My early professional career began in Theatre & the Arts, working as a director and drama practitioner. My interests quickly shifted into the transformational power of drama & storytelling and I spent many years delivering arts based projects for marginalised groups of children & adults. Drama and storytelling are still very much apart of my therapeutic work.

Storytelling and the arts can be a powerful way to express the otherwise unspeakable, or help to make sense of the world around us. Understanding our own story by sensitively piecing together and sharing our autobiographical narrative can help gain a sense of identity, something that many children are struggling with. Knowing who we are and where we came from can help us to foster a sense of belonging in the world.

Drama and storytelling have been in human consciousness for many many years and are shared across cultures and ages. Creative life story work and Therapeutic life story work is often used with adopted & fostered children, it can also be used with older adults who may have dementia or mental health conditions.

In my sessions I use different strategies to help tell our story and understand our history, if talking feels difficult we may use art materials or therapeutic play as a way of expressing ourselves.

Sharing, telling and understanding our story can:

• Help integrate our past and present to move into a better future

• Communication - communicating our wishes and needs to others

• Building a sense of identity and a feeling of belonging in the world

• Can help to resolve trauma and form secure attachments

I offer life story work as a stand alone therapy or it can be integrated into sessions when a child or family feel ready to explore these aspects of themselves.

My experience of working with stories and literacy has lead me to consult on national literacy campaigns to encourage sharing stories in the home to build parent, child relationships and reading for pleasure and wellbeing.