Who am I?
I recognise that beginning counselling can feel both challenging and necessary—an act of courage driven by a desire for change. That’s why relationships are central to my approach. I prioritise trust, connection, and safety, taking the time to understand you and create a space where you feel heard and valued.
I aim to be fully present, offer space to listen, bring compassion, and, when appropriate, introduce gentle challenge. I strive to understand your experiences and values without judgment. Collaboration is at the core of my practice, ensuring you remain in control of your journey while I provide support for exploration and growth.
With 19 years of teaching experience, including a decade in leadership roles, I currently oversee mental health and wellbeing in a secondary education setting. I am passionate about providing tailored support for each individual. My work focuses on fostering resilience and emotional well-being, building trust-based relationships characterised by empathy, care, and innovation. I take pride in having co-delivered a community model of trauma-informed practice and am deeply committed to creating safe, compassionate spaces that promote therapeutic growth.
Charlene is a dedicated, optimistic, and creative counsellor known for her thorough approach to professional practice. Colleagues and clients alike describe her as kind and nurturing while maintaining fairness and clear boundaries. Her relentless determination ensures that she provides thoughtful and compassionate support to those in her care.
Trained in an integrative approach, she prioritises the individual and the therapeutic relationship, adapting interventions from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), psychodynamic theory, person-centred techniques, psychosocial models, and elements of transactional analysis. Understanding that the counselling process can sometimes feel overwhelming, she is dedicated to helping clients make sense of their experiences in a way that feels accessible and meaningful, leveraging intuition and various forms of expression.
The power of this approach lies in its focus on each person’s unique experiences and what resonates most with them. From this foundation, she provides insights, tools, and support tailored to each individual’s journey. Growth occurs when therapy adapts to the individual rather than the other way around.
Charlene is currently completing her Diploma in Relational Counselling, having previously gained her COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills.
Charlene has completed specialist training, including advanced and foundation Courses in the Drawing and Talking Approach, alongside ASSIST (Prevention against Suicide Training). She believes personal reflection is essential to providing the highest quality support and remains engaged in ongoing training and supervision to ensure her practice is ethical, informed, and responsive to evolving client needs.
Charlene is a member of COSCA (Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland) and is also PVG registered with Disclosure Scotland.
