Gillie is a qualified psychotherapist and counsellor with more than 30 years’ experience. She specialises in working with survivors of coercive, cultic or spiritual abuse, trauma including rape and sexual abuse, thought-reform (brainwashing) and undue influence. She works with former cult members, including those brought up in a cult (second and multi-generation) and those who joined or were recruited (first generation).

Gillie’s diverse experience has seen her run her own private practice, provide counselling at Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service, support clients with mental health issues at MIND and bereavement at CRUSE, and work as a secondary school counsellor.

Gillie set up Hope Valley Counselling in 2006 after achieving her Masters in Gestalt Psychotherapy. This is where she fine-tuned her model for counselling former cult members and survivors of spiritual abuse and undue influence. 

Gillie was awarded her PhD by the University of Nottingham, UK, in 2016 for her Doctoral research dissertation/thesis entitled: 'Freeing the Authentic Self: Phases of Recovery and Growth from an Abusive Cult Experience'.

Gillie's book 'Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic and Spiritual Abuse: A Workbook for Recovery and Growth' was published by Routledge in May 2023.

She has a Diploma in Supervision and provides supervision, consultancy and training to other therapists, especially those working with survivors of coercive, cultic or spiritual abuse.

Gillie brings her personal experience as a former member of an abusive cult in the UK in the 1970s, and later a spiritually abusive Church. She also brings her formal psychotherapy and counselling training, and two internships at Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center in Ohio, USA, a recovery programme for former cult members.

Gillie was an Executive member of BACP Spirituality for 7 years, and has been a Member of The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA), and regular presenter at their conferences, for many years. She is mental health editor of ICSA Today Magazine and on the Advisory Board for the Spiritual Abuse Resources (SAR) website, a division of ICSA. Gillie regularly presents her research in cultic studies and contributes to publications. 

Prior to being a therapist, Gillie was a Secretary and a Legal Executive, before becoming a full-time mother to two beautiful daughters. She was born in Uganda, East Africa and went to boarding school in the UK, growing up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK).

Gillie loves her work and wouldn’t do anything else – even if she won the lottery - but she also has a life! She enjoys hiking in beautiful Hope Valley and in other parts of the world, such as Yosemite National Park, USA. She loves watching movies and always has a novel on the go - and has very eclectic taste from the more meaningful to escapism such as Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and Science Fiction. She recently attended an art class with a view to doing more when she can find the time – which isn’t very often! Gillie rehomed an adorable Puggle (Pug/Beagle Cross) called Alby and loves his company and having walks with him in the beautiful Hope Valley.