Introducing the Heartwood Tutor Team
Fee Scott
Advanced Diploma Tutor, Devon
Fee has been working with people for 35 years in a number of roles in Leicester, Birmingham and Devon; as an advocate for disabled people, a residential worker with adolescent boys, a Social Worker with asylum seekers and refugees, as a manager of a LGBT Centre, a training manager in social care and in developing multi-disciplinary work with children and families.
The focus of all of her work has been supporting those who are often excluded, disempowered, and silenced. Counselling offers such potential for people to feel valued, empowered and to find their voice. For the past 10 years Fee has been the Chief Executive of Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services, developing an organisation which delivers high quality, effective trauma-specialist services for those who have been impacted by sexual violence.
Fee is a registered Social Worker, qualified Counsellor and accredited EMDR Therapist, and trauma work is at the heart of her thinking and practice. Fee is currently working as an Independent Social Worker, undertaking assessments of prospective foster carers and building an EMDR and counselling practice alongside her role at Heartwood teaching the Level 4 Diploma in Integrative Counselling.
Fee has benefited personally from excellent individual and group therapy and understands the importance working with skilled, knowledgeable, and safe practitioners.
Fee says “My life has been changed immeasurably since I discovered I could safely discard my false persona and live more authentically……
Training has been a large part of all my previous roles, and I love the potential for training to move us along, both personally and professionally. I’m delighted to be working at Heartwood, helping to shape the skills and knowledge of new counsellors. The programmes are so rich and creative and I love the encouragement to both bring fun to the training room, and to have fun myself!”
Rajan Sanger
BSc Psych, Occ.Dip, MA Psych, MA Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, UKCP reg, ICP listed, Dip. Clinical Supervisor
Advanced Diploma Tutor, London
Raj is an integrative and holistic therapist registered with UKCP and listed with the Irish Council of Psychotherapy. A skilled child & adolescent psychotherapist and qualified clinical supervisor, he works long-term or with a time focused approach (short-term) for those with a clear therapeutic goal i.e. CBT.
Raj’s ethics are based on person-centred values, acceptance, non-judgment and respect while his approach is described as the assimilation and synthesis of concepts, ideas and techniques from different modalities including humanistic-existential, Gestalt, eclectic-integrative multi-modal therapy, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), solution-focused therapy, cognitive behavioural, mindfulness and psychodynamic.
He has an MA in psychoanalysis and an MA in integrative child and adolescent counselling and psychotherapy and is a qualified child, adolescent & adult clinical supervisor and a service provider for Aviva Insurance, UK.
He has extensive experience of working with professionals within a clinical setting and working with individuals, adolescents and young children privately.
Rita Gonzales
Advanced Diploma Tutor, London
I am a highly skilled, fully qualified, dedicated, compassionate, empathic integrative counsellor and art psychotherapist. BACP accredited and HCPC registered.
Many of my peers and family tell me that I am a ‘safe pair of hands’: kind, honest, humorous, reliable, hard-working, creative and accepting of my limitations.
I have also accessed therapy for myself through difficult times. I have found these experiences life-changing.
I have over 25 years’ clinical experience working in the NHS, charities, my own private practice, clinical supervision and teaching level 2, 3, 4 person-centred counselling and integrative psychotherapy
My working life began as a psychiatric nurse working in adult mental health.
I then moved on to working with homeless people in London. This is where my counselling career started. I developed an interest in how a secure, confidential space with a qualified therapeutic professionals can help others work through complex, difficult emotions and behaviours.
My experience as a counsellor includes:
- Art therapist with child survivors of sexual abuse in the Tamil community.
- Tutor teaching year 1 and 2 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (Integrative)
- Working in a drug and alcohol agency
- Acute adolescence mental health
- Art therapist end of life care
- 15 years working as a supervisor and trainer for ChildLine/NSPCC
- Working for Missing People, counselling family members of missing people
- 2 years’ experience as a school counsellor at Place2Be
- 18 years’ experience running a small private practice
Qualifications and Training
- MA Art Psychotherapy – Roehampton University (2018)
- MA Counselling and Psychotherapy – University of East London (2004)
- BA Honours Social Science- Open university (2000)
- Diploma in Supervision – CPPD (2007)
- Diploma in Working with Survivors of Abuse – CPPD (2001)
- Diploma in Humanistic Counselling – Lewisham College (1996)
I’m also a lifelong learner, and regularly attend training or continuing professional development (CPD) events.
Jason Housecroft
Advanced Specialist Diploma Tutor, Devon
I am an experienced Adult Psychotherapist (Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic) trained within the NHS and at CEDAR before establishing a private practice. I am based in Totnes. I will often work with clients who have experienced severe and complex trauma, difficult relational and developmental issues and cover a range of personality disorders.
Previously I started my career working in the theatre having trained as an actor and then later as a theatre director. I was fortunate to work internationally and spent time working in Russia, Spain, South Africa and finally Kenya with the British Council. I returned to the UK and spent 10 years working as a teacher and director. During my time I became Assistant Head in the Arts and the Director of the Performing Arts Centre at Dartington. Upon leaving I commenced my Psychotherapy training and in tandem co-founded Baobab film company which has gone on to become internationally recognised for its films.
I started teaching for Heartwood in 2022 and have thoroughly enjoyed being able to combine my experiences as a teacher and as a therapist.
