Living with a disability — whether physical, sensory, neurological or chronic — involves far more than managing practical challenges. It carries an emotional weight that is often invisible to others, and that mainstream services frequently fail to address with the depth and understanding it deserves.

Disability can bring grief — for the life you had before, for the life you imagined, for the things you can no longer do or do in the same way. It can bring anger at a world that is not designed for you, at the indignities of navigating inaccessible systems, at the gap between how you are seen and who you actually are. It can bring anxiety about the future, about dependence, about how others perceive you.

It can also bring identity questions. Who am I now? How do I relate to my disability — is it part of me, or something that has happened to me? How do I hold onto a sense of self that is not defined by what I cannot do?

These are not small questions. They deserve a counsellor who takes them seriously and brings genuine understanding.  I have spent over 20 years working directly with people with disabilities.  I understand this territory from the inside.

I work from a social model perspective — understanding that much of the difficulty of living with disability comes not from the impairment itself, but from a world that fails to accommodate it. I will not treat your disability as a tragedy or a problem to be overcome. I will treat you as a whole person, with a full and complex inner life, navigating real and significant challenges.

At the same time, I will not minimise the genuine pain and difficulty that disability can bring. Grief, anger, fear, exhaustion — these are real, and they deserve to be felt and expressed, not bypassed in the name of positivity or resilience.

I have particular experience with visual impairment and sight loss through my work with the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People), and with the emotional impact of serious illness through my work at the Royal Marsden Hospital. I also have broad experience across physical disability, chronic illness, learning disability and neurodiversity.

I offer online and telephone counselling as well as face-to-face sessions in Sutton — recognising that access to services is itself a significant issue for many people who are disabled, and their carers, and that flexibility matters.

I am committed to making counselling as accessible as possible. I offer face-to-face sessions in Sutton, online video sessions and telephone counselling — so you can choose the format that works best for you, your condition and your circumstances.

If you have specific access needs — around communication, sensory environment, session length or anything else — please do tell me. I will do my best to accommodate them, and I will not make you feel like a burden for asking.

If you are unsure whether counselling is right for you, or whether I am the right counsellor, the initial consultation is a chance to find out — with no obligation and no pressure.

We begin with a initial consultation so you can get a sense of how I work and whether it feels right. Sessions are 50 minutes, held weekly. I offer face-to-face sessions in Sutton, and online or telephone counselling across the UK.

The number of sessions varies depending on what you are bringing and what you need. We will review together regularly, and you are always in control of the pace and direction of our work.