MY BACKGROUND by Pauline Matthews Counsellor

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My name is Pauline Matthews. I was brought up in rural West Wales where I still live. After my training as an Orthoptist, I was involved in farming for some years. At one time I had a business, designing, making and selling luxury knitwear and other craftwork . I love theatre and dance and used to help out at my local small Theatre, working front-of-house and backstage as a volunteer.

Later, I worked longer hours in the NHS, still in my therapeutic role. Patients were coming to me, children and adults, with visual problems that were not physically based. As a therapist I became interested in the emotional side of visual disorders. This led me into studying to become a Counsellor and into my search for personal growth.

I have now retired from my post as an Orthoptist in the Ophthalmic Departments of two hospitals , covering a wide rural area. There, I used my counselling insight to help people with Psychosomatic visual problems.

As Counsellor I have worked with Victim Support, undertaking special training in working with victims of Rape and Sexual Abuse. I have also worked as a Student Counsellor in a Further Education College.

I am also a Supervisor and at the moment most of my Supervision is carried out online

I worked for 5 years as a tutor and Campus Counsellor with Counselling Online Ltd. I helped a group of counsellors set up and run a training scheme for training other counsellors to work on the Internet .