About me
Here’s my story so far…
Who am I?
I’m an author, therapist and musician and I write about managing emotions, functional music, expressive writing and songwriting for wellbeing. I also love cars, notebooks, singing and massive mugs of tea. I live in rural Wales and have also lived in rural Colorado for a while. But I am originally from the suburbs of London and have spent a lot of my life working in Cities.
What do I do?
I work as a mental health therapist, write about emotions, and am currently completing an MMus degree in Music & Sound.
In this degree, I am focusing on the production of music for well-being (functional music) as well as songwriting. I’m also researching the emotion of awe in music. In my spare time, I love writing and creating music.
Mental health and creative arts are my main areas
What is interoception?
There is a new way to manage emotions, and it involves noticing what our bodies are doing and how we interpret what we notice.
Do I Need to See a Therapist?
This book tackles two fears: the fear of our own emotions, and the fear of seeing a therapist. It introduces a new way of managing emotions so that you don’t need to fear them any more.
The vicious cycle of anxiety
How we can get easily trapped in a vicious cycle of anxiety, and the clue to how to get out of it.
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Psychology, therapies and the neuroscience of emotions.
I have degrees in Psychology, Occupational therapy, Cognitive behavioural psychotherapy and Integrative arts for health. I also have further training as a trauma therapist using methods such as EMDR and Brainspotting. I am fascinated by the science of emotions and how we can use science to help us understand how best to manage our feelings.
My Qualifications in this area:
1. BSc (Hons) Psychology 2:1
2. BSc(Hons) Occupational Therapy 2:1
3. PG Diploma Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy
4. EMDR Practitioner Training All Parts 1-4
5. IAPT Clinical Supervisor training
6. General Certificate in Online Counselling & Therapy Part 1 (ACTO)
7. City & Guilds Teaching Adults in Further Education
8. Brainspotting Practitioner training. Phase 1, Phase 2 and David Grand Masterclass. BSPUK
9. Level 1 Certificate in Sound healing with Multi-instruments. Sound Healing Academy
10. Elaine Aron Approved Therapist for Sensory Processing Sensitivity / HSP
11. Introduction to Deep Brain Reorienting by Dr Frank Corrigan
12. Emotion Regulation Therapy Training.
Songwriting, music production & sound therapies.
Writing songs is a special type of magic and I love writing lyrics and melodies. I have had two songs published and also have written two songs with the songwriter Michael Garvin, as well as several others. I have recently trained in producing music and sound therapies in order to know more about this area and be able to produce sounds for well-being.
My Qualifications in this area:
1. Popular Singing – Leeds College of Music
2. Jazz Singing – Leeds College of Music
3. Songwriting – Factory Street Studios
4. Recording and Production – Leeds College of Music
5. Arvon Songwriting Retreat – Kathryn Williams and Chris Difford
6. Songwriting Retreat with Martin Sutton (The Songwriting Academy)
7. EDM Bootcamp with Altar Studios and Audio Devils
8. We are the unheard Music Production Course with Eve Horne
9. MMus Music & Sound – Academy of Music & Sound (University of West London).
The therapeutic use of writing.
There are several types of writing that can fall under this category. I use free writing, expressive writing and lyrical writing (songwriting) in my work with clients and for myself. I have had training in different types of writing (non-fiction, poetry, songwriting, academic writing, and trauma-focused writing therapy. It is the main method that I use to process and manage my feelings.
My Qualifications in this area:
1. Writing Narrative Non-Fiction – Arvon at-home retreat
2. Writing a Memoir course – Curtis Brown Creative (Online 6 weeks).
3. Creative Writing (Poetry) – Manchester Metropolitan University
4. Creative Writing Short Course – UEA
5. Arvon Retreats x 3
6. Arvon Creative Writing Course (Poetry) Jo Shapcott.
7. Writer’s Workshop & Conference – Hay House Publishing.
8. Diploma in Journal Therapy.
1. PG Certificate Artists in healthcare settings
2. PG Diploma Integrative Arts in Health, Education & Community Settings.
A brief personal history
I love cars and listening to music whilst driving. It is one of the ways that I unwind. The way that music sounds in a car when I am moving is so different to listening when sitting down, or when wearing headphones. It is a moving chamber of sound and it is a wonderful spatial experience.
Random facts
I had an Ebay shop selling car vases and car flowers and was one of the first people to import and sell the Autovase car vase so that anyone could have a car flower, not just those with VW Beetles.
I have written two songs with the amazing songwriter Michael Garvin (the writer behind ‘Never give up on a good thing’ and ‘Waiting for tonight’).
From the archives
Cars, Music & Words
Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Polo Coupe
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Here are some songs that I have written.
I have made a playlist here on Soundcloud of all of the tracks that I have written/recorded/performed.
Songs that sound good whilst driving.
I keep adding and removing to make sure this isn’t stupidly long. Here is the link to the current list on Spotify.
Books in my read/re-read pile.
1. Awe by Dacher Keltner
2. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (always in my pile)