Hi I'm Michelle. I am a black British woman of Caribbean heritage, born and raised in the UK. My parent’s cultural upbringing didn’t give them a lot of room for exploring mental illness, therapy was stigmatised as something for people who could not handle challenges. This has convinced many of us that we are unbreakable even when we are suffering, which affects both how we process our trauma and how we communicate it with others.

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 I’ve often been asked by others, “What motivated or attracted you to becoming a counsellor”?

As a child it came naturally to me to be a caring, empathetic and compassionate person and as I journeyed

through to adolescence I became aware of my abilities to listen and have empathy towards others suffering.

However, it wasn't until my late twenties that my journey really began, when my curiosity and passion for psychotherapy came to light, working with individuals who present as complex and exhibiting challenging and risky behaviours.

 

Providing emotional support for these individuals came naturally to me and working in partnership alongside professionals from The Portman Clinic was a truly positive and empowering experience and led to a passion about self-discovery, exploration and healing. However, like many I have also experienced and witnessed events that have impacted my life and those around me and know how powerful it can be to have someone there supporting and encouraging you to be your best and most authentic self.

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More often than not our problems stem from not being heard or feeling judged. We end up behaving as we feel we 'should' rather than listening to our own deeper needs and emotions. Counselling provides a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space to explore and process this tension, and to find a way to being more genuine and in touch with one's true self. One of the most important factors in therapy is the relationship between the counsellor and the individual in therapy.

 

It’s therefore important for individuals to find a counsellor who they find relatable and comfortable, as this makes the journey a little easier. My delivery matches my personality and not necessarily my therapeutic approach. I’m simply ’me’ – curious, humorous, intellectual, reflective, supportive, indirect, challenging and sometimes directive. How else can there be a genuine therapeutic relationship if I’m not my authentic self?