The Evening Programme Team

Founder and Clinical Supervisor

Grad Dip Psych (Open), MA (Edin), DPsych (City), CPsychol (BPS), AFBPsS

Cosmo is an addictions treatment specialist, chartered psychologist, doctor of psychology and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He has been helping people to recover from addiction since 2005.

Before founding Start2Stop in 2010, Cosmo had worked for some years in South Africa, where he was head of addictions treatment at a private hospital in Cape Town. He brings to Start2Stop a through-the-line wealth of experience in helping people suffering with addiction, being possibly the only person in the private sector to have run primary residential, secondary residential, tertiary residential, sober living and outpatient programmes. He has also worked for the NHS in London, in its specialist outpatient gambling clinic.

Having been initially educated at Eton College and Edinburgh University, he later received a 1st class undergraduate degree in Psychology, being awarded the ‘Bruner Prize’ by the Open University. Cosmo’s published doctoral thesis was on the subject of the ideological dilemmas of 12-Step recovery.

Cosmo has given talks on treating addiction at the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) annual conference and at Public Health England (PHE). In 2018, he was invited to give one of the opening talks at the iCAAD London international addictions treatment conference:  https://vimeo.com/282225633

More recently, he was a speaker at iCAAD Paris (2019), on the topic of ‘Recovery & Identity’. He is a co-author of ‘Recovery RSA’ (2011), a guidebook to recovery from addiction.

Unit Head Start2Stop Outpatient Programme

PGDip (Level 7) Addiction Psychology & Counselling
Advanced Practitioner Member of Addiction Professionals
Registered Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
BA Combined Hons

After two decades in the hospitality industry, Richard found his way – via the Start2Stop Outpatient Programme – into recovery. He is familiar with the testing work environments which many clients have to face. He has been a member of the Intensive Outpatient Team for over 7 years.

Richard is a counsellor with a passion for building strong therapeutic alliances within the framework of 12-Step methodology. He has a robust understanding of the mechanics and psychology of addiction. He is currently working towards an ambition of becoming an accredited EMDR practitioner. He holds a post-graduate diploma in Addiction Psychology & Counselling from London South Bank University.

As well as overseeing the S2S Outpatient Programme, Richard works with clients 121, facilitates groups and runs lectures and workshops. He is also in private practice in London, Farnham and online.

Deputy Unit Head 

BA Hons in Psychology; UKCP accredited psychotherapist; MBPsS

Astrid has over 15 years experience in the field of addiction treatment in South Africa, Belgium and the UK. She has a deep personal knowledge of practical application of 12 Step philosophy for continued growth in long term recovery. Astrid is currently completing her Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.

She has gained extensive experience in working therapeutically with a broad range of issues including Eating Disorders, bereavement, and complex trauma.

Astrid originally completed a Fine Art degree (with Hons) at the prestigious Stellenbosch University and has exhibited her work in both group and solo exhibitions. She currently has a painting hanging in the South African National Gallery and continues to pursue her interest in portraiture and urban landscapes. In addition to her painting Astrid consults as a designer for various music and book publishers and has worked in the social enterprise sector.

Counsellor

Dip Psychotherapeutic Counselling, Master dip in Eating Disorders, FDAP Advanced Practitioner

Clare has worked in the addictions field since 2005. She studied Addiction Counselling in South Africa, Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the UK as well as gaining a Master Practitioner Diploma in Eating Disorders. Clare initially trained at OASIS treatment centre in Plettenberg Bay from 2004-2007.

Back in England Clare worked in adolescent social services for a couple of years before returning to her love of working in addiction treatment. Her special interest is in codependency and a desire to help others find emotional sobriety and experience fulfilling relationships with others and themselves.

Clare is an experienced 1:1 counsellor and enjoys facilitating group-based therapy. She came to work as a counsellor at Start2Stop and The Mews House in 2011-14 but needed a couple of breaks to have her 3 children.

Clare is in private practice in London, Wiltshire and online.

Counsellor

PrD, MA, MSc. Dip, MBACP

Virginia has been working as a therapist with individuals, groups, and families since 1993.

She is interested in how spirituality operates in a programme of recovery and how therapy helps clients recover their real selves, and unblock self-defeating behaviour. She also considers how their families have been affected – and is keen to help them find a programme of recovery.

She has her own private practice in central London, and facilitates group-work and workshops for the Start2Stop evening programme. She has links with rehabilitation centres in the UK, US and South Africa, and considers relationships with other professionals/resources in the field important so as to provide effective guidance and advice for clients and colleagues when required. She helps devise programmes for inpatient care and workshops, and offers consultancy and teaching/training/mentoring/supervision services for those working in the field of addiction.