Jason Rose
Foundation and Advanced Diploma Tutor, West Yorkshire
Jason began his therapeutic career 13 years ago when he moved from Portsmouth to South Yorkshire to set up and run a therapeutic horticultural social enterprise. The project engaged those who were disadvantaged in horticultural therapy to improve mental, physical, and emotional health. The project worked with ex-offenders, clients experiencing addiction, Clients with various mental health disorders and engaged with local secondary schools to engage students who were classed as NEET (not in education, employment, and training).
Following this Jason’s experience includes one year providing horticultural therapy for students in both primary and secondary schools across Manchester and five years of clinical practice within a medium secure forensic psychiatric hospital. He currently works full time as a Psychological Therapist for the NHS working across three NHS Trusts. Within this role Jason provides 1-1 psychological therapy for staff, traumatic incident support and mediation. Alongside this Jason has 5 years’ experience lecturing on counselling practice, runs a successful private practice, and provides clinical supervision. Jason’s primary focus for therapy is a nature-based ecotherapy model where he uses the natural environment to encourage clients to explore themselves not as separate, but as part of the connected nature of the environment they are in.
He uses an integrative person-centred approach to therapy. Jason has a passion for workplace wellbeing and for engaging with students to ensure they become the best therapists they can be. Jason believes that all students will follow their own path to becoming a counsellor and he actively encourages and supports students to do this. Jason also believes that his authentic, free-spirited and creative approach to teaching allows the student group to get the most out of their learning experience.
Jason believes that it is a real privilege to enter into a client’s world and to be part of their life story. Jason considers metaphorically that with every session he is creating art, and the more art he creates the more he understands the subjects of the art he is creating.
Ania Dopierala
(She/her)
Advanced Diploma Tutor, West Yorkshire
I have been working therapeutically since 2005 and qualified as a counsellor/psychotherapist in 2016. I worked across civil services, NHS, charities and private businesses, across lifespan and across ‘severity’ in mental health presentations, both in Poland where I was born and in the UK where I currently live.
Philosophy and politics are influential in my work and if I am required to give myself a label (which I do reluctantly), I consider myself to be somewhere in the proximity of ‘an integrative feminist psychotherapist’. I often engage with the subject of social injustices and inequalities within the therapy room and reject the neo-liberal narrative of individual responsibility/defect/inability/issue as a main force influencing people’s mental health. In simple terms, the main question I ask in therapy is: ‘What happened/is happening/will happen to you?’ as opposed to: ‘What is wrong with you?’.
I love mountains with all my heart and will not shy from a cold dip in the sea.
Philippa Westmacott-Youlden
Foundation Tutor, West Yorkshire
Philippa has worked in the field of health and wellbeing for over 20 years and is an experienced BACP registered psychotherapeutic counsellor and tutor. Philippa trained at Northern Guild and is a qualified to work with adults and also children and adolescents.
Philippa is an integrative counsellor taking a warm, person-centered approach to her work. She believes that building a safe, trusting therapeutic alliance is key to the success of the work. She often offers creative mediums through which clients can explore and process thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Philippa has provided counselling services in a GP surgery, a local charity and currently runs a private practice in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, whilst also managing a counselling service part-time in an inner-city primary school.
Philippa is an experienced tutor and pleased to be part of the Heartwood tutor team, supporting trainees on their journey.
Sarah Anderton
Advanced Diploma Tutor, Devon
Sarah has a private practice in Devon, offering counselling, supervision, coaching and facilitation to adults. She is a warm, relational counsellor, working from a pluralistic approach. She originally worked in HR, specialising for 15 years in equality and diversity work, especially around disability, gender, race, and harassment and bullying issues. She has always worked across public, private and voluntary sectors, and has enjoyed working with Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), health insurers and an occupational health unit, whilst also offering counselling and supervision privately. Sarah also worked sessionially for 11 years at a national parenting charity, alongside her HR work, and whilst working with very vulnerable families decided to upskill by doing her Level 4 diploma, which then took her in a different direction as a therapist. The journey continues!
Sarah has always worked with groups throughout her career, and enjoys supervising groups. She has experience of supervising across the helping professions, as well as with therapists. She sees supervision as a creative process, a two-way relationship, where everyone gains.
Sarah recently moved to Devon, and is enjoying the sea, local activities, and volunteering at a horse sanctuary. She loves walking with her dog, and nature is important to her.
Debra Grace Jarmain PgDip
Advanced Diploma Tutor, London
Debra is a BACP Registered Counselling Psychotherapist since 2006, who is trained at Postgraduate level. Her current position is as a Forensic Psychotherapist within a secure setting along with an established private practice. Her training modalities are Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Person-Centered Counselling. Her training was one of the last dual modality courses, which means training in two separate theoretical approaches at the same time.
Since qualifying and graduating in 2006 she has run a private practice, supervised, worked as a group facilitator, taught on level 3 and 4, 5 and was Course Coordinator and Lead Tutor for the Foundation Degree, and Acting Pathway Leader. She was also Course Director for an Advanced Contemporary Diploma.
Her experience in Mindfulness informed therapy spans over 10 years and she commits to a mindfulness-based practice daily. Having spent many years exploring meditation (3.5 hours in meditation every Monday for 8 years) and leading workshops she incorporates humanistic, psychodynamic, existential and mindfulness into her practice and teaching.
