Welcome.

This website is an invitation to think about your personal and professional wellbeing and consider what you might need at this point in your life. Sustaining our motivation and optimism throughout a helping career is a significant challenge. Being intentional about looking after ourselves while we look after others is vital.

I am a trainer, therapist and supervisor with 25 years’ experience of compassion focused practice in arts, health, education and community settings. I have been privileged to work in prisons, Romanian orphanages, in substance misuse, with military veterans and survivors of complex trauma, helping people recover and grow from challenging experiences.

I love my work and it can take a toll. Both of these things are true. Many of us drawn to the helping professions are driven by a deep sense of purpose which puts us at risk of overwork, overwhelm and burnout. We may have grown up with the belief that we should always put others first, that it’s selfish or self-indulgent to focus on ourselves. My own experience of burnout led to a re-evaluation of priorities, a commitment to self-compassion and a more thoughtful relationship with my work. It also changed my direction.

I now focus on supporting fellow practitioners to be well in the work they do. Artists, therapists, nurses, doctors, care workers, police, paramedics, prison staff, teachers, all who work at the human frontline. We are working in challenging times, often within imperfect (some might say broken) systems. The work can hurt. Having a space to reflect on the complexity of our careers and share the emotional weight that comes with meeting the tide of human suffering can be the difference between surviving our professional lives, and living and working with meaning and joy.

In this site I share some reflections and resources as well as links to training, retreats and support that I offer. I hope you find this helpful. Do reach out if you are interested in working with me on a one to one basis, would like to book on a training course or retreat, or would like a conversation to find out more.