"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there."

ACCEPTANCE

AUTHENTICITY

In my time as a mental health social worker I have witnessed the power of acceptance; of life's events, of relationships we've had, lost and longed for, of emotions that seem so powerful in flattening us we feel we may never rise up again. Acceptance is the opposite of judgement, it is allowing what is, rather than struggling against it and striving for more. Mindfulness allows us to train ourselves in stepping out of the 'experiencer' role and into that of 'observer', this defusion encouraging greater acceptance.

ACTUALISATION

I am passionate about helping people to 'self actualise,' a term used by Carl Rogers, a leader in the field of person centred therapy. According to Rogers, "individuals are culturally conditioned, rewarded, reinforced, for behaviors which are in fact perversions of the natural directions of the unitary actualizing tendency."I assist clients to reflect, navigate and connect with their true authentic self, our therapeutic relationship being the vehicle for this.

Authenticity: the quality of being real or true. I have found great outcomes in therapy are achieved when the clients truth or reality is reflected back to them, without judgement, with only respect and unconditional positive regard. None of us are perfect, we are all works in progress on this journey called life. I believe only in being real and true to ourselves can we live our optimal life. Without judgment, we can learn to love who we truly are.