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A bit about me
It feels like I've been on this journey to becoming an Outdoor Counsellor all my life. From childhood dog walks with my mum, to attending an outward bound school, to my travels around the world, nature has always provided inspiration, beauty, excitement, adventure, a place to run free, a place to learn and a place to connect. I have always wanted to "make a difference"; to help people, and have come to understand just how well it works being in nature. I wanted to share these revitalising and restorative qualities of nature, so I set up and ran a backpackers hotel for 10 years, offering guests a space to be in the beauty and wildness of West Cornwall, trusting that nature would work its magic on them during their stay. While walking the pilgrimage (Camino) of Santiago de Compostella in 2005 I developed the practice of walking and talking with myself whenever I found life challenging. From doing this I realised that I had connected with something useful that I could offer as a therapeutic practice; working more deeply this time to help people on their healing journey. I wanted to broaden my understanding of therapy in nature so I began to study and train in order to be able to do so professionally. Now, 7 years on, as a qualified and experienced Person-Centred counsellor and having trained in bushcraft, nature awareness, shamanism, ecotherapy and eco-psychology, I offer a grounded, heartful, soulful approach to supporting people on their life's "camino". Throughout my life, without really understanding what I was doing, I had been using walk and talk as a therapeutic process.....now it has become a conscious process that I fully trust and want to share. Counselling Qualifications & Training NCFE level 2 Counselling Skills. Cornwall College, 2008 Certificate in Advanced Counselling Skills. Cornwall College, 2009 Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling and Therapy. Cornwall College, 2011 Co-counselling Fundamentals, London 1994 & Penzance 1996 Continuing Professional Development Anger, Rage & Relationship with Sue Parker Hall, 2012 NLP Diploma, Catalyst NLP, 2012 Awareness of Child Abuse & Neglect, Safeguarding Children, Virtual College, 2012 Working with Suicide & Self Harm, Xenzone, 2012 Introduction to Online Counselling, Xenzone, 2012 Facilitators Course, Network Training, 2012 Mediation Skills, Xenzone, 2013 Dyslexia Awareness, CDA, 2013 Outdoor Therapy Training 1 year Practitioner in Shamanism, Northern Drum, 2007-8 3 year Advanced Practitioner Training, Northern Drum, 2009-12 1 year Bushcraft training, Trackways, 2008-9 Nature & Natural Awareness, Pathfinder UK, 2010 Wild Trail Training, Ecotherapy, 2012 Taking Therapy Outside, Ecotherapy, 3 summer camps training, 2013 Emergency First Aid at Work, British Red Cross, 2014 Counselling Experience Volunteer Counsellor, working at: Penwith Community Development Trust (PCDT) Penzance, Cornwall 2010-13 SHARE, Cornwall Council, Penzance, Cornwall 2011-12 Associate Counsellor for Xenzone, KOOTH Cornwall 2012-13, working at: Impact Young People's Centre, Penzance, Cornwall Penwith College, Penzance, Cornwall Humphrey Davy School, Penzance, Cornwall Self-employed Outdoor Counsellor, based in Sennen, working throughout West Cornwall, 2013 onwards : Supervision: 2 hours per month Fully insured "If I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that" Goethe |
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