My Story

The Northern College of Clinical Hypnotherapy grew from my own journey — more than 20 years of working therapeutically with people, a background in healthcare counselling and psychology, my own lived experience, and an enduring curiosity about what truly helps people create meaningful and lasting change.

My journey began in the NHS, where I worked with people experiencing complex health needs, including neurological conditions, chronic pain, mental ill health and end-of-life care. One particular patient, who was quadriplegic and living with significant neurological pain, said something to me that I have never forgotten:

“When you give me those medicines, it doesn’t stop my pain; it just stops me from being able to tell you I’m in pain.”

That stayed with me. It made me curious about pain, perception and the relationship between the mind and body, and it encouraged me to look beyond a purely medical model of care.

Over the years, I continued my education in psychology, counselling and therapeutic practice while exploring approaches including clinical hypnotherapy, NLP, mindfulness, Reiki, Traditional Chinese Medicine, EFT, IEMT, psychosensory techniques, breathwork and compassionate enquiry. I have been fortunate to learn from and train with many wonderful therapists and teachers along the way, including Angela Glasgow and Brian Glenn, alongside further specialist training that has continued to shape the integrative way I work and teach today.

But my understanding of therapy hasn't come from textbooks and training rooms alone.

I also bring lived experience.

I know what it is to experience emotional pain, trauma and addiction, and I know what it is to rebuild a life in recovery. Hypnotherapy became an important part of my own journey, and my personal and professional experiences eventually came together to create one of the strongest passions within my work: supporting people affected by substance misuse and addiction and improving access to meaningful recovery support.

That passion now extends beyond my private clinical work. I am the Director of Joyful Mind North East CIC, a community-interest organisation created to help make therapeutic and recovery support available to people who may otherwise be unable to afford it. I am particularly passionate about developing better approaches for people experiencing substance misuse disorders and about training therapists who feel confident and equipped to work within this field.

From Therapist to Teacher

After more than 25 years of therapeutic work, my role has evolved considerably. Today, I am a Clinical Hypnotherapist, trainer, mentor, clinical supervisor and Director of Studies at the Northern College of Clinical Hypnotherapy.

I'm also a published author, podcaster and public speaker, and I love taking the conversation about hypnosis, psychology, recovery, mental wellbeing and human behaviour beyond the therapy room.

Teaching became a natural extension of clinical practice for me. I didn't want to create a college that simply gave people information and a certificate. I wanted to create the kind of learning environment I believe develops excellent practitioners — somewhere students can learn the theory, experience the techniques, practise repeatedly, ask questions, receive supervision and continue developing alongside other therapists.

And that became The NCCH.

Why I Created NCCH

The Northern College of Clinical Hypnotherapy is the culmination of everything I have learned from being a healthcare professional, therapist, student, teacher and person with lived experience.

I wanted professional hypnotherapy training to be accessible, flexible and affordable, without losing the depth, ethics, practical experience and professional standards that matter.

Most importantly, I wanted to build a community.

A place where learning doesn't end when you finish a module or receive your diploma. A place where students and graduates continue to practise, attend masterclasses, receive supervision, explore new ideas and learn from one another.

More than anything, I want the people who train with me to leave NCCH believing:

I know what I'm doing. I know why I'm doing it. And I have the confidence to go out into my community and use these skills to help someone.

That is what the Northern College of Clinical Hypnotherapy means to me.

Learn deeply. Practise confidently. Keep growing. And be a bright light in your community.