About Me
I am a Counselling Psychologist with more than 10 years of experience both within the National Health Service and private sectors working to the highest level with a wide range of psychological challenges and client demographics. My integrative approach to therapy ensures that I am able to offer bespoke treatment plans based on an individual's requirements rather than offer a 'one-size fits all' approach. I draw on humanistic cognitive behavioural and psychodynamic psychotherapeutic perspectives depending on the needs and wishes of my clients. I provide an open, sensitive and confidential space where you will be met with warmth, respect and acceptance. This environment enables an exploration of issues or patterns of behaviour which may have been difficult to deal with alone.
I have worked in various settings including secondary care services in London NHS trusts, bereavement services, and education providers. My experience ranges from working with older adults to child psychotherapy, with clients experiencing a variety of psychological difficulties. I work with people experiencing difficulties such as: depression; OCD; relationship difficulties; stress resulting from work and other pressures; bereavement; low self-esteem; and a range of anxiety problems, such as panic, health anxiety, social anxiety and PTSD.
My training has been conducted at universities renowned for their innovative schools of psychology, The Open University, City London University and University of Surrey. An integral aspect of my therapeutic practice is conducting research in the field of psychology and to date this has included studies on complex mental health problems and the efficacy of targeted treatments. As part of my continuing professional development, I have completed courses on Compassion Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Panic and Social Anxiety and Complex Case Formulation.
How psychotherapy can help
What to expect
Psychotherapy and counselling involves a confidential therapeutic relationship working through your concerns and towards your personal goals. We will try and work out the meaning and together we will develop personal solutions and resources to alleviate any discomfort and distress. Therapy can be helpful for:
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Those wanting to understand the causes and the maintenance of their problems.
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Thinking about where you are in your life and how you wish to move forward.
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Exploring relationships (intimate, family, work).
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Managing general life stressors.
This may involve:
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Developing a more compassionate relationship to yourself.
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An increased ability to make connections between experiences, emotions, memories, ideas, desires and dream material.
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Increased creativity, spontaneity and flexibility.
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Greater impulse control, patience and tolerance.
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A release from the past, opening up new possibilities.
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The ability to mourn what is lost, or may not have been.
The first appointment
I provide a complimentary 15 minute phone call to listen to your current concerns and how I could help you. We will discuss how my approach could support you through this concern, and provide you with further information about the service. If we believe I am able to help, and you’re happy and comfortable to start therapy, I then invite you for your initial consultation.
In the first appointment, we will have an opportunity to talk about your difficulties. I will ask about current problems, as well as other areas of life, such as family history, work history, relationship history, health issues, etc. We will then begin to develop an in-depth understanding of your difficulties.
This is usually face-to-face therapy, however we can offer online therapy over video conferencing (Skype), email and chat therapy.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy and counselling involves a confidential therapeutic relationship working through your concerns and towards your personal goals. I will try and work out the meaning and together with you and we we will develop personal solutions and resources to alleviate any discomfort and distress.
Regular therapy sessions give you space to think and talk about your feelings and gives you the time to look at what has happened or is happening in your life. We may not meet many times, or we might meet often, this all depends on your needs.
I work integratively, which means being able to offer bespoke treatment plans based on an individual's requirements rather than offer a 'one-size fits all' approach. I draw on the following therapeutic approaches:
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Humanistic therapy & mindfulness
Psychodynamic therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective for a wide range of problems. It aims to understand problems in terms of the way people think, feel and behave. CBT provides people with skills so that they are able to learn more helpful ways of coping with problems now and in the future.
Humanistic therapies focus on self-development, growth and responsibilities. They can help individuals to gain self-awareness in the ‘here and now’ and accept who they are by reconnecting with themselves. Mindfulness therapy aims to reconnect people with themselves, Often we have a tendency to work on autopilot, mindfulness helps us to feel more attuned to our emotions and more aware of ourselves both mentally and physically.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy tries to understand the reasons behind symptoms, emotional distress and relationship difficulties. It can help develop an understanding of how past experiences, current ways of thinking and relating and anxieties about the future are causing difficulties now.