About Us

A dedicated team of trauma therapists, supervisors and interpreters operating in the South West of England

Quick Links:

Intro Video

Meet Our Team

Meet our Trainers

Training Programmes

Who We Are

We are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. As the first and originally only agency providing refugee trauma specialist support in the southwest England, we were founded in Bristol in 2002 to ease the mental suffering of refugees and people seeking asylum.

What We Do

We provide free, long-term 1-1 and group psychotherapy and counselling to people fleeing torture, oppression and war.

We also hold an essential and proactive role in supporting the refugee and migration sector's mental health and wellbeing through supervision and training for charities, local authorities, law centres, housing associations and companies.

Our Values

COMPASSION - We believe in the power of caring

COLLABORATION - We create connections

COURAGE - We face trauma together

Read more about our work and impact in our latest impact report.

CONTACT US

Watch Video: How TFSW Makes a Difference

Watch Video: How TFSW Began

Meet the Team

We are a small, friendly team with a huge amount of experience.

  • Nicola Hill

    DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

    I am a charity leader with a background in operations, strategy, and service delivery, and over 15 years cross-cultural professional experience. I am committed to social justice through creating systems and services that are compassionate and inclusive.

  • Katherine Cox, PhD, BACP Accred

    DIRECTOR OF SERVICES

    I am an integrative psychotherapist and supervisor with experience and interest in working with communities experiencing multiple and intersectional oppression. I have spent most of my professional life in the voluntary sector and am committed to the wellbeing of both service users and those who work to support them.

Therapists and Trainers

  • Lynn Linsdale

    Dip HIP MA HIP

    I have particular experience associated with working with clients suffering from anxiety, trauma, depression PTSD, and sexual abuse. I am also a supervisor and trainer for external agencies with TFSW. 

  • Susan Pontin

    BA Dip HIP UKCP reg.

    My approach as a psychotherapist places high value on the human relationship between client and therapist. I provide supervision to external agencies for TFSW. 

  • Katie Hope

    BA (Hons), PG Dip HIP

    I have 30 years' experience of working with refugees in the voluntary sector.  I am a humanistic integrative counsellor and I provide therapeutic supervision for several agencies through TFSW.  I’m passionate about helping people understand complex trauma’s impact on the mind and body, and find effective ways to heal.

  • Ana Jorge

    MA, UKCP

    I am an accredited psychotherapist working with individuals and couples. I work in an integrative way, which means I am trained in a number of therapeutic approaches. I am a TFSW supervisor for external agencies.  I also have a passion for helping people to express themselves through arts and movement.

  • Kirstie Adamson

    BA, MSc, SEP, BACP(Accred)

    Over 20 years experience of working with trauma, transition, adoption, attachment. I am also a somatic experiencing practitioner so particularly work on links between our emotions and the movements and sensations of our body. I am a therapist and trainer with TFSW.

  • Ginny Bates

    I am a humanistic integrative counsellor with 29 years experience; 12 in the NHS, working in private practice and specialising in trauma. I’m delighted to be working with tfsw.

  • Ceinwen Birrell

    MA, MFA

    I am an art psychotherapist registered with HCPC and BAAT as well as a visual artist, specialising in painting.  I work 1-1 and with groups and families. I have a particular interest in working with marginal groups such as refugees and asylum seekers. My work is trauma informed, socially engaged and intersectional in its focus. I run two art therapy groups for TFSW.

  • Jessica Bennion

    I am a relational and person centred counsellor with an interest in working with trauma. Alongside working with TFSW, I have a private practice, and also work with a Carers Service providing short-term counselling. I have 10+ years’ experience of working with victims of trafficking and modern slavery.​​

  • Daniela D'acri

    I am an integrative counsellor so I draw on a variety of approaches from psychodynamic, body psychotherapy and the relational school.  As well as working with TFSW, I also have a private practice.  I have worked in a bereavement service and other low cost services for over 6 years.

  • Liz Legum

    I am an integrative therapist which means I am not wedded to one particular discipline or technique. Instead, I work with each client to discover what is best for their unique needs. I have worked for ten years in the refugee sector in various capacities and have experience with people suffering from trauma and complex grief.

  • Adetoun Grant

    My previous role as an operations manager for a Black-led mental health charity was incredibly rewarding. However, working as a counsellor has always been my passion.  As an integrative therapist I enjoy working in different ways with different people. Though I appreciate the diversity that my private practice can provide, I'm particularly pulled towards those from marginalised communities. I see my work with these clients as contributing towards closing the mental health inequalities gap. 

  • Charlene Thomson

    MBACP

    I’m an integrative psychotherapist and counselling psychologist in training. I am passionate about working collaboratively with people in a way that is relational, trauma informed and sensitive to intersectional oppression. I have previously worked within the sexual and domestic violence sector and currently work in the NHS alongside private practice.