She has recently taken up piano lessons and finds solace in walking her Patterdale Lakeland Terrier.
Debra attends Sacred Hearts Camp each year in the summer where there is a no phone policy, where she recharges her soul and seeks an inner relationship with self.
Matt Martys
Advanced Diploma Tutor, London
My roles as a tutor, psychotherapist, and supervisor bring both challenges and satisfaction. Engaging with people in this way and witnessing the depth of our shared humanity often leads to moments of inspiration and sorrow. I draw on my experience and training to endeavour to create a space for genuine, authentic contact.
My career as a therapist began in the NHS in East London in 1992. In this first post-qualified role, I confronted mortality while working with people who were dying, from diagnosis to death. It was a profound experience. Since then, I have worked as a therapist in various settings, mostly within the NHS, charities, and education. I have intentionally worked with a wide range of people facing diverse emotional, psychological, and behavioural matters, broadening my understanding of the human experience.
Over the years, my training has encompassed psychodynamic, Jungian, humanistic, and gestalt approaches. These methodologies have informed my practice, helping me to try to find the best ways to support the people I work with. I hold qualifications in counselling (Dip), psychotherapy (PG Dip), and supervision (Dip). I am an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). As a qualified Art Psychotherapist (MA), I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT).
My background in teaching began when I first joined the NHS at the start of my career, running courses for both staff and the public. After teaching for many years, I continue to be a member of faculty at various colleges in London.
My time is now spent in my teaching roles and in private practice, working with individuals, couples, and groups, as well as providing clinical supervision to counsellors and psychotherapists.
Pamela Mason
Foundation and Advanced Diploma Tutor, Devon
After qualifying as an integrative humanistic counsellor, I worked as a counsellor in a local school for several years with young people who had special educational needs whilst expanding my knowledge in the area of autism and ADHD.
In 2013 I began working part-time with young people who had experienced trauma and qualified as an attachment aware and trauma informed lead. More recently I have been working with groups of young people using a CBT-based model to raise their awareness and enable them to recognise negative thinking and to work towards change.
I am currently building my own counselling practice and training to be a corporate well-being coach.
When I am not working, I love to paint and sketch in my favourite place, which is by the sea with my elderly Labrador, Honey, sat close by.
I look forward to meeting you all.
Charlotte Walton
Foundation and Advanced Diploma Tutor, Birmingham
Charlotte has been practising as a counsellor for over twenty five years and has worked in a variety of settings including schools, a GP surgery, the YMCA, and on a psychiatric in-patient unit. Passionate about increasing the accessibility of support for young people, she has established counselling services in education and community settings, as well as online services. As well as delivering counselling and clinical supervision, Charlotte has also been involved for twenty years in the teaching of Counselling, Psychology, and Personal Development courses.
Currently working in private practice, she volunteers for a local charity offering counselling to clients who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. Through her own love of music, and with an awareness of the depth of connection that singing with others can bring, five years ago, through the charity, she set up a women’s singing group, offering the chance to come together in song for ‘fun and friendship’.
Charlotte’s practice is a Humanistic one, rooted in the healing power of two people coming together and building a therapeutic relationship based on authenticity, acceptance, and understanding.
Rebecca Dew
Advanced Diploma Tutor, Birmingham
Rebecca is a tutor joining us at Heartwood Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy. She loves supporting students to see their potential and feels privileged to be a part of supporting the counsellors of tomorrow.
Rebecca has her own private practice which is supported by over ten rescue animals which contribute to the therapeutic space offering psychotherapy to both adults and children.
Rebecca has extensive experience in a range of different clinical settings as a counsellor, a clinical supervisor, and a trainer.
Rebecca’s specialist interest is trauma and mental health. After achieving BACP accreditation status, some of her work now involves critical incident debriefing and training front line emergency services staff in mental health and trauma training.
Sarah Lord
Tutor, Devon
Sarah is now in her third year of teaching at Heartwood, combining her role as a tutor with a safeguarding children role at Devon County Council. She also runs a private practice specialising in counselling children and young people, especially those with Special Educational Needs.
Having worked as a teacher in primary schools for 20 years, Sarah is passionate about providing early mental health support for children and young people. In her spare time, she enjoys writing and has contributed to many publications, including a Children’s Alliance Report for the government about children’s mental health. She is an accredited member of the NCS and on their CYP register, and also contributed to the writing of their CYP Competency Framework.
Sarah was born and raised in the Midlands, so now loves living near the beaches of South Devon; she enjoys spending time there and is learning to paddleboard. She feels very lucky to work in such a beautiful place as Dartington Hall and finds inspiration in seeing her students progress and transform on their journeys to become counsellors.
Trevor Ozanne-Turk
Advanced Diploma Tutor, London
Trevor started his counselling training in 1994, graduating in 1995 with a Level 4 certificate in Counselling. He worked as a volunteer counsellor at a young person’s counselling agency for 8 years, alongside his full-time career in the Fire Service. He left the Fire Service after 20 years to take up counselling full-time in 2001, and eventually ended his volunteer work in 2003.
He has specialised in the field of addictions counselling since 2001, working in front line services, residential rehab, and family services. He left front line work in 2004 to take up a teaching post with Action on Addiction, tutoring students on a Foundation Degree in Addictions Counselling, which later developed into a full Honours Degree.
