Thinking back to when she found her interest in counselling, Emma’s clearest memory is being fascinated by Deanna Troy in Star Trek, listening and empathising with other crew members (she jokes that it helped that she was a Betazoid and therefore telepathic, a skill which Emma says she hasn’t yet developed, but nevertheless, felt intrigued by!).

Emma’s first degree was English, after which she completed a creative writing MA and during this time worked in the care industry with people with Multiple Sclerosis, and always found the relational part of the work was what she really enjoyed.  

After volunteering for a six month project in Africa, Emma worked as a full time musician and ran music sessions for older and more vulnerable people in the community.  

She said that she noticed what a difference it made for them to have company, even once a week, and during the one-to-one conversations she had with them, she came to realise how there is nothing else like the feeling of being heard by another.  

Emma then met her now husband, who was experiencing difficulties akin to complex PTSD, although neither of them fully understood this at the time.

She spent a transformative couple of years working with a therapist, who helped her understand the impact of trauma on their relationship, communicate more effectively, step away from the role of rescuer, and support her husband in learning to ground himself rather than dissociating whenever he was triggered.  

This experience with a therapist inspired Emma to train as a counsellor, and says she has found a career she absolutely loves, and fascinates her on a daily basis.