  • Addam Merali-Younger

    MA MBACP

    I'm an integrative, relational counsellor working for TFSW and another charity, alongside my own private practice. I aim for my work to be anti-oppressive, and to support those from marginalised groups and communities. My mum was a refugee at the age of 12, and this personal connection inspires my aim to give time in my studies and work to the support of refugees and asylum seekers.

Trustees and Special Advisors

Our committed volunteers have a wide range of expertise and experience. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact us.

  • Erin Caseley

    CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

    I am a freelance consultant with 20 years’ leadership experience and particular expertise in strategy, change and organisational development. With deep rooted values around inclusion and social justice I am inspired and heartened by the incredible work of TFSW and honoured to be a trustee.

  • Elham Mousavian

    TRUSTEE

    I am an interpreter and a former material scientist. After becoming a mother, I have worked alongside the amazing therapists and counsellors at TFSW. I have also volunteered as a mentor for ReachOut youth club and as a patient experience volunteer at University Hospital South Wales.

    I admire the important work of TFSW, providing vulnerable individuals a safe space to heal from traumatic life experiences. I am excited to apply my skills and relatable life experience in my role as trustee.

  • Ellie Palmer

    TRUSTEE

    I am a freelance fundraising consultant with 25 years' experience of working principally for social welfare charities. I believe we must support those coming to our country seeking refuge and asylum and that we have much to gain from inclusion. I am therefore delighted and honoured to have become a trustee of TFSW.

  • Giulia Tranchina

    TRUSTEE

    I’m an immigration solicitor with over 13 years’ experience in asylum and human rights law, representing vulnerable asylum seekers and survivors of torture. I’ve worked with Human Rights Watch and other international organisations on advocacy around refugee protection and now lead Freedom from Torture’s national immigration advice team.

  • Judy Ryde, PhD UKCP reg.

    TRUSTEE AND FOUNDER

    I am a psychotherapist and particularly interested in working across cultures and within the field of intercultural therapy, working with those who are traumatised by war and countries in conflict.

  • Lisa Ballam

    TRUSTEE

    Head of Marketing at Torchbox, a B Corp certified digital agency specialising in working with charities. I'm passionate about helping nonprofits use digital and AI to reach more people, strengthen their services, and make a real difference. I'm honoured to be supporting TFSW’s marketing and fundraising strategy. The mission to build a community where healing is possible for traumatised refugees and people seeking asylum inspires me and I’m grateful to support.

  • Liz Murphy

    TRUSTEE

    I worked as an inner-city GP with a remarkably diverse population for many years. I became interested in the physical, psychological, and social issues affecting the health of people I was working with who had fled war, persecution, or oppression. I became a trustee of TFSW after retiring from clinical work.

  • Miriam Nye

    TRUSTEE

    I have over 10 years’ experience as a specialist social worker working with refugees. I currently run a support service for refugees and migrants living with HIV in the Bristol area.

  • Quen Geuter

    TRUSTEE

    I am CEO of Trauma Treatment International. I have over 20 years' experience working with NGOs to build scale, capabilities and partnerships. I join TFSW in their determination to provide essential mental health interventions to those who need them most.

  • Sarah Fairbairns

    TRUSTEE

    I am a psychotherapist and was one of the first to work with clients with TFSW when the charity was created. After many years I chose to step back from the frontline and become a trustee instead. Since then I’ve had several different roles: fundraising initiatives, organising conferences, marketing and proofreading leaflets.

  • Sophia Wedderkopp

    TRUSTEE

    I am a strategic communications advisor with almost 20 years’ experience working with organisations large and small. I am also a trained psychodynamic counsellor and believe in offering therapeutic support to all who need it. I am honoured to be bringing both parts of my experience to TFSW as a trustee. 

  • Victor Ofori Asante

    Victor Ofori Asante

    TRUSTEE (Finance Lead)

    I am a detail oriented and tech-savvy finance professional specialising in driving data-informed financial strategy across the non-profit and business sectors. A Chevening and Think Big Scholar, I hold an MSc in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Bristol. I focus on using finance for inclusive development and sustainable growth.

  • Caroline Jaine MFA

    SPECIAL ADVISOR

    Founder of The Jaine Resilience Academy, a retired diplomat and former police leader.  I love being able to share my expertise in wellbeing programs, education, communications, and strategic development to support TFSW. Having lived overseas for many years - in the countries that people had fled, I am honoured to return to my home in the South West of England, and support those who have arrived here.

Discover More

Stories from TFSW Interpreters.

C O N T A C T U S

Learn more about our organisation or inquire about our training programmes.

CONTACT US

Trauma Training Programme

Training sessions are available in person or online as part of our nationally available online programme. We can also offer all the training below or create training for your own needs bespoke for your team.