Link Counselling : Counsellor biographies

Counsellor biographies

Mary Stewart

Mary qualified as a Person Centered Counsellor at Strathclyde University in 1998. Since then she has worked within the Voluntary and private sector.

She is a supervisor and mentor to students on placement, and a trainer of bereavement counselling. Mary's expertise is working with young people and adults who wish to work through issues such as relationships, abuse, addictions, and the broad field of issues within mental health. She continue to enhance her practice through attending ongoing professional and personal training .

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Kenny Boyd

Kenny is a BACP Accredited Counsellor who has worked in a variety of backgrounds as a therapist, including student counselling services, in health centres and with various voluntary agencies.

He is also currently a counselling trainer/facilitator on both Postgraduate and Certificate level courses, as well as providing counselling skills tuition for staff at Edinburgh Council's Children and Families Department.

Outside of his practice Kenny is a keen artist and musician.

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Sophie Pether

Sophie is a qualified Art Therapist (B.SC., M.Sc.) and is a BAAT & HPC registered practitioner.  Sophie has a background in Fine Art and over eight years of experience working in mental health as a support worker with the LinkLiving Edinburgh Mental Health Service. She also has many years of experience in the field of learning disabilities as a volunteer advocate and befriender.

Sophie has experience working with adults with severe and enduring mental health problems, borderline personality disorders, issues of self-harm and eating disorders, physical disabilities and head injuries. She gained experience of facilitating both individual and group therapy during training. Her particular area of interest is the potential for art therapy to reach clients who have difficulties communicating and might otherwise be unable to engage with therapy.

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Lindsey Stewart

Lindsey qualified as a Person Centred Counsellor in June 2005.

She has over 10 years experience of supporting people in the field of mental health, mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction. She currently works for an organisation specialising in the area of childhood sexual abuse, as well as working as a private practitioner from home. Lindsey has experience of working one to one and as a group facilitator.

When not working she is a keen walker. She also loves cooking, reading, music and films.

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Ellen Munro

Ellen Munro is an accredited counsellor with COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) and has extensive experience in working with emotional problems, stress related issues, bereavement and loss, relationship and work issues, isolation, anxiety, depression and abuse.

She has worked in Nursing, Community Education and Business and therefore understands a range of issues and life experiences. She currently works in private practice and has specialist experience in working with peri-natal depression issues in a family therapeutic situation.

She works from an integrative framework where she is open, welcoming and non-judgemental which allows the client to be listened to and held.

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Fiona McAllister

Fiona qualified as a Counsellor at Strathclyde University in 1996. Since then she has worked in a community based setting and currently works with students in Higher education.

Fiona has extensive experience in working with childhood, parenting or workplace issues, financial or relationship problems and alcohol or other addictions. She also has experience at dealing with issues such as bereavement, depression, suicidal thoughts, stress, panic attacks, isolation and low self esteem.

When not working she enjoys walking and the outdoors, music and cinema.

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Gail Cadogan

Gail is a qualified Art Therapist (BA Hons, Pg Dip) with over 8 years experience of working with adults with enduring mental health concerns. Prior to this she worked as a Support Worker at Linkliving for 4 years.

Art Therapy gives clarity to concerns that can often be too confusing, painful or complicated to discuss openly and allows the person space and freedom to process their thoughts in a creative and therapeutic environment. Gail uses her extensive experience to work with people and their families affected by acquired brain injury, epilepsy, eating disorders, addiction and bi-polar conditions. During either individual or group Art Therapy sessions the resulting affect on self-confidence, social skills, and relationships are all explored.

Gail has the ability to facilitate an understanding of individuals own concerns so that they can begin to self manage and identify their own thoughts and feelings.

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