Meet The team

Our Founders

A therapy practice created with purpose,
supporting personal healing and giving back to the community.

Recovr was born from a shared vision: to provide high-quality, accessible therapy for all.

We are a professional yet socially responsible counselling practice, giving qualified counsellors meaningful, socially conscious paid work, while reinvesting profits to fund, otherwise inaccessible therapy, for survivors of domestic abuse in Cambridgeshire through The Angels Foundation UK.

Recovr is more than a therapy practice, it is a way to strengthen the community, empower survivors of domestic abuse, and ensure no one has to rebuild alone.


  • Managing Partner

    Shirley Marais is an Integrative Counsellor and Registered Member of the NCPS and BACP, bringing a depth of therapeutic experience to Recovr.

    As the founder of the Aloe Counselling Training Centre, she has long been dedicated to elevating professional counselling standards and mentoring the next generation of therapists.

    In her clinical work, Shirley specialises in relationship therapy and draws from Psychodynamic, Transactional Analysis, Solution Focused, and Emotionally Focused Therapy approaches.

    She also teaches CPCAB qualifications, ensuring her work is grounded in both rigorous training and compassionate, relational practice.


  • Managing Partner

    Caroline Deeprose is the Founder and CEO of The Angels Foundation UK, a Cambridgeshire charity that provides practical and emotional long-term support to women and families after crisis services end.

    While many organisations focus on immediate intervention, Caroline’s work ensures survivors have what they need for the long, often overlooked path to recovery; essential home items and trauma-informed therapeutic support.

    Under her leadership, The Angels Foundation UK has transformed the lives of many families and individuals across Cambridgeshire, highlighting the critical link between furniture poverty and survivor relapse.

    Her advocacy and hands-on support help survivors rebuild not only their homes but their sense of stability, dignity, and possibility.

    In 2025, Caroline won the coveted BBC Make A Difference Award she is also training to become a BACP-qualified therapist, deepening her commitment to healing work from the inside out.

Our Therapists

  • Shirley Marais

    Seasoned CPCAB Therapist and Tutor

    Shirley Marais is a seasoned relationship counsellor and dedicated educator who brings a wealth of professional experience and relational insight to her role as course tutor.

    A Registered Member of both the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS), Shirley works with individuals and couples.

    Shirley’s therapeutic style is rooted in the Person‑Centred approach, providing clients a safe, compassionate environment in which they are fully seen, heard and valued.

    Over time she has integrated a rich repertoire of modalities including Psychodynamic, Transactional Analysis (TA), Solution‑Focused and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to meet the complex needs of couples and individuals alike.

    Sessions with Shirley are available in person at our St Ives practice or at our Bedford Therapy Room, or remotely online.

  • Katarzyna (Kate) Smith

    Counsellor and Sleep Therapist, NCPS (Acc.)

    Kate is an integrative counsellor who uses a whole-person approach tailoring treatments to client’s unique needs. She works with adults with a wide range of issues and has a specific interest and expertise in:

    Relationship issues
    Substance use/addictions
    Sleep and insomnia
    Cultural challenges
    Loneliness

    Sessions with Kate are available online or over the phone. Kate offers therapy in both English and Polish. 

  • Annmarie Dann

    BPS/NCPS Therapist

    Annmarie is a qualified Occupational Psychologist and qualified counsellor.

    Annmarie also works for the charity The Angels Foundation UK as their Counselling Agency and Placement Manager supporting clients who have experienced domestic abuse.

    A member of the BPS and NCPS, Annmarie has held senior professional roles and also volunteers supporting carers of dementia patients. 

  • Ania Kappes

    BACP Therapist

    Anna is a Level 4 Qualified BACP Therapist and also works with Mind as a Crisis Recovery Worker, supporting individuals during periods of acute emotional distress.

    She is experienced in a wide range of mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, bereavement and child loss, relationship issues and suicidal thoughts.

    Alongside this, she is also a therapist for The Angels Foundation UK, a domestic abuse charity.

    She has undertaken extensive training in trauma (TRF Model) domestic abuse, safeguarding, autism, and child loss.

    Her work is informed by a relational philosophy and shaped by training in integrative approaches, allowing her to tailor therapy to each individual’s needs.

    She believes that therapy works best collaboratively in order to find a way forward that feels right for her clients.

    As a therapist, she is empathic, genuine, and non-judgemental. She offers a safe, supportive space where clients can explore their experiences at their own pace.

    Anna aims is to walk alongside you, supporting you as you work towards understanding, healing, and growth.

  • Karen Conway

    MSc Occupational Psychology with Distinction

    Karen is a qualified coach specialising in supporting clients who have experienced domestic abuse.

    Karen is also experienced in supporting people with emotions surrounding loss, whether that is the loss of a loved one, loss of identity, loss of safety or any loss which has a significant impact on the individual and their family.

    Karen also volunteers, supporting the Armed Forces and their families.

    Karen’s qualifications include:

    BSc (Hons) Psychology
    MSc Occupational Psychology with distinction
    ILM Level 5 Coaching & Mentoring
    Level 4 Careers Advice
    Mentoring certificate - Armed Forces ‎

  • Caroline Lewis

    Counsellor MBACP

    Caroline is an integrative therapist with a person-centred foundation, which means she shapes her work around each client’s individual needs rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. She draws on a range of therapeutic models and ways of working to support people with a variety of experiences and challenges.

    Caroline offers a warm, compassionate, and non-judgemental space where clients can feel safe to explore what is happening for them and develop a deeper understanding of themselves. Her work is trauma-informed and relational, grounded in respect, trust, and care for each person’s unique story. She believes that feeling heard and supported can create the conditions for meaningful change and healing.

    Sessions are available both face to face and online, offering flexibility to suit different circumstances. Caroline aims to provide a space where clients feel supported, understood, and empowered to move forward in a way that feels right for them