Frances’ specialisms and approach

Narcissistic Abuse

Frances supports adults impacted by coercive, manipulative, or emotionally unsafe relationships. Therapy focuses on understanding how narcissistic abuse affects self-worth, boundaries, emotional regulation, and a sense of identity. This includes recognising trauma responses that develop in controlling environments and helping clients rebuild self-trust, emotional clarity, and stability.

She also works extensively with post-separation abuse, including the psychological impact of family court processes, harassment, and high-conflict co-parenting. Clients are supported to minimise re-traumatisation, maintain boundaries, manage emotional and physiological reactions, and navigate hostile interactions with greater confidence.

Childhood Narcissistic Abuse

Frances works with adults who grew up with narcissistic, inconsistent, or emotionally unavailable caregivers. Therapy explores how chronic invalidation, role reversal, or unpredictable parenting shape adult self-worth, relational patterns, and internalised beliefs. The work supports clients to reduce shame and self-doubt, strengthen boundaries, and develop a more stable and compassionate relationship with themselves.

Therapeutic Approach

Frances takes a structured yet adaptable approach, shaping therapy around each client’s pace, history and goals. She integrates Transactional Analysis with CBT-informed tools, trauma-informed practice and mindfulness techniques, ensuring the work is both reflective and practical.

Her approach includes four interconnected elements:

1. Safety and Stabilisation
Frances begins by establishing emotional and physiological safety. She supports clients to develop grounding skills and regulation tools so they feel steadier and better able to manage difficult thoughts, feelings and triggers. Safety and trust are core to the process.

2. Understanding Patterns
Using clear and accessible psychoeducation, Frances helps clients understand how patterns in thoughts, emotions and relationships developed over time. This includes exploring the psychological mechanisms of narcissistic abuse — manipulation, gaslighting, coercive control — and how these experiences shape beliefs, defences and coping strategies. Transactional Analysis and CBT-type methods support this understanding.

3. Working with Change
Clients are supported to challenge unhelpful beliefs, strengthen boundaries and develop healthier ways of responding in their relationships and daily lives. Practical strategies, reflective exercises and mindfulness techniques help reinforce emotional resilience and support sustainable change.

4. Integration and Moving Forward
As therapy progresses, the focus shifts to consolidating insights and strengthening new patterns. Frances helps clients deepen self-trust, increase confidence and move forward with a clearer sense of autonomy, stability and direction.