About me
Counsellor, integrative therapist, former secondary‑school teacher — and someone who knows first‑hand how much change a thoughtful therapeutic space can make.
Hello – I'm Ru
I came to counselling after navigating my own mental health challenges, shaped by a hyper‑religious upbringing and undiagnosed ADHD that wasn't recognised until adulthood. I had become a perfectionist and an overworker with few boundaries, often swinging between panic and frustration. Therapy helped me understand myself as a person with needs, feelings and a voice — someone who deserved to be heard, valued and supported.
Alongside this, I spent 20 years teaching in secondary schools and saw a sharp rise in anxiety, low mood, masking, shutdowns, perfectionism and burnout in my students, particularly those who were neurodivergent, trauma‑experienced, LGBTQIA+ or otherwise marginalised. During Covid it became clear that the system couldn't meet the complexity of their needs, and I realised my strengths would be better used in therapeutic work.
I'm a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
I work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework and engage in regular clinical supervision and ongoing professional development.
I retrained while tutoring children who couldn't attend mainstream school — mostly SEND, which deepened my experience of supporting autistic young people, those with ADHD or PDA, and those carrying trauma. My placements involved working with children, young people, parents and adults, as well as bereavement work with Cruse. I later worked for a service supporting children and young people impacted by sexual abuse, helping reduce the impact of trauma in measurable ways.
I now run Ravenscliffe Counselling, working with both adults and young people from my therapy room in Newark‑on‑Trent.
My therapeutic approach
My therapeutic style is grounded, collaborative and humanistic. I keep the client at the centre of the work and focus on enabling and empowering people to understand and express themselves, working towards what Maslow termed self‑actualisation.
I am an integrative therapist, drawing on approaches such as Gestalt, parts work, creative activities, psycho‑education and body‑based awareness. I have completed Part 1 of the Somatic Experiencing training with Babette Rothschild, which supports my work with trauma held in the body.
Working with trauma in the body
Trauma often becomes "trapped" when the nervous system goes into a freeze or shutdown response. I help clients gently reconnect with the wisdom of the body, increase their window of tolerance, and find ways to feel safe, grounded and connected. From this steadier place, clients can begin to process trauma in a secure, held and paced way.
Clients describe me as authentic, clear, accepting and open‑minded. I am committed to ongoing learning, particularly around gender and sexual identities, so I can support clients wherever they are in their life experience. My aim is to offer a space that is clear, direct and supportive — not clinical, patronising or fluffy.
Working with younger children
With younger children, I use a play‑based approach. Children often process their feelings through play, sensory activities, roleplay and drawing or painting. I offer a space where they can take the lead, make choices and experience autonomy. This helps them build agency, confidence and emotional understanding in a way that feels natural and accessible.
Qualifications & training
I hold an AIM Level 4 Diploma in Counselling Practice and a CPCAB Level 6 Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People. My further training includes: