After graduating with an Honours Degree in French from UCL, Rayna embarked on her PGCE in preparation for her career as teacher of French. She worked with huge success in leading high achieving London schools, both state and independent for over 30 years and was a GCSE examiner for 16 years. Rayna always had a passion for pastoral work, an area in which she specialised throughout her career. Finally, she decided to underpin her understanding of the students in her care by embarking on an adult counselling diploma, becoming the first fully qualified counsellor in her school. She went on to do a four year diploma in Integrative Transpersonal Adult Psychotherapy  at CCPE in London. This was followed by a Postgraduate Advanced Diploma in Transpersonal Psychotherapy, a Postgraduate Certificate in Transpersonal Dreamwork, a Diploma in Clinical Supervision and a Masters in Integrative Transpersonal Child, Adolescent & Family Psychotherapy, for which she gained a distinction. As part of her Masters, Rayna gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Sand Play Studies, which is one of her special interests. 

 

During the long years of working and studying, Rayna married and  brought up her family of two daughters. In the year 2000, Rayna decided to leave teaching to set up a training company, 'Understanding Strategies', with her business partner Elissa Vale, whom she met at 'Signpost' the young people's counselling charity, where they both worked and for which Rayna later became Chair of Trustees.

 

 For six years, Rayna and Elissa trained teachers nationally at conferences on various pastoral issues, gave workshops for counsellors and psychotherapists  and wrote materials to help students in transition from school to university. When the partnership ended for family reasons, Rayna continued her counselling work in schools and in private practice. 

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In the year 2000, Rayna also started her own private practice from her home in Northwood Middlesex. To this day, she continues to see clients of all ages and backgrounds there and supervises both qualified and trainee counsellors and psychotherapists.

 

Rayna has worked as a counsellor in schools since 1997. She has worked in both primary and secondary schools and has worked in both the maintained and independent sectors. Rayna has established three new counselling services in schools. As well as continuing her private practice, Rayna currently works as lead therapist with both Junior and Senior girls in two leading girls' Independent Schools and offers consultancy to Senior Leadership and Pastoral Teams as well  as CPD, talks and workshops for teachers, students and parents  in leading UK schools. Three years ago, Rayna also established a conference for school counsellors who work in Independent Girls Schools throughout the UK.

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