Our Counsellors
Frome Birth Talk currently have 11 counsellors, all of whom take a person-centred approach to therapy. You can read about our counsellors below.
Helen
I joined Frome Birth Talk in June 2018 as a counsellor. I find working with women in pregnancy and the perinatal period very rewarding, and I feel proud to be connected to Frome Birth Talk. Every area should have an organisation like FBT! While pregnancy and early motherhood can be a wonderful time for women, it can also be a time of deep anxiety, trauma, confusion and struggle. We know that help given promptly at this time is often very effective in supporting women towards a better experience of having a baby, and I feel privileged to be involved in this process.
I’ve been working as a counsellor since 2003 in a variety of settings, including higher education, cancer support, workplace counselling, sexual abuse, and general private practice for individuals and couples. A fascination with the workings of the human mind had taken me into a psychology degree in the early 90’s, and after having my family I trained as a counsellor – work which is always enriching. When not working with clients I love to read and listen to audiobooks, and I’m outdoors as often as possible – walking or gardening. I love dancing too - Lindy hop, salsa, or just jigging about in the kitchen – it never fails to lift me. |
Jane
I have been working as a counsellor since 2013 and joined Frome Birth Talk in the summer of 2018. I enjoy working with Frome Birth Talk because it seeks in a practical way how to make the world a better and kinder place for parents and their babies.
In one sense, becoming pregnant and looking after a baby should be the most natural thing in the world, but that doesn’t mean it is easy! While often a source of joy, parenthood can be exhausting and frustrating. It can stir up uncomfortable feelings and vulnerabilities, challenging our closest relationships. These things can be difficult to talk about. As a Frome Birth Talk counsellor, I seek to create a warm and non-judgmental place where mothers, potential mothers (and fathers too) can safely explore and navigate the transitions, the struggles and the emotions that accompany the journey of parenthood. |
Amanda
I joined Frome Birth talk in October 2018 and feel very fortunate to be part of a team whose values of care, connection and support I share deeply.
Parents need and deserve support particularly during pregnancy and early motherhood with all its expectations, hopes and fears. This is a huge period of change in a woman’s life, and whilst a new baby brings joy, it can also bring challenges, uncertainty, and many new demands. At times this can be overwhelming and isolating, especially if it has been harder than imagined, and having a warm, welcoming, non -judgemental person with whom to freely explore how it is for you really helps. This is the reason I enjoy working with Frome Birth Talk and being able to support families at such a pivotal time in their and their babies’ lives. Additionally, I work for a Wiltshire based charity and I have my own private practice. |
Tracy
My background is in nursing and I retrained as a counsellor in 2016. I joined FBT as a trainee and felt very lucky to be offered a position once I qualified.
I am an integrative counsellor, which means that I use a variety of therapeutic approaches to suit you as an individual. I work gently and collaboratively, providing a safe and supportive space to explore the difficulties you are experiencing in the hope of moving towards a greater sense of calm. It’s great to be part of the amazing team at FBT, I think it’s incredible that a small group of women started the charity which has grown and been able to support so many over the years. |
Kat
Kadie
I am a counsellor in training at Heartwood Counselling and Psychotherapy College, studying for an advanced diploma in Integrative counselling. Having volunteered with listening services and mental health charities for many years, I have always been passionate about supporting people through the highs and lows of life. I was drawn to counselling training after my own very nuanced experience of pregnancy and early motherhood, a time of great change and challenge for so many, and am grateful to be supporting the work of Frome Birth Talk.
I hope to offer a safe, non-judgmental space for you to explore how you are truly feeling and for you to feel seen in whatever you are facing. My integrative training means that I work collaboratively and flexibly, ensuring you are at the centre of everything we do. |
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Lucy
I began my career teaching languages both in the UK and abroad. My work was exciting and rewarding in many ways and my love of the nurturing, pastoral side of my role coupled with my interest in human psychology led me to counselling. I am currently studying for a diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling at Bath Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I joined the team at Frome Birth Talk in October 2021 and feel privileged to be working with a passionate team of people who offer people in the community much needed support at a time of fundamental change in their lives.
One day I hope to combine my counselling role with my love of the great outdoors. |
Melina
I’m Melina and I was born in Bolivia but now live in Frome. I started working with Frome Birth Talk in November 2021 as a trainee counsellor, and I qualified in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling in 2024.
Having studied the process of child development during the early years and during pregnancy, I came to realise that the support I can offer parents can provide wide ranging and long-lasting benefits for the whole family. I’m grateful to be able to contribute to the Frome community via Frome Birth Talk. |
Lisa
I qualified with Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling in 2024, and I have over 25 years’ experience of working with people of all ages in a wide variety of contexts, particularly education.
My training is in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling which means I work collaboratively to explore the difficulties parents and families are experiencing, finding ways to facilitate understanding and supporting you as you make changes if that’s what is needed. When we work together, we might talk about your life and relationships now and in the past, including from childhood. I aspire to create a warm and empathic environment in which you can bring whatever feels important to you. |
Lynne
I am currently completing my training at Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling, following many years of volunteering in counselling roles alongside working in business and charity management.
My personal experience of birth and early parenting, some time ago, was difficult and I was drawn to Frome Birth Talk as an organisation that welcomes people wishing to discuss such sensitive issues without judgement. I try to offer a safe and kind space for you to be heard as you explore the things that matter to you at a time of great change in which we can feel unseen and alone. |
Sue
In my work as a counsellor and psychotherapist over the last 30 years I have come to recognise the importance of the early years in establishing the emotional resilience necessary to face the challenges of development from infancy to adulthood.
However, helping babies and young children to flourish requires huge resilience on the part of parents at a time when we may be encountering our own emotional turmoil and uncertainty in the face of our baby’s intense needs. Early parenthood or the loss of a child can often stir up our own early experiences and we can struggle to feel very grown up ourselves. We can doubt our capacity to be all that is needed. Allowing ourselves the chance to talk about the intense and sometimes confusing emotional and practical realities of becoming parents or sadly losing a child can help us understand and think about what we are going through. After many years in private practice I am now happy to work as a volunteer therapist for Frome Birth Talk where I aim to provide a safe and non-judgmental place to talk and think about all that early parenthood involves. |