Psychotherapy & Counselling
There are times in life when we can feel overwhelmed, uncertain or unable to find a way forward. You may be struggling with something that has happened recently or beginning to recognise patterns that have been present for much longer.
Psychotherapy offers a confidential space in which you can speak openly about what is troubling you and begin to understand yourself more fully. This may include exploring your thoughts and feelings, your relationships, your past experiences and the ways you have learned to cope.
Reasons People Come to Therapy
People seek therapy for many different reasons. These may include:
- Anxiety, panic attacks and persistent worry
- Depression, low mood or a loss of meaning
- Relationship difficulties, separation or the ending of a relationship
- Repeating patterns in relationships
- Obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviours
- Addiction and compulsive sexual behaviour
- Difficulties with sex, intimacy or sexual functioning
- The impact of emotional, physical or sexual abuse
- Trauma and difficult childhood experiences
- Shame, low self-esteem or difficulties trusting yourself
- Questions about sexuality, sexual orientation or identity
You do not need to have a diagnosis or be in crisis to come to therapy. Sometimes people seek help because they feel stuck, disconnected from themselves or aware that something in their life needs to change.
Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression can affect how you think, feel and relate to other people. They may develop in response to a particular experience or period of stress or emerge gradually without an obvious explanation.
Anxiety may involve persistent worry, panic, difficulty sleeping, physical tension or a sense that something is about to go wrong. Depression can leave you feeling low, disconnected, exhausted or unable to find pleasure and meaning in everyday life. Some people experience both at the same time.
Therapy provides an opportunity to understand not only the symptoms you are experiencing, but also what may be contributing to them. This may include current pressures, earlier experiences, relationship difficulties, loss, trauma, self-criticism or patterns of coping that are no longer helping you.
Together, we can consider what you need and develop ways of responding that feel more manageable and sustainable.
My Approach
I work integratively, which means that I draw upon different therapeutic approaches according to the needs of each person. My work is informed by psychodynamic and psychoanalytic thinking, attachment and family systems theory, cognitive behavioural therapy, trauma therapy and EMDR.
Rather than applying one approach to everyone, we will work together to understand what has brought you to therapy, why you may be seeking help at this particular time and what you would like to be different.
Therapy may involve looking at how earlier experiences continue to influence the present, recognising patterns that are no longer helpful and developing different ways of understanding and responding to yourself and others.
What You Can Expect
Our first meetings will give us an opportunity to consider what you are experiencing and whether I am the right therapist to help you. If we decide to work together, we will agree on an approach that is personal to you and review the work as it develops.
Sessions are available in person in Central London and online via Zoom. A combination of online and in-person sessions may also be arranged where appropriate.
I am professionally qualified and insured, and my work is guided by the ethical standards of UKCP, BACP, COSRT, IITAP and IAPST. Therapy is confidential, within the usual professional and legal limits, which will be explained at the beginning of our work.
Below is a short film from UKCP exploring the question “What is psychotherapy?”, featuring Dr Robert Hudson.