Counselling

Since 1989 I have been part of a team offering support to families in the Lothians who experience the death of a baby.  My background is in Nursing but in 2007 I decided to train as a counsellor.  I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling at Edinburgh University in 2011 and have been working as a counsellor for Held In Our Hearts since then.  I am a member of COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) and on the COSCA Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists - Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. I work by their Statement of Ethics, Code of Practice and Complaints Procedure.

Over the years I have witnessed the value of talking about a baby that has died and the strength bereaved parents find to rebuild their lives after this devastating experience.  I feel it is a great privilege to hear about their baby, share their experience and be a small part of their journey to find a way forward.  As a counsellor I can offer a further layer of support when other issues arise or resurface following the death of a baby and navigating through the grief becomes more difficult.

Counselling may be helpful fairly soon after the death of a baby or at any time thereafter and we aim to offer this support for as long as it is needed.  I usually offer an initial meeting to discuss counselling and to help parents decide whether it feels right for them.  I see parents individually or as a couple.

In 2012 after a career break from working in Social Work and Education I started my journey to become a counsellor. All through my training I always knew I wanted to support bereaved parents.

I qualified in 2016 and I am a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) and abide by their code of ethics.

I have been a Counsellor at Held in our Hearts for several years and it is a privilege to support bereaved parents in their darkest times and hear about their precious babies.

I am passionate about counselling and providing a safe space for bereaved parents to talk openly about the trauma of their loss. I believe that with counselling parents can begin to navigate their grief and loss and begin the process of healing – not moving on but moving forward with the love for their precious baby.

Grief often can come in waves and we are here to support parents whether it is soon after a loss or the grief has become more complicated over time.

The charity is committed to providing bespoke, compassionate counselling and support us to attend conferences and training courses on baby loss, grief and trauma, ensuring that the voices of the bereaved parent is at the heart of everything we do.

I came to counselling from a background in nursing, having had my curiosity sparked by a listening workshop that introduced me for the first time to the powerful effect of being really heard and understood.   Ultimately I made the leap to retrain and went on to gain my postgraduate diploma in Person-Centred Counselling from Persona/University of Aberdeen.

I am passionate about the Person-Centred approach in my work – it is hugely important for me to understand what each person’s experience of loss means to them from their own individual point of view.   I see counselling as a unique kind of relationship – one which offers a safe place for bereaved families, a place they can feel understood and accepted, where they can have the chance to express any of the feelings they might be having without judgement.   It is often also a place for families to be able to remember and talk about the cherished baby they have lost.   Ultimately, through counselling I hope to support families in finding a way forward following their devastating loss, in a way that feels uniquely meaningful for them.

After a career in the theatre and community arts, during the pandemic I made the decision to retrain as a counsellor. A move that has brought me so much joy and inspiration.

I fell in love with counselling after completing my COSCA certificate in skills and this only grew with each course I completed. After a year at The University of Edinburgh on their Masters program, I qualified in 2023 with an MSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Strathclyde. I am a registered member of BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) and adhere to the ethical guidelines which help ensure professional and ethical commitment to clients and good practice.

At the core of my practice is the Person-centered modality, it’s my belief that seeing someone’s experience from their unique point of view is key to helping someone process what’s happening to them.

Counselling offers us a space that is just ours to be met without judgement or assumption. This can offer bereaved families the chance to talk about their baby without worry of how this will be held by others. I aim to offer families a warm and compassionate space to help families remember their baby while navigating their loss. Grief never leaves us fully but with time and support we can grow around our grief and continue through life holding those we love and have lost.

I feel so privileged to be a part of the Held In Our Hearts team, an organization with such love and passion for their staff, families and wider community. 

I am privileged to join the Held in our Hearts team to bring counselling support to our Fife families who have experienced the loss of their precious baby. It is great to be able to spread our values of empathy, connection and love, a little wider in the world. 

My background is in education, with many years supporting children and families with additional support needs through nurturing and compassionate relationships. My interest in working with loss and bereavement began as a Seasons for Growth companion, supporting children with change and loss in their lives. 

In recent years I have fulfilled a long-held ambition to train as a counsellor, and throughout my training and ongoing counselling work I have found myself drawn to supporting others through loss and trauma. I have been particularly moved by my work with bereaved parents, from making space for their darkest moments of grief, to their process of mourning, and honouring their little one’s life. Both strength and vulnerability often go hand in hand in this grief journey. 

I am a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and follow their ethical framework. 

Counselling offers a way for us to journey together, to explore whatever experiences and difficulties surface along the way and to gently work together to find a path forward. By creating a compassionate safe space, I hope to honour each bereaved parent’s journey to talk about their baby, their loss and their life. Grief can at times bring other issues in life to the surface or feel more difficult amid this loss and together we can explore these in a way that suits you.  

My hope is that counselling can help you to find your way forward, carrying your precious memories and  bond with your little one with you.