BA (Hons) Drama, PGCE, MEd Psychology, MBACP, MBPS, Cert. Counselling Supervision. Psychotherapist, Equine Therapist, Facilitator, Grief Educator.
Over the years, wearing many different hats, I have found a sense of purpose and passion that I’ve brought to my varied career as Secondary School Teacher, Dramatherapist, Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Facilitator and Celebrant.
I gained experience leading a service for the families of people with addiction whilst also being lead therapist for a children and young people. Although this work was fulfilling, I missed creative expression so trained with, and worked for 9 years as a Supervising Facilitator and Coach for The Hoffman Institute UK as well as founding my own personal development organisation, Joy Provision.
Following my mum’s untimely death, I decided (after organising a natural, personal DIY service for her and taking on the role of celebrant) to train with the Humanists UK as a celebrant which uses all my skills.
For years I was adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, yet today I live a mainly joyful life. Through celebrancy, I am sharing my experiences and love to support people celebrating birth, life and death.
"We get caught up on celebrating the extraordinary yet why not celebrate the ordinary too? A lot of life is ordinary and vital. It's the little things that create big changes. There’s loads that’s ordinary about me – quiet, nifty northern girl. Creative, hard working, different roles in different chapters. Turning pain into purpose....Replace fear with love and faith. Faith in nature, in humanity. Noticing and waking up. This is my experience. This is where I know joy lies. Living in the daily appreciation of the tiny and tremendous, gratitude for the life lived.
Joy is in making the heart sing. Make a list and you may find snippets somewhere. My moments of joy recently tell you something of my life and me: belly laughing with friends, running around with my rescue poodle Pip, regular injections of music including festivals and gigs, swing jive and lindy hop, zip lining, Morecambe sunsets, seeing my son joke and laugh, remembering my daughter’s “fuck that shit man” phrase, reading Wuthering Heights (again), eating delicious vegan food, swimming in a cold lake, sitting on a huge tree trunk in ancient woods, seeing faces soften with sweetness and silliness. Waking up to life. Journeying still.”
