For Further information visit my personal website www.community-drama.co.uk 

I currently work for a private foster care agency, Foster Care Associates as a therapist using a combination of dramatherapy and systemic approaches to support foster carers and the foster children they work with. Previous to this I worked in the NHS for eight years in a Psychology Department and within a specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. Previously to this I worked for Rethink a mental health charity where I set up and ran several drama and arts based projects.

Since 1989 I have worked as a community drama worker in a very wide range of environments for a vast range of organisations, specialising in special needs in the West Midlands area. I have worked with people aged from five to 85 many with learning difficulties, behavioural problems and mental health problems.

Some of the many organisations I have worked for are listed below:

Act Up! Theatre Company & DARTS Project - Rethink Mental Health Charity (Formerly NSF) .Big Arena Theatre School. Birmingham Leisure Services - Drama Space. Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies. Birmingham Theatre School. Birmingham University. Brinsford Young Offenders Institute. Coventry Primary Care Trust. Coventry University. College of Continuing Education - Walsall. Dudley Art Week. Dudley MBC - Lifelong Learning/ Social Services. Dudley College. Dudley NHS Trust - Bushey Fields Hospital / Ridge Hill Hospital. Jigsaw Youth Theatre. Midlands Arts Centre. Mixed Media. Murray Hall Trust. Open Stage. Sandwell Health Authority - Edward Street Hospital. Sandwell Community Health Council. Sandwell Citizens Advocacy. Woodside Day Centre. Wolverhampton University. Wordsley Housing Society.

Pre-training Experience

Jigsaw Youth Theatre-1978-1985 National Youth Theatre 1981-1987

Professional Training

B.A. Hons Drama Degree- Bretton Hall College 1988

M.A. Degree Educational Theatre- Leeds University 1992

Post Graduate Diploma in Dramatherapy - University of Hertfordshire 1996

Certificate in Management - Open University 1999

PhD University of Warwick 2006 - to Present

Current Work

Therapist for Foster Care Associates children & foster careres

Recent Work

Dramatherapist - Coventry PCT - Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services & Psychological Services Learning Disability

Drama Facilitator - Orchard Partnership Saturday Drama Club - children with learning disabilities

Previous Voluntary Work

Chair - Jigsaw Youth Theatre (Registered Charity) 1997 -2004

Drama Advisor - West Midlands Arts 1998 - 2002

Current Voluntary Work

Chair Open Stage - An Open Access Theatre Group

Full member of British Association of Dramatherapists. State Registered Dramatherapist (HPC)

Member of Dramatherapy Midlands. Member of British Actors Equity.