My Approach

As a counsellor with lived experience of epilepsy, I offer a person-centred, recovery-oriented, and trauma-informed approach with relatable personal insight to guide and tailor support to the individual client's needs.

 

​Key Aspects of My Approach include:

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• Valuing Lived Experience: The core of my approach is leveraging personal experience with epilepsy  to foster a deep, nuanced understanding and genuine empathy for the participant/client's journey. This shared experience can help build trust and rapport more quickly than with a professional without this background.

• Person-Centred and Recovery-Oriented: I place the individual at the centre of my support, acknowledging them as the expert in their own life. Recovery is seen as a personal process of "regaining control of their identity and life, having hope for their life, and living a life that has meaning for them," rather than just managing symptoms.

• Empowerment and Choice & Control: A primary goal is to empower participants to make informed decisions and exercise greater choice and control over their lives. I act as a guide, helping participants/client's explore their strengths, set personal goals, and develop self-advocacy skills.

• Capacity Building with Sensitivity: Support focuses on building practical skills, resilience, and coping strategies for daily living (e.g., emotional regulation, social skills, problem-solving). The lived experience perspective ensures this is done with sensitivity, understanding the importance of pacing, celebrating small wins, and avoiding overwhelming the participant.

• Addressing Stigma and Promoting Inclusion: Lived experience often actively works to reduce stigma and discrimination at both individual and systemic levels, promoting social and economic participation. 

• Trauma-Informed and Responsive: My approach is typically trauma-informed, recognising that many individuals with disabilities have experienced past trauma or ongoing negative impacts. They are responsive to the episodic and fluctuating nature of epilepsy, providing flexible and consistent support during times of increased need. 

 

As a lived experience counsellor I combine professional skills with personal insight to provide a more holistic, relatable, and effective support system; empowering individuals to live full lives with purpose.