I am a child within an Army family, of which the moving about, including back to England, had an impact on discovering I was deaf. This still leaves me with a passion for supporting early family recognition and support for families who may face similar moves and unknown health conditions.

My Mum and sister immediately went to learn sign language, of which they were immediately discouraged by the medical profession. I grew up learning to lip-read and speak, doing the best I can within school. I also started with other long term conditions from age 6, later diagnosed as Menieres Disease (vestibular disorder), which led to further hearing distortion (hyperacusis), dizziness and tinnitus amongst many of the symptoms. A last resort treatment in my teenage years led to me learning to walk again and being told I would not swim again; something that I could not quite understand at the time.

I swam internationally for the Senior Great Britain Deaf Team from aged 12, joining in Paralympic Training Weekends and was fortunate to be a part of the early Lottery Funding Programme. It was this time that I also started learning British Sign Language and have not looked back in becoming bilingual (and at times, almost fluent in other sign languages).

The destruction of my semi-circular canals/vestibular system through ototoxic drugs came months after being ranked World Number 3 aged 16. What could have been a continued trajectory upwards, became a loss of my sporting career, friendships and travel. Despite being told I would not swim again, I continued to try and push myself, making myself very unwell in the process. I was able to regain some rankings, but in a very disorientated manner. The satisfaction had been replaced by grief and belief that I was just not good enough, even though I was doing more than the medical profession ever thought I would be able to do.

My personal experiences, disabilities and curiosity led me to pursue a career in physiotherapy and then the concepts of mental health and mental fitness. This was the beginning of the journey of the Mind-Body Connection, but it was indeed much more complicated than what I can ever write. My Physiotherapy programme led to a sports-injury placement at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, where I was privileged to be invited to observe the training of the Parachute Regiment. This helped me face my own misunderstandings I had held of my own journey as an Army Child and I later began working with military veterans.

I have worked in the NHS and for Third Sector Charities since 2003 (over 21 years), including for two Tertiary Specialist Services in Mental Health, a Complex Pain Management Service in a Secondary Care Hospital and a sub-contracted NHS service for complex conditions not able to be seen by local Talking Therapies nationally (delivered online). My initial focus involved working with deaf and deafblind people, military veterans, NHS professionals, and international athletes. Many of these face the challenge of working in harmony with their body and the brain, rather than fighting against the self. Many of these individuals are highly driven and face immense pressure in their careers and may experience unexpected traumatic events, loss of identity, and changes in ability. Many of my clients struggle with moral injury and must adjust to new circumstances that impact their purpose, relationships, and health. 

Later, I discovered the value of communication, connection and the compassion-focused approach with children from foster care and adoption, including my own experiences, and I am enthusiastic with supporting parents and working with emotional dysregulation. I increased this with further training in therapeutic parenting and non-violent resistance, which all reinforced the initial compassion-focused approach and the importance of our neurophysiology (the body and brain) whilst engaging our minds (the adult and the child) together.

Domestic abuse, relational harm and in particular, coercive control has formed another part of my experience and training. The impact this can have on the mind and body can be immensely powerful and yet build up over time, leaving a person unrecognisable. It is important to offer a safe space to unpick the layers at a time and rate that is safe enough for each individual.

With a foundation in physiotherapy, I understand the body, brain, and physiology and how they work. My integrative counselling training complements this understanding by providing knowledge of psychology. I like to hope that the services provided give an option of affordable and graded options for people to explore at the right pace for each individual. I hope this would help each person gain understanding and meaning, and ultimately find healing and recovery in a way that is unique to you.

I am now based in North Yorkshire, Catterick Garrison, back where I originally trained and a military spouse (Royal Navy). I work online globally and also have people from across the North who visit the offices I work from in Richmond, Catterick Garrison and Darlington.

Some people do come across my information in the media in their background investigation into their therapists, which I understand. I recognise that this might bring up a certain image of me (I enclose some links below). I welcome any discussions about these images and whether this can be helpful, or not, in your own process and journey

Online articles:

History-maker Verity swims the Channel

Woman told she will never swim again due to devastating condition to cross English Channel for charity

Woman becomes the first British deaf female to swim the English Channel

Radio: 

"I'm actually quite glad I didn't realise I was there with five dolphins!"

"I am the first deaf British woman to make the crossing"