Counsellor

FDAP, MISMA

Before re training as a counsellor James spent 17 years in the event and hospitality industry. He found his way to Start2Stop as a client looking for recovery before returning to work his way through the ranks as a peer mentor, recovery assistant and now counsellor. James trained at Richmond College and is a passionate advocate for recovery. James is strongly informed by 12 step philosophy, his focus is substance misuse and eating disorders and is currently working on becoming a Master Practitioner in Eating Disorders and Obesity. James is also a recovery coach and wellbeing consultant helping clients to look after their mental, physical, spiritual and emotion health and thrive in life.

James works with clients 121, facilitates groups, runs workshops and supports the outpatient programme on Saturday mornings.

When James is not at Start2Stop he can be found in the countryside spending time with his children.

Counsellor

Dip. (Level 6) Transactional Analysis Psychotherapeutic Counselling; MBACP

Holly worked in the Media industry for two decades before retraining in Transactional Analysis at the Metanoia Institute. She joined the Start2Stop Outpatient team in October 2021 after spending time on the Evening Programme as a client in 2017. She is a passionate advocate of the 12-step process and incorporates her beliefs into her therapeutic work.

Holly works on both The Mews House Day Care and Start2Stop Evening programmes as a 121 counsellor and group facilitator. She has experience of working with eating disorders as well alcohol, substance and process addictions.

Holly also has a private practice in Clapham and online. She enjoys spending time with her children and her cat.

Practice Manager

Coming from an Art School background, Fi worked in advertising as a Graphic Designer and subsequently as a Design Studio Manager for many years, both in London and New York. She later joined the charity sector to work as a Company Manager for Vauxhall City Farm working with disadvantaged children and adults and those with special needs.  She set up a Riding for the Disabled Project as well as several animal therapy, educational, and environmental programmes for local residents and schools.

From 2009 to 2015 Fi worked for a London Daycare programme as a Project Manager gaining invaluable insight into the workings of an addiction treatment centre. 

In 2015 Fi joined Start2Stop Ltd as a Practice Manager working on a diverse and challenging range of developments including the implementation of policy and best practice.

Art Group Facilitator

BSc Architecture (Bartlett)

Educated at the Bartlett, UCL, where she took a degree in Architecture, and at postgraduate level at Central St Martin’s, Araminta started facilitating our art groups in 2010. She also runs art groups for a children’s charity in inner-city schools.

She believes that art touches on a deep and emotional level: art therapy enriches the recovery process. Araminta is an award-winning environmental photographer, whose work has been exhibited in Europe, Africa, America and in the National Portrait Gallery, London, as well as being featured in numerous magazines and books. She is married with two children.

Meditation

Tim has been teaching meditation at Start2Stop since 2010. His sessions are inspired by his daily programme of Transcendental Meditation and the Advanced TM Siddhi Programme. Tim is a qualified Senior Social Worker for disabled children, Reiki Master, and published author. He is devoted to studying the ancient spiritual practice of shamanism. Tim is a former tennis coach, having spent several years coaching in America. He has a passion for playing  African drums and lives by the sea with his family.

Kirtan Chanting

Nikki is a leading pioneer in the field of chanting, core voice and sound work in the UK. Nikki has inspired thousands of individuals to chant and has led chanting workshops for many corporations including M&C Saatchi, Deutcshe Bank and Cisco. She has also taken her cutting edge approach to working with the voice into Wandsworth men’s prison and she is the resident voice facilitator at the Priory hospital in North London where she has impacted the recovery of hundreds of addicts over the years.

Nikki has recorded four highly popular chanting Cd’s: Nectarine, Monsoon, Soundscape and Epiphany. She is the resident Kirtan (Chanting) leader at Triyoga in London and has travelled the world with her work to places including California, Singapore, NYC, Europe and Melbourne, Australia. She led a chant for over 2000 people at the 11.11.11 Mind, Body, Spirit show and at the 12.12.12 Oneness ceremony in London.

Beginner & Intermediate Yoga

After a career of touring the world as a musician and using yoga to stay flexible, healthy and sane within a chaotic world, Rhianna trained as a yoga instructor to deepen her knowledge and to be able to share the peace she had gained during 20 years of yoga practice. In tandem with a full-time job in the music industry, she teaches private clients and small classes in Ashtanga Vinyasa and meditation with an emphasis on yoga’s benefits on the mind as well as the body. She loves to teach with encouragement and kindness and aspires to make yoga accessible to all, including the clients on the Outpatient programme at Start2Stop.