He left Action on Addiction in 2012 to take up private practice, and offers counselling, supervision, and training from his home base in West Wiltshire.
He has taught counselling across all levels from 2 to 6 at various institutions, including BCPC in Bath, Wiltshire College, Action on Addiction, City of Bristol College and Newman University.
He holds a Level 4 certificate in Counselling, a Level 5 Diploma in Addictions Counselling, a Master’s Degree in Counselling and Supervision and is currently awaiting a Viva Voce examination of his Doctoral Thesis.
Outside of counselling Trevor is a percussionist playing a number of instruments in various styles including Celtic, Middle Eastern, West African, Latin, folk, rock and fusion. He is a keen walker and festival-goer, owner of a VW camper, husband, father, grandfather and follower of the British Pagan tradition.
Ffyona Duncan
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
My interest in Counselling stems from undertaking this therapy in the past on a personal level, plus working in the Care sector for 7 years, enabling me to work with bereavement and depression.
I qualified as a Level 5 Counsellor in October 2021. As part of my qualification I worked with a local charity, completing 100 hours in a voluntary counselling role.
I currently work in private practice. Having trained integratively, I offer a wide range of models including person-centred, psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with goal-focused solution work. I have a foundation certificate in Bereavement Care gained through Cruse. I am constantly expanding my business with new techniques and packages. I enjoy undertaking a wide range of CPD each year.
For the past 4 years I have worked for a college in Stroud, lecturing part-time in Counselling Skills Level 3. 4 times a year I marked Level 2 exams for the examinations board. In early 2023 my colleague and I wrote a level 1 Active Listening Course that was piloted over the 2023/24 academic year. Having gained a Bachelors (Honours) Degree in Teacher Education, I feel that moving into a lecturing role was a good fit for me and a way to utilise my existing skills.
In 2023 I spent 6 months mentoring a new qualified lecturer through the Level 2 Counselling course.
In September 2024 I qualified as a supervisor, enabling me to supervise both student and qualified counsellors in their work with clients. At the same time I also undertook a course in working online, in order to increase my capabilities.
Paul Moulding
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
(he/him)
A registered counsellor with BACP, Paul has been working within the mental health field for the past 16 years. He has a background in careers guidance, helping adults with mental health problems to return to work or retain their employment.
He completed his Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling at Kirklees College in 2018. He has also trained in CBT, Online Counselling, and a Foundation course in Transactional Analysis. Paul is currently training with Relate to be a Couples Counsellor. He recently attended a workshop on Existential Counselling.
Paul worked for Mind as a volunteer counsellor whilst doing his Diploma, and since then has worked on an Employee Assistance Programme, which gave him a lot of experience of working with clients experiencing stress at work. Paul has been working with adults in private practice since 2019.
His life experience has led Paul to a strong belief that mental wellbeing is achieved as a result of taking care of all aspects of ourselves, and that therapy and counselling have an important part to play in achieving that.
Paul first became interested in becoming a counsellor after experiencing how counselling helped him through an episode of anxiety and depression.
Tutoring has been something Paul has enjoyed since being a commercial trainer in retail. He has taught mental health awareness, literacy and numeracy, designed and delivered management development courses and worked as a guest Lecturer at Manchester University, teaching American History.
Paul lives with his partner in West Yorkshire and is a keen walker and cyclist. He has three grown up children. Paul also writes poetry and enjoys cooking historical recipes.
Rachel Hirsch
Foundation in Counselling Tutor, Devon
I trained at Spectrum as a Gestalt psychotherapist until 2000 and Exeter College as an Integrative counsellor around 2006. I became BACP accredited in 2013 and have since trained in Voice Dialogue and in EMDR amongst many other trainings. I have worked in a Women’s Refuge, a Children’s Centre, and in our local schools as a Parent Support Advisor leading Parenting courses and courses for women who had experienced domestic abuse. At the same time I worked as a counsellor with a part time private practice and I helped a local CIC set up free counselling for adults through local funding. I currently work for a local charity working with children and young people under 25 as their in-house Supervisor and as the lead counsellor on trauma work. I also created and piloted a successful Post-Pattern Changing course and with my partner co-led a local men’s group.
In my spare time I do a lot of wild water swimming and enjoy dancing and theatre going.
Shireen Pervaiz
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
I have been a teacher for about 20 years, teaching English and Academic Skills to international students in England and abroad. I retrained as an integrative therapist and qualified in 2017. I am a member of the BACP, working towards accreditation and currently working in private practice. I have worked as a counsellor with the mental health charity Mind, with Bereft, a bereavement charity and with Spiral, a holistic centre offering low-cost counselling to people on low incomes. In addition, I work as a specialist mentor, supporting students at universities who have mental health issues to address and overcome barriers to their learning. I am also currently training to be a couples counsellor.
As a teacher, I am passionate about helping students to develop the tools and skills necessary to achieve a successful outcome on their courses. I am committed to delivering student-centred support that motivates and engages students.
Marion Elkin-Greener
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
Hello, I’m Marion but call me Mer!
I am a genuine, down to earth individual with many years of experience in the mental health and addictions field.
I offer and practice virtual video therapy and clinical supervision from my home in the beautiful West Coast of Scotland.
I am a Licensed Psychologist and a Certified Addictions Therapist, working with adults to overcome mental health issues and addiction.
I’m Accredited by the British Association of Cognitive Behavioural Therapists and the National Counselling Society.
