About Us
We are a not for profit social enterprise partnership formed in June 2010. We hope that you will find our directory and website a really helpful and useful resource.
We are Cloud, Deborah, Havva and Susan. We all proudly identify as lesbian. We share all the decision making and the workload.
Below are short biographies giving some details of our backgrounds, interests and reasons for getting involved in setting up the first lesbian therapist directory in the UK.
Cloud - I've been in private practice for 22 years. Most of my clients and supervisees have been lesbians. I also work on the staff team at PET (Psychosynthesis and Education Trust) where I supervise training groups and run a psychosynthesis course for women, "Who am I really?", on the Public Studies Programme. I had always thought it would be good to have an exclusively lesbian therapist directory. However while working for 7 years as a clinical associate to a director of an organisation that caters for the needs of sexual minority clients and therapists, my increasing perception that the concerns and issues affecting lesbians (in particular, feminist lesbians), were being marginalised, moved me to approach other women to join me in setting up this unique enterprise. I have also continued, since the 70's, to be an active lesbian feminist in other areas of my life.
Deborah - I've been practising as an integrative psychosynthesis counsellor for 9 years. I work in private practice in North London with individuals, couples, and those in other relationships. I also work as a trainer, consultant and facilitator in the voluntary and public sectors, and offer various therapeutic self development workshops. I am particularly interested in the complex issues of culture, heritage, difference and oppression. I believe this directory of lesbian therapists is a valuable addition to the resources already available to people looking for a counsellor or therapist and I've been very happy to support its development.
Havva - I have been practising as an integrative counsellor for 12 years. I work with individuals, people in relationships, and with groups. I also run workshops on a variety of topics including identity issues and train on Equality issues. I am a Clinical Associate of Pink Therapy Services where I am part of the training team on the Certificate in Sexual Minority Therapy. I think that a directory of Lesbian Counsellors and Therapists is an important addition to the services currently available to lesbian clients, particularly those who clearly identify as lesbian and feminist. I think there has to be a space in the therapeutic community for many voices, but feel that on the whole, the lesbian feminist voice is missing in these contexts. I think that our presence will make the therapeutic arena more inclusive and add to the debates currently taking place around the need for positive representations of many communities in this arena.
Susan - I have been an integrative psychosynthesis therapeutic counsellor for 14 years, but I have been involved in counselling since the 1980's when I worked as a volunteer in the San Francisco Rape Crisis centre. After completing a degree in Women Studies, and returning to London, I worked with excluded children and children in care and helped to develop and run an in-school service that brought counselling to parents and carers who would not have used an external service. Throughout this time I have worked within the LGBT community, facilitating groups and workshops and working with individuals, teenagers and couples. I believe, and research shows, that the relationship between therapist and client is central to a successful outcome. The client's ability to choose the therapist with whom they feel safe is therefore vital, and more so for any person who may have experienced prejudice or discrimination. This directory is a valuable resource for anyone who wishes to choose a lesbian therapist, and I am proud to have been able to help set it up, and be part of a team that has worked according to co-operative and non-hierarchical principles.
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