Me and my values

I was born in 1963 and grew up in South Cheshire, and later North Staffordshire.  I am openly gay in my professional as well as my personal life and hold progressive views about life and our identities, promoting a liberal, positive view of difference and diversity in our society and our cultures.  I identify as cis-gendered – meaning that my (gendered) identity is the same as the sex I was assigned at birth. I use the pronouns he/him/his.

My approach to counselling and psychotherapy is LGBTQ+ affirmative,  which means that I will fully accept your gender and sexual identity – whatever it may be and however you might describe it, and do not view these essential parts of who you are as characteristics that need treating or changing. I subscribe to Gender, Sexual, and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) principles meaning that I am accepting and affirming of how you identify your Self, whether this is cis- or trans-gendered; whether you describe your sexual Self using terms beyond lesbian, gay, or bisexual, or ‘straight’, and how you partner with others in monogamous relationships or more diverse, non-monogamous types.

I am a sex-positive therapist and offer a safe, non-judging space for you to explore your relationship with sex and sexual encountering with others.

My social values are typically egalitarian – I believe in democracy, fairness, and equality, and my characteristic approach to being with other people is co-operative and co-productive. That is to say, I believe we can all play a part in helping each other to shape a different and better future for ourselves, and for everyone in our communities.

I would describe myself as a ‘localist’.  Aside from localist political imperatives, I believe in supporting local initiatives and communities – finding reasons to proud of the place in which I/we live; our local heritage, and locating meaning in our changed social demographic. I believe in backing the ‘new creatives’, local manufacturers and suppliers in our geographical area, wherever possible or practicable.

I live with my partner and our dog in the Stoke-on-Trent South area, enjoy music and the arts. I write poetry when I am driven to, as part of my own personal development process and at some point I plan to self-publish a volume of my reflexive verse.