I’ve been a Psychologist, Tutor, and Mental Health Trainer for 25 years and I absolutely love what I do.
I was trained and educated in the United States where I graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s in counselling psychology.
I also had a successful private practice in Chicago, IL for over 10 years.
I moved back to Scotland in 2014 and returned to university to complete my Professional Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
I am an integrative psychologist utilising a variety of modalities including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Person-Centred Therapy to name a few. My primary passion is teaching and mental health awareness.
In my spare time, I spend a lot of time at the beach or exploring the local forest preserve with our kids and dogs. I also love photography and to travel as much as I can.
Chris MacDonald
Advanced Diploma Tutor, Devon
Chris has worked as a counselling skills trainer for South Devon College. He was a counsellor for students in Devon high schools for the past 20 years. More recently he has qualified to work as an EMDR practitioner.
As well as tutoring at Heartwood, he has a small private practice as a counsellor, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor.
Chris enjoys cooking, wine making and walking his dog.
Catherine O’Connor
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
Catherine worked in the corporate sector for 15 years supporting the CEO of a law firm where she felt very unfulfilled and desired to expand on her interpersonal/humanistic drive of connection with others. She embarked on her Level 2 CPCAB counselling course and qualified as an integrative therapist back in 2019. She is a member of the BACP, is working towards accreditation and currently works in her private practice where she is passionate in supporting predominantly women going through the menopause. She also works with a counselling charity offering therapy to her local community and takes an active role in supporting counselling trainees. She has experience in working within a hospice and the local council.
Catherine is passionate about teaching and is a Level 2/3 CPCAB tutor for various colleges throughout Kent. Catherine is eager to pass her knowledge to those seeking the same vocation and is dedicated and congruent in that process.
Camilla Holroyd
Foundation in Counselling Tutor and Advanced Diploma Assessor
Camilla is an NCS accredited counsellor and runs a private practice, working integratively with adults as well as children and young people, from her home in North Devon. She also offers eco-therapy, in the beautiful natural surroundings near her home, and animal-assisted therapy with her dog, Penny. Camilla completed her Level 4 at Heartwood and loves being able to work at the place she trained. Prior to counselling, Camilla worked for many years as a teacher in secondary schools and an FE college, and after qualifying as a counsellor and establishing her own practice, is now able to combine her teaching skills with her passion for counselling. Camilla also volunteers with a youth outreach project in her local area, and loves working with teenagers.
Beth Hicks
Foundation and Advanced Diploma Tutor, Devon
Beth has been teaching at Heartwood for the past two years and feels she has been able to hone her teaching style to integrate theory, real life experiences and her own journey with mental health.
Beth has a sound theoretical knowledge of a wide range of counselling theories, has a special interest in both attachment theory and trauma, and has a vast amount of experience of working with trauma. Beth is a keen advocate for lifelong learning and is dedicated to her continued professional development through reading, studying, listening and learning, all things counselling related.
For Young Devon, Beth has worked as a counsellor in a Plymouth secondary school. For dBs Music College, Beth has worked with students with additional mental health diagnoses including psychosis and schizophrenia. For First Light, Beth has undertaken specialist sexual violence training and worked with survivors of sexual violence for several years.
Beth currently works full-time as a counsellor splitting her time to meet with clients in different locations. Her counselling work takes her into a Plymouth secondary school, she works as an associate counsellor for Psychology Associates, and online in her own private practice. In addition to this Beth works as a specialist mental health mentor and supports several students with their mental health and wellbeing whilst studying for their degrees.
Further to her counselling work, Beth feels continuously invigorated by her teaching role at Heartwood and has taught consistently for the past two years, leading several cohorts through their equivalent to level three foundation course in counselling, both online and in person.
In addition to her counselling qualifications, Beth holds a BA Degree in Drama from an accredited London Drama School and has worked professionally in TV, theatre and film, and co-founded and manages a locally based theatre company – who focus on topical mental health issues – in which she writes, acts and directs.
Jess Leigh
Advanced Diploma Tutor, London
Jess teaches our Advanced Diploma course at Regent’s Park in London, and is an experienced BACP-registered Psychotherapist, Assessor, Mediator and Trainer working in private practice. A former Executive Producer in Television, Jess retrained over ten years ago when a period of mental and physical burnout forced seismic change. Qualifying as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor at Masters Level with Distinction, she set up a thriving practice in 2015 seeing a diverse range of adult individuals and couples. Jess loves the variety a ‘Portfolio’ career offers – one day delivering psychological assessments for contributors on TV shows; the next facilitating multi-faceted presentations of clients drawn mainly from the City, Media and Government. (Clients in public jobs share “really good gossip” but unfortunately, she cannot reveal it.) Jess has a particular interest in working with relationship issues such as recovery from coercive control and narcissism. Her underscoring modality is ‘Humanistic’ but she describes her particular practice as Existential, covering all the ‘big questions’ whilst encouraging authentic living. Jess works uniquely and creatively with an individual or group drawing on her Toolbox of training. She has volunteered in a range of charities including a low-cost community centre, a Women’s Centre and a Hospice delivering group work courses and qualified bereavement counselling. A lover of True Crime Telly, Ironic Comedy, Psychological Podcasts and Modern Architecture, she regularly takes up CPD opportunities. Next up will be Supervision.
