pace the client is able to go. I do not provide diagnosis or work to a fixed treatment plan. I trust that my client has the capacity to change and see themselves differently, always accepting that the context around them may be beyond their control.

 Do you do lots of creative things in therapy?

No. I am a very traditional talking and listening therapist. I won’t ask you to draw, write or create. If you want to use our time and space for that kind of work, we can explore that together. However, you might want to investigate working with a specialist in that kind of work if you feel that ‘talking’ isn’t your preferred way to communicate.

 Can a parent/carer wait somewhere during a session?

My office building does have a reception area, however it is closed after 4.30pm. I would encourage parents and carers to use the time that the young person is in therapy to explore the delights of Loughborough nearby, and then return in time to collect them if necessary. Details about the location of my office, parking and public transport are on my website and will be sent to you if we are working in person.

 Can the client get in touch between sessions if they need help?

Yes and no. Contacting the therapist outside of sessions is limited to administrative matters, such as cancelling or rescheduling a session. I will not respond to other forms of contact. We contract to work together at specific times, and the client is responsible for themselves between sessions. Therapy is ultimately about developing inner resources rather than external reliance, and that requires boundaries. Finding ways for the client to support themselves through other supportive relationships, good self-care and personal reflection is part of the process and is some of the work the client does outside of the sessions. If the client requires a different approach, then I may not be the right therapist for them or this may not yet be the right time for therapy.

 Can a young person work with you without their parents/carers knowing?

No. If the client is under 18, I will need them to inform their parents/carers that we are working together. Therapy is confidential, but not secret. Accepting the need for therapy is an important part of the process for the young person, and those with responsibility for them. Therapy is real, hard work and leads to changes in the client. The parents need to be involved so they can be aware of that process.  The client is under no obligation to tell their parents everything that is said, but are not bound by confidentiality, so the choice is theirs.

 Do you provide support for the parents/carers of your clients?

No. Aside from initial inquiries and working through the contract together, I have no contact with the parents or carers of my clients. I don’t provide family or group therapy. I would however strongly encourage the parents and carers to seek out support for themselves to help them manage their own responses to the situation, whatever it may be. If needed, I recommend using the UKCP or BACP website to find a suitably qualified and accredited psychotherapist of your own.