Abuse doesn’t always leave bruises.
Sometimes, it shows up as subtle control, emotional manipulation, or a slow erosion of your self-worth.
You may have been gaslit — made to question your own reality.
Your boundaries may have been dismissed.
You may have been repeatedly disrespected, diminished, or made to feel like you were the problem.
And the worst part? You might not have even realised it at the time, or second guessed yourself or thought you were being unreasonable or paranoid.
Emotional abuse can be insidious — and the impact often lingers long after the relationship has ended.
You might be left struggling to trust others, or yourself. You might feel anxious, lost, numb, or exhausted from constantly overthinking or trying to “fix” yourself.
You might find it difficult to step into new relationships — or to fully step into your own life.
Therapy can help to:
It’s time to begin the process of remembering who you are, not who you had to be, and allow the Phoenix to rise from the ashes.
My therapeutic approach is unique. I integrate psychotherapy and solution-focused coaching, helping clients to process the impact and effects of abusive relationships and to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes.
Abusive relationships affect both men and women and occur in all types of relationships. I have lived experience of most of the therapies that I work with, including stress, addictions and unhealthy relationships, so I am able to offer deep empathy, understanding and a non-judgmental approach.
Therapy can often feel worse before it gets better. It’s easy to get stuck in victim mode, analysing the past. My approach combines therapy and phased coaching, helping you to do the necessary initial deep work to reflect, acknowledge and develop self-compassion. It’s essential that you are then guided out of this stage towards rebuilding yourself – developing a greater connection to self, discovering your authentic self and rediscovering freedom, joy and potentially love again.
Therapy in Chelmsford
1:1 Personal Therapy and Coaching
Decentre Romantic Relationships Sessions and Events
Addiction /Behaviour Pattern Recovery Support
I highly recommend all clients have at least one somatic therapeutic art session to help to release any embodied energy held within the body. I run classes fortnightly so this can be taken as part of a group or as an individual therapy session.
Informed by the pioneering work of Cornelia Elbrecht, who draws from the psychological theories of Dr Peter Levine, Carl Jung and Bessel van der Kolk, these somatic body based approaches support your physical body to complete the ‘Fight or Flight’ Response that very often in humans cannot be completed at the time of danger or can be stuck in freeze mode. This a little like when animals ‘play dead’, humans often describe the experience as feeling ‘dead inside’, however the little beetle gets up pretty soon but in or after an abusive relationship you can feel permanently in this type of state.
Incomplete responses can sometimes result in a range of health conditions which tend to show up differently in men and women. Also difficulty feeling and expressing emotion tends to be more directed inwards by women and resulting in health problems, but directed outwardly for males resulting in greater audacity behaviours which can result in over performance or getting into violent situations.
Rebuilding strength, beauty and self worth through the art of repair
A Kintsugi class offers a gentle, creative space for anyone who has experienced emotional pain, loss, or abuse and is ready to begin rebuilding from within.
Inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi – where broken pottery is repaired with gold to highlight, not hide, its cracks. This symbolises how our own healing can create something even more beautiful and resilient than before.
Through mindful creative practice and reflection, the process of mending and transforming each piece becomes a metaphor for integrating past experiences and reclaiming a sense of wholeness, strength, and hope.
You don’t need any artistic experience — just an open heart and a willingness to explore the beauty of becoming whole again.
Discard the Old
Acknowledge the past and develop self compassion, address any shame and begin to recognise and dismantle old beliefs and identities associated with the person you needed to be to survive. Metabolise old feelings and energies held in your body using somatic approaches and release your past.
Re-discover and Rebuild
Start to understand who you are now. Rediscover an authentic you, free to determine your own preferences, choices, need and decisions. Rebuild yourself. Connect back to your core self, building self esteem, worthiness and develop a compelling vision for your future.
Future Proofing
Determining your new goals and aspirations, developing healthy boundaries and gaining clarity on what you want from life and new potential partners. Reduce the risk of walking back into another unhealthy relationship by being aware of red flag behaviours and developing confidence and assertiveness.