Why Therapy?
Life can be challenging at times. We can find ourselves caught in unhelpful negative spirals and need help finding a way through. Or we may be overwhelmed by anxiety or grief and feel at odds with the world around us, leaving us feeling isolated. There are many reasons we might turn to therapy for help, and of course each person’s issues are uniquely experienced.
My work as psychotherapist is about getting to know you, learn what’s happened to you and explore what may be preventing you from moving forward. I provide a confidential, warm, non-judgemental space in which I want help you find a path to a more joyful, fulfilled life.
I believe the therapeutic relationship is a creative, collaborative process, and sometimes simply the process of uncovering what has been unknown to us consciously can allow us to let go of old patterns and move forward. We may also work on developing tools and strategies to help you feel more in charge of your life.
Psychotherapy and counselling may help to deal with:
- Relationship difficulties or breakdowns
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Self-harm
- Difficulty coping with health problems
- Bereavement
- Feeling isolated
- Identity issues
- Postnatal depression
- Compulsive disorders
- Eating disorders
- Self-doubt and low self-confidence
- Work-related issues
- Lack of motivation/direction
About me
I am a psychodynamic psychotherapist with a decade of experience working with adults on a one-to-one, weekly basis. Whatever my clients bring, I’m passionate about supporting people to live whole, fulfilling, creative lives.
I trained at WPF Therapy, one of the UK’s leading institutions for academic and clinical practice, and hold a postgraduate diploma in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from Roehampton University.
I am an accredited member of the UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) and abide by their ethics, standards and practices.
Some issues may be long-standing and may require what we call open-ended therapy, and others may result from a particular traumatic event or series of events. Having worked within the London Metropolitan Police Service, I have experience helping clients to process traumatic events using a focussed, short-term model.
How I can help
Finding the right therapist is important. Upon making contact with me I will usually suggest we arrange to meet for an initial consultation, which may involve us meeting for up to two sessions, to help us understand your needs and decide on the best course of treatment for you. Everyone’s experience is unique. Some people may have previous experience of therapy, and others not. Some may bring something specific they want to work on, while for others it may be less tangible. We will discuss this together, and I will then suggest a course of therapy to best meet your needs.
The consultation also allows you to get a feel for the way I work and decide if you’d like to continue seeing me. This is always an open conversation – my goal is for you to get what you need from your ongoing therapy, whether that is with me, or someone else.
If, after this, you decide you’d like to continue, we will arrange a regular session time. Once we agree on a time, this will be booked for you on a weekly basis, until the time comes that you feel ready to end.
I provide sessions in-person and also online.
Open-ended psychotherapy
Sometimes issues can be so deeply embedded that clients feel unsure of the reasons for their emotional pain, anxiety or depression and it can be helpful in this case to work in an open-ended arrangement. This way of working allows for time and space for us to explore patterns of behaviour which can help to uncover the root cause of emotional distress.
Short-term counselling (x 12 sessions)
Working within a 12 session arrangement can be helpful when there is something specific going on in a person’s life which they need some help working through (such as bereavement or relationship breakdown). Because of the time-limited nature of this way of working, I will encourage us to remain closely focussed on this issue during our sessions together.
Fees
My fee for an initial consultation is £70.
Fees for on-going sessions range between £70-£80, depending on location, time of day and your financial circumstances. It’s important that the fee we agree feels ‘doable’ and sustainable, and we discuss this further in the initial consultation.
Once we arrange a regular session time this will be reserved for you. You will therefore be required to pay for sessions whether or not you’re able to attend. I will always try to accommodate an alternative session time if we can find one. I take breaks, and will aim to give you a minimum of a month’s notice of this. You will not be charged for any sessions I am unable to make.
Fees are reviewed annually, and I aim to give two months’ notice if I decide to increase the fee.