Therapy Team
Psychotherapists, counsellors, therapists or a shoulder to lean on.
GenderGP Counselling, Support and Therapy
At GenderGP, we don’t believe that transgender people need counselling just because of their gender identity, but we do wholeheartedly believe that everyone – trans, cis, young, old – can benefit from having a “professional friend in their back pocket”. Someone to call on, to chat to, or to help make sense of life’s ups and downs.
At GenderGP we have a talented and compassionate team of specialist, person-centred, gender counsellors who are on hand to help. All of our counsellors offer sessions via Skype or Facetime so that they can be easily accessed from the comfort and discretion of your own home.
Talking through fears, concerns, hopes and expectations can be immensely useful for you or for anyone who is part of someone’s gender journey. You may be totally sure of what lies ahead, but sometimes those close to you have things they want to work through.
Counselling with GenderGP is not mandatory, but we do recommend you give it a try if you want to talk through your thoughts and feelings in a safe, non-judgemental environment.
Meet our Therapy Team
Marianne Oakes (Dip Couns)
Marianne heads up our team of specialist gender counsellors and has been working with the trans community since GenderGP began, around five years ago. As well as working with clients day-to-day, she has a particular interest in relationship counselling and family therapy.
As a trans woman herself, Marianne came into this particular branch of therapy after struggling to find a counsellor with the right experience and qualifications to help her with her own journey. Marianne has witnessed her own family’s struggles, coming to terms with her gender identity, an experience which has given her the unique insight she brings to her own practice.
Marianne enjoys working with all ages, including children and their families, creating a non-judgmental space in which parents can talk openly about their own issues in relation to their child’s transition.
Jackie Swarbrick
Jackie is an experienced counsellor and her particular interest in specialist gender counselling comes from her own personal experience.
Her first husband was trans and her second husband is bi-gender. This first hand experience gives Jackie a considerable amount of empathy and insight into the emotional turmoil and confusion gender variance can create, making her a great choice for adults, partners and older family members.
Jayne Olden
Jayne has been working therapeutically with young people, families & adults since 2012 within the NHS, and been with GenderGP since 2016.
Her aim is to work with patients & their families to find a positive way forward, exploring their thoughts and feelings in a non-judgemental and confidential environment. Having spent time as a grief counsellor, working for Macmillan cancer support, Jayne has a deep understanding of the process that a lot of parents and loved ones go through on their way to acceptance.
Claire Booth
Claire has gained a unique insight into the emotional journey faced by people who are trans or who are questioning their gender.
She offers a safe space where clients can talk about any problems or obstacles they may be facing, a space of acceptance, devoid of judgement with the goal of empowering individuals to help them move forward. Claire specialises in a range of issues including: depression and anxiety, bereavement and loss, relationship issues and self identity.
Tilly Storr
Tilly has been a counsellor for more than 30 years and has a special interest in working with transgender patients.
Tilly started as a volunteer for Choices (working with survivors of childhood sexual abuse) and moved into private practice in 1986, combining counselling and supervision work with research. Her interests and energy have enabled her to develop professionally and personally as counsellor who stays abreast of current issues without losing her humanity and empathy for people, whoever they are.
Diana Hattersley
Diana believes that an empathic, non-judgemental approach enables clients to move forward to a happier place in their lives.
She has worked in a number of charitable settings and supports individuals with many different issues. She joined the team at GenderGP in 2018 with a view to putting her skills to use helping members of the trans community. She loves the variety of counselling and has helped people from ages ranging from teens to senior adults, with whom she has a particular affinity.
Do you have a question?
We have pulled together a list of frequently asked questions about our counselling services, click here to see if your question has already been answered.
