Frequently asked questions

BodyTalk Therapy is my integrative, body-informed approach to therapy. It brings the body back into the therapeutic conversation — gently and intelligently, without reducing you to biology.I work primarily with people living in bodies shaped by female reproductive biology, recognising that our emotional lives don't exist separately from our physical selves. Hormonal changes, stress, sleep, energy, health, life transitions and other aspects of our physical experience can all interact with how we feel, think and function.An important part of my work is body education: helping clients better understand their physiology, particularly aspects of female biology that can be overlooked or poorly understood. We might explore things such as the menstrual cycle, hormonal transitions, the nervous system and the ways stress, sleep, energy and other bodily processes can interact.Understanding what's happening in your body can sometimes make experiences feel less mysterious, frightening or like a personal failing. Instead of “What's wrong with me?” or “Why can't I cope?”, greater understanding can open up a different perspective: “Maybe I'm not losing it — perhaps there's something about what's happening in my body that I haven't understood yet.” That shift in understanding can create space for greater self-compassion and for changes in lifestyle, self-talk and habitual ways of thinking that may support greater wellbeing.Rather than treating the body and mind as separate, we can explore how your emotional and physical experiences connect — and how bodily sensations and patterns and physical experiences may relate to your thoughts, feelings and life circumstances.Depending on what you need, our work may draw on person-centred, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches, alongside body-informed and somatic ways of working. This might include developing greater awareness of bodily sensations, noticing patterns between body and emotion, exploring body physiology and making practical changes that support your wellbeing.My approach is not a substitute for medical care. It is about making space for the whole person — including the body — within the therapeutic conversation.A note about the name: BodyTalk Therapy is an independent private therapy practice and is not affiliated with or connected to the BodyTalk system. The shared name is coincidental.

Body-informed therapy means that we don't have to separate what you're thinking and feeling from what's happening in your body.Depending on what you're experiencing and what feels useful to you, we might explore things such as physical sensations, stress responses, energy, sleep, breathing, habits, hormonal patterns and the ways your body responds to your circumstances.This doesn't mean that I diagnose or treat physical or medical conditions. Rather, relevant health information can help us understand your experience more fully and decide what might be helpful therapeutically.

You’ll notice that I mostly talk about women, because my work is particularly focused on the ways female reproductive biology can interact with psychological wellbeing. But this isn't about fitting neatly into a particular identity.BodyTalk Therapy is for people living in bodies shaped by female reproductive biology. This can include girls and women, as well as some non-binary people and trans men.You might be experiencing, or have experienced, menstrual cycles, hormonal fluctuations, perimenopause or menopause, pregnancy, fertility issues, or health conditions where female biology is relevant to your experience.I work with people whose psychological wellbeing may be affected by hormonal changes, reproductive transitions, chronic health conditions, medical experiences or other aspects of living in a female body.Your identity is respected here. Your biology is taken seriously here.If you are unsure whether my approach is appropriate for you, we can explore that together in an introductory conversation.

You might feel unsure where you “fit”.Perhaps you're dealing with changes in your menstrual cycle, navigating neurodiversity, fertility or infertility, pregnancy or postnatal changes, perimenopause or menopause, hormone-related changes in mood or wellbeing, or the interaction between chronic health conditions and female biology.Or perhaps you simply have a sense that something about your body and your emotional life is connected, but you don't quite know how.You are welcome here — however you identify and show up: messy, curious, wanting change, and open to exploring all your parts.If you're unsure whether this approach is right for you, we can begin with an introductory call — a calm, relaxed conversation to explore what you're looking for and whether we feel like a good fit.A consultation is also an opportunity for us to consider whether therapy with me is appropriate for your needs. There is no obligation to continue.

Confidentiality is a fundamental part of therapeutic work, and I take your privacy seriously.What you share with me is normally kept private. There are, however, some circumstances where confidentiality may need to be limited — for example, where there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, a safeguarding concern, a legal requirement to disclose information, or another circumstance where disclosure is legally and ethically justified.I will aim to discuss any necessary disclosure with you beforehand wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.I also have regular professional supervision, which is an important part of safe and ethical practice. Aspects of my work may be discussed in supervision, but I use identifying information only where necessary and remove or minimise identifying details wherever practicable.You can find more information about confidentiality, supervision and how your personal information is handled in my Privacy Notice and Therapy Agreement & Terms of Working.

I have completed two years of taught postgraduate study in Women’s Health at University College London (UCL), alongside additional modules and study across UCL’s School of Psychiatry and Health Psychology department. Together, this has given me a broad understanding of women’s physical and psychological health, and of the ways these can interact across the life course.My women’s health study has included reproductive health, the menstrual cycle, fertility and infertility, pregnancy and childbirth, perimenopause and menopause, and a range of reproductive and physical health conditions. I have also studied the psychological impact of fertility difficulties and assisted reproduction, and the physical and psychological experiences associated with reproductive and breast cancers.Alongside this, my wider UCL postgraduate study has included anxiety and depression; neurodevelopmental conditions including ADHD and autism; psychological trauma and PTSD; and the relationship between physical and mental health, stress and ageing. This has included study of psychoneuroimmunology and stress psychophysiology, pain, mental health and physical illness, positive psychological wellbeing and health, and ageing, including consideration of sex differences and the ways physical and psychological experiences may be differently expressed or experienced by women.This broader perspective is important to how I work. It means I can be curious not only about what someone is thinking and feeling, but also about the physical, hormonal, developmental and social context in which those experiences are happening.My academic knowledge informs my therapeutic work but does not replace medical care. I do not diagnose or treat physical health conditions; rather, where relevant, I can bring an informed understanding of the relationship between physical and psychological health into the therapeutic conversation.

I am an MBACP Registered Member and integrative therapist. My therapeutic training draws on person-centred, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches, alongside body-informed and somatic ways of working.I have also completed two years of taught postgraduate study in Women’s Health at University College London (UCL), including additional study in mental health and psychological wellbeing. My wider training includes a PGCE and more than 15 years' experience in education (teaching and pastoral leadership), as well as yoga teacher training and practice incorporating anatomy and physiology, breathwork, meditation and mindfulness.I hold professional liability insurance, an Enhanced DBS check and current first-aid training, and I work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

I hope you will feel able to tell me if something doesn't feel right. If you're unhappy with any aspect of our work together, I would encourage you to raise it with me so that we can talk about what has happened and consider whether anything can be put right.If you don't feel able to talk to me, or if you have a more serious concern about your therapy or my professional conduct, you can contact BACP's Get help with counselling concerns service. They provide confidential guidance about concerns relating to therapy or a therapist.You can contact BACP on 01455 883300 (option 2) or 07811 762256, or by email at gethelp@bacp.co.uk.Further information about raising concerns is also included in my Therapy Agreement & Terms of Working.