Nick Shallow
Foundation in Counselling Tutor, West Yorkshire
Qualified and Accredited Children’s Psychotherapeutic Counsellor via the UKCP. Completion of Adult Integrative Psychotherapy Diploma. Qualified Teaching Status (QTS).
I am currently a qualified and UKCP accredited Child Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. I trained at TACT (Therapy and Counselling Teesside) on the Children’s Psychotherapeutic Counselling Course. My training helped me explore a range of different theories and I am confident across several integrated therapies. I use a relational model and believe that a good therapeutic-client rapport is vital for growth. My experience with children and young people is stretched over nine years. Initially, as a sports coach and a primary school teacher before qualifying as a therapist. I have worked with a range of ages from five to seventeen years of age. Additionally, I have worked with children from a variety of backgrounds, genders, ethnicities and non-English speaking children via an interpreter.
In my adult work, I have worked over 90 hours of adult client work with adults in the Teesside area.
In my spare time, I have a passion for furthering my skills at therapeutic CPDs and also partaking in sports such as football, high intensity workouts, boxing and running.
‘I believe therapy gives people a regular and confidential space to talk about their worries, and problems or a chance to explore more about themselves. Talking to a therapist in a confidential setting can help people gain new or different perspectives. This can lead to changes in how they feel about themselves, relationships with others as well as their thinking and behaviour’.
Suyara de Andrade Baccini
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
I am a dedicated mental health professional and a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). My educational background began in nursing and evolved into teaching undergraduate students at the university level. However, it was my decision to delve into the field of counselling that transformed my professional and personal trajectory.
Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree as a child and adolescent psychotherapist under the UK Council for Psychotherapists (UKCP). My professional experience extends beyond child and adolescent psychotherapy, as I have worked with adults facing various life challenges.
Studying counselling has been a profound and life-changing experience for me, allowing me to explore the complexities of the human mind and emotions. I am deeply passionate about facilitating positive change in the lives of others and committed to bringing all my knowledge and expertise to the table. My goal is to provide you with a life-changing experience similar to the one I have had the privilege to undergo.
Wendy Elliott
Advanced Diploma Tutor, Devon
Wendy is an integrative and holistic therapist registered with NCPS. Wendy has own practice in Devon providing counselling and clinical supervision for people in her area alongside tutoring at Heartwood.
Wendy previously worked in the education system for over 20 years managing and supervising staff, working with child protection issues and families from deprived areas around the bay, Wendy soon realised that she needed more to cope with the never-ending demands of her job, the staff around her and the parents and children she worked with and this is how her counselling journey began.
Wendy is also a trained Special Education Needs Co-ordinator and Early Years Professional. Wendy started her counselling journey volunteering with Counselling for Carers and Children and Families in Grief which is based in her local area and still has excellent connections with them today.
Carly Read
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
Carly is an feminist therapist with a LGBTQIA+ friendly private practice based in the hipster heart of Bristol. She is a member of the Red Clinic in London, a collective of left wing activists with the mission goal of making therapy accessible to the working classes, and the associate young people’s therapist for Wired Differently. A social enterprise run by neurodivergent people for neurodivergent people. Carly ascribes to the philosophy that the personal really is political, a key thread that runs throughout all of her work.
Carly holds a BA Hons in Sociology, a Masters in Art and Politics from Goldsmiths, University of London and a fair few counselling qualifications. Including one in working with children and young people from Exeter University. Carly has experience of working for respected charities and NGOs, such as Women’s Aid National Office, The National Domestic Violence Helpline, Rape Crisis and Off the Record Bristol, a social justice mental health movement for young people. Though fundamentally an integrative therapist she specialises in offering creative and trauma informed therapy to young people and survivors of sexual abuse. She believes passionately in the potential of art and creative expression to heal.
Carly is also an artist. She has held professional residencies across the South West, won a couple of awards including a grant from Art Council England, and exhibited her paintings in galleries throughout the UK. Her work is mostly concerned with how we record and honour the memory and testimonies of female survivors, past and present. Though she’s partial to painting pretty seascapes too.
In her spare time Carly enjoys getting tattooed, attending pretentious art galleries, 24 hour libraries, hibernating in her art studio and travelling around Eastern Asia collecting hats and Hello Kitty stationary.
Claire Hull
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
I first began my therapeutic career back in 2007 when supporting clients in both group and one-to-one sessions, within psychiatric facilities located within the West Midlands. As my career developed, delivering accredited CPD and Psychological wellbeing workshops to both professionals and clients, my love of teaching was born. This led me to a wonderful opportunity to support clients within the West Midlands where access to mental health services were limited.
I am an experienced Psychotherapist and Counsellor, with experience working across a range of settings, some of which include Children’s services, adult end-of-life care in Hospice’s, Immigration removal centres, and within the NHS. I now work in Private practice, as a Psychotherapist and Counsellor, Tutor, Couples therapist and Clinical Supervisor.
I use an integrative person-centred approach to therapy. I have taught Counselling for the last 5 years, and separately I have also had the opportunity to support students within their student placement in my previous roles as clinical lead for a large mental health charity and a senior bereavement counsellor. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed supporting the students in their journeys to becoming qualified counsellors and Psychotherapists. I have always loved what I do and feel honoured to have worked with the individuals I have for the services I have. I have recently moved from the city to the countryside, and whilst I am still adjusting to the slower pace of life, I am very focused on my very full household and on building my private practice.
