Our Therapists

Kathryn
Hackland

Chester

Kathryn offers Person Centred counselling and works with both individuals and couples. Her background involves working with peri-natal trauma including miscarriage and stillbirth, post-natal depression, chronic illness, living with uncertainty, anxiety, depression and loss.

Kathryn has also helped clients who have suffered trauma and abuse.

Christine
Pool

Online

Christine is an experienced relationship and psychosexual therapist, who works with individuals and couples and also with issues relating to intimacy, loss of desire and erectile dysfunction.

She is a registered member of the BACP.

Christine also has many years experience working with the Macmillan cancer organisation covering a wide range of issues, illness, change, loss and grief. She also has experience in working with anxiety and stress related issues.

She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychosexual Therapy and is a Relate trained therapist.

Gemma
Smith

Chester

Gemma is a DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) informed and integrative Arts Psychotherapist grounded in the understanding of early attachment and relationships and how these are connected to people's present difficulties. She believes in the importance of the relationship between the therapist and the client. Finding the most appropriate and tailored way of working together for long lasting, meaningful results.

She is HCPC registered and has several years’ experience of working with adults and children in primary care, the charity sector and health and social care. Gemma also has extensive experience working with clients who have a history of trauma, anxiety & depression, low self-esteem, relationship issues, bereavement, loss & separation, social isolation & loneliness, domestic abuse & coercive control, OCD, identity, fostering & adoption, health issues, life transitions, feelings of sadness and dissatisfaction with life.

DDP can be a helpful approach to improve the family unit and relationships within it. Gemma can work with parents and children both jointly and separately, whilst also working with adults and couples. She uses Art therapy which is a useful approach to support and deepen the therapeutic process and can also help if clients struggle to verbalise their emotions and feelings (no art experience is needed). These approaches can be stand alone or used collaboratively. However, regardless of the approach she endeavours to offer a safe and open therapy space for clients to explore and process the struggles they may be facing.

Gemma offers face to face and online sessions, and can also provide supervision to both qualified and Art therapists in training.

Shirley
Tuson

Chester

Shirley has many years experience of working both as a counsellor and a cognitive behavioural therapist within the NHS, delivering evidence based interventions to clients with a wide range of psychological presentations. She has a postgraduate diploma in counselling and also in CBT and is accredited by the BABCP. Shirley has additional training and qualifications in EMDR and couples therapy. Her approach is integrative and compassionate, valuing the individuality of clients. She adapts therapy to their particular needs, whilst offering a safe space to explore their issues and find a way forward.

Shirley has lots of experience working with stress, depression, anxiety (including health, anxiety, and OCD) grief and complex childhood trauma.