Charlotte Farish-Edwards

After an 18-year career in secondary English teaching, I retrained as a person-centred and
creative arts therapist and now hold both a Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling and a
Diploma in Person-Centred Creative Arts Therapy.
I currently work in private practice and volunteer for a community women's organisation,
where I have also facilitated creative journalling and peer support groups. Alongside my wife
Fleur, as part of Two Birds Therapy, I offer regular creative therapeutic workshops and co-
facilitate a monthly skills practice and peer supervision group for creative arts counsellors. I
am editor of Rooted: The Journal for Creative Counsellors, a journal dedicated to creative
approaches within counselling.
The person-centred approach has shaped both how I work and how I think about being part
of any community. For me, trusting the actualising tendency and offering the core
conditions within genuine relationship is what allows people to grow, rather than expertise,
directivity, or power imposed from above. This feels relevant not only to the therapy room,
but to the leadership of organisations. As a trustee, I hope to bring person-centred qualities
and values to my leadership role, alongside the skills, energy and passion I have to offer. I
hope that this role will strengthen my relationship to the approach, and my place within the
person-centred community.
Creativity and expression are also central to my life outside counselling. I enjoy reading,
writing, art journalling and painting. I have a strong interest in history, languages, and story.
These interests continually feed my curiosity and my belief in creativity as a gentle and
powerful way of exploring inner worlds.