About Me

Dinah Purton (she/her)
MA BSc PG Dip. Relate Qual. MBACP (Accred) AMBICA

I have been a relationship and generalist counsellor for 20 years and have worked extensively with individuals, couples, families and young people from many diverse backgrounds. I am currently working remotely with individuals only: this could be with a relationship or family focus, or looking at a wide range of issues from identity, creativity, career and personal development to managing major life transitions, grief, loss and rebuilding. For the last 4 years I have developed a particular interest in neurodiversity, being ADHD myself and from a neurodivergent family. I am also a BICA accredited fertility counsellor.

I am an interactive, friendly and personal counsellor who hopes to build a warm, supportive relationship with you. I do not have all the answers, rather I help you find your own answers and strategies and aim to find new ways of looking at situations so together we can come up with options that support you.

I especially enjoy working with people who are creating their lives and themselves outside of their comfort zone, or away from social norms. Whether you are starting over after divorce, dreaming of an unconventional career change or retirement, choosing relationships with more than one partner, exploring your gender, sexual or neurodivergent identity, or starting a family on your own, this new century offers many different options for creating a life that suits you and is not prescribed. I hope to help you know yourself and become as happy and accepting of that as possible, whatever and whoever you are.

As a specialist fertility counsellor I have 8 years experience helping people along their fertility journey. This includes the full spectrum of family arrangements, from single women starting a family using donor sperm to those in same sex couples, those considering surrogacy or adoption and transgender people considering their fertility options prior to medical transition.

Background and approach

I draw on a wide range of approaches including systemic, solution-focused, CBT, person centred and coaching oriented ideas and techniques. I work flexibly – most of my sessions are fortnightly though some are weekly, monthly or less frequent including standalone sessions. I try to work around irregular routines where possible, which is now easier now I am working remotely.

As a counsellor I have worked with a wide variety of private, NHS, fertility and Relate clients, been a secondary school counsellor, provided short term GP-referred counselling, worked with parents in a primary school, with homeless people looking to reconnect with their families and provided telephone CBT to survivors of road accidents. For the last 8 years I have been a fertility counsellor working in private and NHS clinics on Harley St and in Tunbridge Wells, and am an accredited member of BICA (British Infertility Counsellors Association).

I aim to work as inclusively as possible and have undertaken training in LGBTQI+ Inclusion, GSRD (Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity), Gender Dysphoria, ADHD and Autism.

I have a particular interest in non-traditional relationships and alternative family structures and have experience of the dynamics and challenges that these relationships face. A large number of my clients are men who I positively support to navigate the contradictory landscape that is modern masculinity, containing as it does many challenges that are not always recognised and understood. I am deeply committed to equality and individuality for all and aim to work with everyone by understanding the unique way in which you operate, rather than making any traditional assumptions or judgements.

As a life coach I can offer stand alone coaching or bring a coaching approach to counselling which looks at making practical changes, clarifying goals and focussing on the positive.

Training, qualifications & experience

BACP Accreditation
BICA (British Infertility Counselling Association) Accreditation
MA Philosophy & Artificial Intelligence – research dissertation on diversity in human flourishing (New College of the Humanities – Distinction)
Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (University of East London – Distinction)
Advanced Diploma in Life Coaching (Learning Curve – Distinction)
Advanced Certificate in Systemic Practice with Families and Couples (Institute of Family Therapy – Merit)
Graduate Certificate in Couples Counselling (Relate / University of East London)
Qualification as a Relate Counsellor (Relate)
BSc (Hons) Psychology with Philosophy (2:1)

Specialised Relate training in :
Counselling Young People
Domestic Violence & Abuse
Mental Health
Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
“Sexually Speaking” – Awareness and practice with issues of sexuality
LGBTQI+ Inclusion
Gender Dysphoria
Autism and the Couple Relationship

Other training:

Bisexuality (Pink Therapy)
Autism in the Therapy Room
Understanding ADHD
Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity (with Meg-John Barker)
GSRD Therapy (Pink Therapy)
Implications and Support Counselling for Fertility Clients (BICA)
Teaching Mindfulness Skills
Working with Men in a Fertility Setting (BICA)
Narrative Therapy