My Experience
Over the last two decades I have gained a wealth of experience working with clients experiencing addiction in a variety of residential, inpatient, outpatient and daycare settings. I have worked in several successful Addiction Treatment Programmes within London, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Brighton in both charitable and private healthcare organisations.
I initially worked for a number of years with two charitable organisations and set up Brighton's first non-NHS residential detox facility in the city. From there I went on to lead the organisations Primary Residential Programme and worked with clients in longer term Secondary Care dealing with historic issues of abuse, neglect, criminal behaviour and addiction. Whilst there I set up their Volunteer Programme to extend the service to people in their own recovery wishing to 'give something back'.
Following on from this and for the past 15 years I have worked with The Priory, the UKs leader in the provision of the highest quality of healthcare in the country. During much of this time I managed and developed the Addictions Treatment Programme and continue to offer services on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. I continue to work with Priory on an Inpatient and Outpatient basis.
I have worked closely with family members who often suffer as a result of another persons addiction and used this experience to develop a fully comprehensive 10 week Family Programme that offers information, guidance and therapeutic support - a much needed lifeline to families who were once referred to as "the forgotten clients".
Families suffer in similar ways to the loved ones and go through a parallel process that includes preoccupation, loss of control and negative consequences, much like the addict themselves although the focus of their attention differs. For the addict the focus is the substance or behaviour whereas for the family member the object or focus of attention is the addict themselves. Families need help and support as much as those suffering from addiction.
Along side this I have been in private practice for the last 12 years and provide counselling and psychotherapy, seeing clients, couples and families with a wide range of issues. I also offer EMDR, a well recognised therapeutic technique designed to alleiviate the suffering of trauma and PTSD. Please see my 'About Me' and 'Trauma Therapy - EMDR' pages for more information about my experience and the specific issues I work with.
