Over the years, many of the children I have worked with come with a history of trauma and adversity. They may have survived very early trauma in the womb or early months and years of their lives. I often see them at the beginning of their therapeutic journey and we work together to build the most solid foundations we can.
Some of the children I work with have had secure, safe-enough beginnings filled with love. Yet they may find elements of their lives challenging. They may have nervous systems and brains that process and experience the world differently, making some aspects of life more complex to navigate. They may experience differences in sensory processing, retained reflexes, learning differences, disabilities, or be neurodivergent.
The goal is often both simple and complex: supporting children to feel safer – in their bodies, their relationships and their environment. Wherever possible I include sessions with parents and carers, schools, and education and care provisions. It is so important that together we explore what may be underneath the behaviours and actions that we see at the child’s surface. We must also consider what our roles are in their growth.
I also am privileged to work alongside the growing number of trauma-informed Occupational Therapists – offering supervision to individuals and teams to enhance their practice. For more information on this see [link to supervision page?]. I also offer training to broader teams on developmental trauma and its impacts, on the sensory systems, and have a particular interest in supporting schools to create connected, regulating environments – physically and relationally.
Member of:
- Registered and regulated by Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Member of British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and College of Occupational Therapists (COT)
- Member of College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section – Independent Practise (COTSS-IP)