Sara Drew
Advanced Diploma Tutor, Devon
Sara has been following a rich and interesting path in human growth and development both before and since qualifying as a humanistic, integrative counsellor/psychotherapist in 2007.
Her model of working, whether teaching, facilitating, or counselling is collaborative, supportive, educational and guiding. Respect for autonomy, self-responsibility, and the adult capacity to act in the world, lies at the heart of her work.
Sara’s therapeutic experience includes an inner city GP surgery, an HIV support charity and young people’s support service. She also set up and ran a school counselling service. Most recently she worked at the University of Exeter Wellbeing service as a counsellor and also has experience delivering a Home Office cognitive training package to imprisoned offenders. Sara is a Voice Dialogue practitioner (energy work and dialogue with aspects of self), and trained with international facilitators Trilby Fairfax and Peter Dellensen and worked alongside them as a trainer for more than 10 years. She also taught on an counselling training courses for eight years.
Throughout, she has maintained a private practice as a therapist and supervisor. She is drawn by the healing power of nature and the importance of seeing ourselves as part of the natural world and not separate from it. She brings current ecological and environmental issues into her work: sometimes grief and anxiety are not private issues, more a response to the state of our world.
Sara is also an affirmed as a Way of Council Carrier/Facilitator and is a member of the European Council Network (ECN) and has completed a four year mentoring and apprenticeship as a Facilitator of Council, working in the UK with ECN trainer Pippa Bondy. She has also trained in Wilderness Rites of Passage Ceremonies with the School of Lost Borders in the US and has a background in journalism and third sector community projects.
Sara enjoys practicing Tai-chi, sea swimming and time in nature.
Andreea Varga
Advanced Diploma Tutor, London
Andreea is a BACP integrative counsellor with 4-years’ experience of clinical practice in various sectors, including higher education, low-cost and charity organisations and private practice. She was granted a post-graduate advanced diploma in Humanistic-Integrative
Counselling from CPPD, London, in 2021 and is currently training to become a certified supervisor with CSTD, London.
Andreea’s approach to counselling is relational. She believes that building a safe and trusting working alliance is a prerequisite for any profound changes and self-growth to
occur. Whilst heavily influenced by Psychodynamic theories, she also completed training in CBT, neuroscience of attachment, shame and trauma, IFS and Polyvagal Theory.
Currently, she manages a private practice in London working with adults on issues of anxiety, depression, self-esteem, abuse, anger, shame and self-loathing, relationships and family dynamics, self-harm, suicidal ideation and trauma. In her past role of associate counsellor at Royal School of Drama, she worked with home and international students in performance arts, delivering brief therapy with a focus on managing performance anxiety, perfectionism, body image and eating issues, transitions and group dynamics.
Subsequent to her counselling training, Andreea worked as a lecturer in higher education
across different countries for 14 years. During her time tutoring at Kaplan College,
Warwick University and UCL, she gained a deeper understanding of diverse learning needs and cultural backgrounds. She is committed to promoting cultural sensitivity and creating a welcoming and safe environment which enables students to interact and work
together harmoniously.
Having a Masters Degree in Creative Writing, Andreea is passionate about the therapeutic value of writing. In the past, she was involved in charity work with underprivileged children,
leading creative writing workshops. This helped her understand the value of empowering individuals by facilitating a means for their voices to be heard. In both her teaching and counselling roles, she has come to realise the importance of individuals to feel supported and accepted within themselves and their environments in order to actualise their potential.
Hannah Creedon
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
Hannah Creedon (she/her) is a Integrative Counselling Psychotherapist from Ireland. She is based in Brighton and has been working in the mental health field there for over 6 years, and has held a variety of different roles including Mental Health Advocate with Mindout LGBTQ Mental health service.
Hannah is passionate about equality and social justice. She has a master’s in Equality Studies from University College Dublin. The focus of her work is improving life for LGBTQ individuals who struggle with their mental health.
In addition to this she works as Freelance Trainer, designing and delivering specialised training for anyone interested in LGBTQ Inclusion.
Hannah has a Level 3 Award in Teaching and Education. She has taught both Level 2 and Level 3 Counselling skills courses in Brighton through the CPTA, accredited by the CPCAB. She likes her classes to be open, lively and inclusive to all learning types, as she believes we are our best selves when we feel safe and relaxed.
Being trauma-informed is fundamental to all aspects of Hannah’s career. She is currently training to teach Mindfulness techniques through the Forest Bathing Institute. This encourages her to take her time and cultivate a slower pace in all parts of her life.
She loves being able to combine her experience in her varied roles and she is excited to continue to help support those interested in pursuing the career themselves.
Jenn Payne-Gregory
Foundation in Counselling Tutor
Jenn is a BACP accredited person-centred counsellor who works in private practice in Hove on the South Coast. She has worked with a diverse range of adult clients exploring relationship issues, trauma, ADHD/autism, anxiety/depression, existential and identity questions like who am I or what is the point in life. Having initially studied psychodynamic, attachment, and transactional analysis, she settled on becoming a person-centred counsellor and completed a BA (hons) and diploma at Metanoia. Jenn is passionate about the depth and flexibility that can be offered through this approach in meeting people where they are and the power of each person to trust themselves. This is the spirit that she also brings to teaching, seeking to offer a freedom for each individual to find their own way in a collaborative, non-judgemental inclusive learning environment that meets them where they are.
