Are you in need of extra support in your life?

Has life changed or is it about to? Are you moving, are you moving internationally, are you changing jobs or careers, or is a relationship changing or coming to an end? All of these circumstances can cause difficult feelings to rise to the surface, making ordinary life more difficult.

Or are you dealing with a critical situation? Often we suffer in silence. There is nothing like the loss of employment, death, breakup, health crisis, or war (I’ve lived through one) to prompt the need for urgent help.

Or perhaps you’re starting to feel like you’re withering from a long period of existential malaise or melancholy associated with a lack of personal or spiritual fulfillment. The current circumstances in the world post-pandemic are creating great emotional shifts for millions of people. This is normal and  it is an opportune but challenging time for change.

Whatever your situation is, noting and acknowledging the need for a little help is a positive step to take, and a brave one. Why? Because a little known truth about the nature of humans is this: awareness is the first step towards change and resolution. Awareness increases a readiness to move forward.

The benefit of hiring a counsellor or coach is that working with another can speed up that process of change or healing, or simply make it easier.

Here is how I can help: I can be your coach or your counsellor.

The starting point is having a confidential, dedicated time and space where you can collect your thoughts with a trained professional who can listen with objectivity and help you clarify and work out what is happening and what your next steps might be.

We will begin with an intake session to determine your needs. 

The next step is to decide if you want or need a coach or counsellor. The process of coaching is shorter than counselling, and it is goal driven. Together we determine the purpose and length of these sessions. My role is to provide support and specific expertise that you need as you need it.

Our work may be defined by specific goals (coaching) or more by issues and emotional confusion and pain (counselling). Either way, I can help you work through what is at the centre of your difficulty, so that you are able to make positive changes that put you where you want to be personally and/or professionally.

Why talking helps…

Your mindset or perspective can be the problem…getting in the way of your ability to make important decisions or stick to constructive, essential habits that help you accelerate the change you desire.

Or the set of circumstances you presently find yourself in may be causing or contributing to your difficulties. Circumstances can oppress us. It may be a situation at work or in your personal life that you need to disentangle yourself from. Or you may need to renegotiate the terms in your work or personal life.

It is possible that something is rising up in you and you feel ready to explore and make decisions about what you would like to change in your life. Decision making can be difficult. It can help to have a supportive but objective, non-judgemental professional help you to work our your next steps.

Coaching and counselling tackle problems in three ways. We examine the dynamics and interaction between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors or your actions. Looking at all three areas and their interactions can help you gain clarity and get unstuck or move through difficulty or depression.

Equally, look at the forces outside of yourself – the systems you may be subjected to – or the relationships you are in – and we identify what is causing barriers or any issue for you. It is not always true that we ourselves are the problem; sometimes the system is the problem, and that includes family systems or relationship dynamics.

The process of working with me…

I am an integrative and person-centred counsellor and coach. What this means is: I utilize a variety of creative and therapeutic techniques to help you work through what you’re feeling and struggling with, what is causing this to happen, and what you can do next.

Occasionally, I run trainings and workshops for groups, and I do offer online support, both individually and in groups.

What is at the center of our working relationship is the connection between you and I. A trusting therapeutic presence or connection is a powerful ‘force’ in its own right. Good therapy and the process of change in a counselling/coaching relationship cannot happen without it. For this reason, I will offer you a free initial session, so that we can determine if we’re a good ‘fit’ or match to work together.

Person-centered counselling and coaching ensures that you are the expert on your life. I most definitely am not. But my role is to listen carefully, discern, and reflect back to you what I am hearing and seeing, and to employ techniques as needed. You determine or guide us on the goals we work on. I facilitate the safe space for you to be able to identify and work on these goals. We apply whatever the techniques or strategies will best support and help you to make change.

The process is, of course, reflective.

We work at a pace that is comfortable for you to find solutions that deliver (1) increased personal and professional clarity, (2) health, peace and confidence, (3) improved relationships and comfort in social and professional situations as well as (3) balance in your life.

Your confidentiality is assured.

My areas of interest and expertise are: 

• expatriate issues – ie. planning for change and cultural adjustment, particularly if you are heading overseas
• grief/loss
• financial and career crisis
• chronic pain and health difficulties
• relationship dilemmas
• existential issues
• stress and anxiety
• post-traumatic stress
• suicidal feelings and ideation

Expatriate counselling

Expatriates often lack the professional support necessary when issues crop up as a result of living in isolation or feeling unsettled in a place that is unfamiliar.

Living in a small community can make it difficult to find a safe space to open up about one’s private thoughts and feelings.

As a ‘third culture adult’ who has resided in several countries over 25 years, I understand. I have experienced these difficulties myself, and moved through the various challenges more than once that expatriate living can present.

You really do not have to be alone with your pain, regardless of where you reside. I can provide online or face to face counseling/coaching.

My aim is to provide you with effective, affordable support to help you make the adjustments you need to, in order to feel good about who and where you are and where you are going in life.

Qualifications:

I am an experienced counsellor, specialized in creative therapies, peer support (youth and adults), distress and suicide prevention.

I work and engage in ongoing professional development in the creative arts, which by their nature are therapeutic.

I run a peer-support program for youth in the Middle East.

I have worked in youth and adult counselling and crisis intervention for over 30 years in the following roles with a number of agencies and prominent organizations:

• youth and adult crisis counsellor through government social services
• university student counsellor and student help agency administrator
• distress and suicide-prevention listener and outreach deputy with Samaritans, UK
• career counsellor and director of special needs with the Canadian federal government
• long-time teacher of PSHE (personal, social, health education)
• leadership coordinator and trainer (multiple schools)
• personal life coach
• business coach for entrepreneurs
• executive coach (executives, politicians and people in sensitive positions)

My training:

• International School Counselling with Lehigh University (US).
• Counseling and psychotherapy studies with Athabasca University (Canada) – Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories and Adolescent Development.
• Dramatherapy with University of Roehampton (UK).
• Mindful Self-Compassion with founders Dr. Kristin Neff and Dr. Chris Germer (Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, U of San Diego).
• Zen meditation with Iranian Zen master and psychotherapist Hamid Ebadi (Portugal).
• Samaritans Suicide Prevention and Distress Training – online, telephone and face-to-face listening services (UK).

I hold a Bachelor of Education in Drama and English and a Master of Business Management degree.

My post-graduate research in arts and cultural management focused on leadership, teams, systems thinking, and change management including the psychological and social factors of change.

How to reach me…

You can reach me via dunecoaching.com