ABOUT
I am trained as an integrative psychotherapist. This means that I am trained in a range of therapeutic models. You can read more about integrative psychotherapy on the BACP website.
My main approach is psychodynamic. I also draw on ideas from psychoanalytic and existential theories.
I’m a warm and calm person with a genuine interest in people’s stories; how what’s happened to us shapes who, and how, we are in the world. I’m interested in how distress ‘shows up’ in our bodies. The mind and body are inseparable and, sometimes, our bodies do the talking for us when we can’t access the words.
I work with people who have all kinds of emotional difficulties and mental health challenges. For example, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relationship and attachment issues, loss, work conflicts, addiction, ‘stuckness’ and anger. I have worked in a number of trauma services, including specialist services for survivors of sexual abuse.
I experienced significant anxiety when I was younger. This informs my approach, which combines a practical focus on physical symptoms with more analytical work about the function of anxiety in someone’s life.
My approach is LGBTQIA+ positive, with a focus on considering differences and discriminations.
therapy
Thinking about coming to therapy can be daunting. It’s completely natural to worry about trusting a stranger with difficult thoughts or feelings, let alone speaking openly for, sometimes, the first time. I will try and create a safe and supportive environment for you, with the knowledge that a felt sense of safety takes time.
You may have preconceptions about what coming to therapy is like. The process is portrayed in all sorts of ways in films, on TV and social media. Every therapist will work slightly differently, depending on the kind of training they’ve had and who they are as a person. In essence, the idea is that a therapist forms a real relationship with their client; one built on trust and care. We call this the ‘therapeutic alliance’.
Within this alliance, we can gain increased insight about our experiences, behavioural patterns and ways of thinking. We’re not always aware of why we feel or act the way we do. Exploring our unconscious fears and desires can help us take more responsibility for ourselves and the changes we want to make in our lives. This can lead to having a richer experience of the world and our relationships.
It may also be useful to think about the interactions between the two of us. This can help you understand patterns, thoughts and beliefs that come up in your relationships outside the therapy room.
what i offer
I offer weekly sessions, face-to-face and online. This can be in the short-term or for open-ended therapy. We will agree a weekly slot that will be yours for as long as you want it. My practice is in Kentish Town, North London.
I offer a free, 15-20 minute intro call. We can use this time to discuss why you have sought therapy.
Our sessions would be confidential. I’m a registered member of the BACP. This means I have undertaken a nationally recognised training and that I’m connected to an organisation with an ethical code and a formal complaints procedure.
Qualifications
PGDip Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy, University of East London.
MSc Psychology, University of Westminster, London.
BA (Hons) English Literature, University of Westminster, London.
Fees
For individual therapy, each 50-minute session costs £75.
For couples therapy, each 50-minute session costs £95.
I reserve a limited number of low-cost places for people on low income, benefits or in education.