Jenn previously worked for the government on international policy, running projects and facilitating complex sometimes contentious group discussions to explore policy changes. After 10 years working there it clashed too much with her own ethics. So after a period of searching and reflection, she decided to retrain as a counsellor hoping to give others some of the acceptance and understanding that she had gained in her own therapy. While some days are of course challenging, she is grateful for the privilege of walking alongside clients as they share their innermost world, hopes, fears, pains and vulnerabilities.
On a less serious note, Jenn loves dancing in the kitchen, jazz music, walking the dog on the beach, practising mindfulness, and continually learning! Currently she is exploring transpersonal therapy and the mystery of one’s soul.
Dinah Mears
Tutor in Relationship Counselling (Advanced Specialist Diploma)
I began my career by training as a State Registered Nurse and then moved into community work running Family Support Groups and a Youth Club for Devon County Council. In 1993 I worked with the International Red Cross resettling traumatised refugee families to Devon from the war in the former Yugoslavia. I began my therapeutic training in 1999, alongside my role in a child protection team where I began to develop an open access support service for parents and children.
While completing both the Foundation and Clinical practice Certificate in Family Therapy from Exeter University’s Department of Psychology, I spent 10 years working as a manager of Family Support Services in the field of Child Protection.
I then worked as a counsellor and trainer with Relate for 10 years, before developing my own private counselling practice. During the last sixteen years, I have also become a specialist trainer and consultant in the field of Domestic Abuse, Child Sexual Abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation. I deliver training on these subjects across the UK.
Outside my work I enjoy swimming, vinyasa yoga and a spot of fairweather camping.
Relationships are the core part of how we function in the world as human beings, and as such my curiosity about them is fundamental to the work that I do whether it is counselling, training or supervision.
Teresa Gray
BA (Hons) Humanities, MA Cultural Studies, PG Cert Coaching and Mentoring, Level 4 Advanced Diploma in Counselling, MNCPS (Acc.)
Foundation in Counselling Assessor
I am a qualified Counsellor, having graduated from Heartwood with a Level 4 Advanced Diploma in Counselling and an MNCPS (Acc.). I assess the Level 3 equivalent courses at Heartwood and have previously taught Level 2 and Level 3 Foundation in Counselling.
I come from a background in art, design and media education bringing 25 years of experience as an educator and curriculum manager in further, higher, and postgraduate education. I have a wealth of experience as a lecturer, pastoral tutor, coach, and mentor.
My concern for student welfare led me to a career in mental health support. I gained a PG Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring and went on to work in the Welfare to Work sector, where I have supported, trained, and coached people, with complex needs and challenges, to manage their mental health as they transition back into employment and/or education/training.
I am a qualified adult Mental Health First Aid instructor (MHFA England ™ Instructor Member). In this capacity, I train individuals and organisations in mental health awareness and as MHfaiders™. I am passionate about developing wellbeing in the workplace and am an advocate for creating and sustaining mentally healthier businesses and communities, in this capacity, I support organisations with mental health awareness initiatives.
I have a private practice offering online counselling.
I am also a great believer in lifelong learning and continuous personal development. In my ‘spare time,’ I am currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing. I also love spending time with my family and friends, being out in nature, whether that’s sitting under the trees at Dartington, walking my dog on Devon and Cornwall beaches in winter, or just sitting in my garden.
Willow Dicker
Foundation in Counselling Assessor
Willow comes from a Social Work background having worked for five years in the field before deciding to leave the profession for a slightly slower pace of life.
Willow has also undertaken her Level 4 training in counselling. Her passion lies with working with children and she has lots of experience in Child Protection, particularly children in care.
Willow marks our Level 3 assessments. Sometimes Willow will come in and help teach the Child Protection and Attachment Theory days on our courses due to her experience and knowledge of the subject.
Dr Phillip A. Rees BA(Hons), ThD, PhD(Psychology), DipCoun, DipPTSC, CertSuper, MISMA, FRSPH, FCollT, FCIEA, FRSA, Member of the Chartered College of Teachers, Licensed NLP Practitioner,
Heartwood External Examiner/Verifier
I have had the privilege of being involved in the training of counsellors and psychotherapists in Independent, Further and Higher Education centres of learning. I have worked as a Lecturer and Programme Manager to a large Counselling Department at a Further Education College in Birmingham. I have delivered Counselling Training Courses, Summer Schools and Workshops throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland – and in Gibraltar! I have written a wide range of training courses from Level 2 to Level 6 for a major Awarding Body which have been delivered all over the UK. In addition, I wrote a Training Manual for Pharmacists in counselling skills and practise which was published by the University of Manchester and used as the core material for training Pharmacists across England and Scotland. I have also been External Examiner to the University of Greenwich and the University of Nottingham.
I worked for AQA (Counselling) for nearly twenty years as an External Verifier, Chair of Examiners for twelve years and Chief External Verifier for two years. From 2014, I have been working with AIM Awards as an External Verifier to their Counselling programmes of learning within FE, HE and Independent Training Centres.
In 2013, I was appointed by the National Counselling Society as their Independent Assessor, and act as External Examiner and Verifier to a number of Independent Centres who have chosen the NCS route for the accreditation of the counselling training courses.
