An important belief that guides my counselling approach is that through addressing the root cause of the presenting symptoms that long term improvement in one’s psychological wellbeing can be achieved.

Whilst presenting issues may include depression, anxiety, identity incongruence, dysphoria, trauma, addiction, loneliness, which could be treated by applying a ‘band aid’ over the symptoms in the short term, my approach is to seek and work with the underlying cause.

My preference in working with causes comes from my own lived experiences in personal therapy which centred on my gender identity and the impact of my transition on my psychological wellbeing.

The core of my integrative practice is Gestalt therapy which allows me to seek to encounter the experiences of the other person, usually my client, in the present – directly, honestly and spontaneously without judgement.

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, an experience is worth a thousand pictures...”

... an insight into Gestalt therapy informed counselling.

In our sessions, we walk alongside each other with whatever experiences are brought into the here and now of our time together. These moments help create the opportunities for healing, growth and wholeness from the increased present-centred awareness of not only the client but also the counsellor.

I see life as a series of experiences and each has a unique expression of thoughts, feelings and behaviours of differing intensity in our memories.

To facilitate deeper therapeutic exploration of experiences across the life span including looking into early attachment histories, associated development of maladaptive patterns,  as well as traumatic experiences. When the psychological impacts of these remain present in adult life they are often at the root of presenting issues. This therapeutic work is informed by attachment theory and engaged therapeutically with Schema Therapy, aspects of  Internal Family Systems, and Polyvagal theory.

In my work I also draw on personal experience in intensive Dialectic Behaviour Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and rehabilitation programs including 12 Step, Feminist, Narrative and Interpersonal Therapies.

I offer only online sessions using Zoom and have done so since the beginning of COVID.

Trans and gender diverse people are important in my life and in my counselling work. My lived experience informs my approach in so far as I am an expert only on my own transition experience and never any body elses.

Expressing one's identity presents many challlenges and finding a safe and supporting environment can be difficult. Wren Counselling aims to always be such a space in which to safely explore any aspect of one's identity not constrained by beliefs or attitudes that permiate the heteronormative world ... all people have the universal rights to be themselves!

I aim to help such clients find internal coherence as they explore their answer to the 'What am I? question. This is followed by the 'Who am I? question which looks at one's views of how i want to be seen in the world compared to how I am actually seen and seeks to address incogruence in one's presentation of their identity, their beliefs about what they are.