| Certified By: | BACP |
| From: | 102 Holland Road, Kensal Rise, London, United Kingdom (UK) |
| Type of session: | Secure Video Call, In-Person |
| Also speaks: | English |
| Specialty: | Anxiety, Depression, Development disorders, Family, Grief, Health, Identity, Mood, Obsessive compulsive disorders, Relationships, Self - Esteem, Somatic, Stress, Trauma, Work |
| Target Age Group: | Adult, Me and my partner |
| Therapist Since: | 18/12/2002 |
I have been in mental health for over twenty years and my work as a psychotherapist is where I belong: it is a vocation. I bring to the work not only the solid base of knowledge gained in trainings; but also the insights and inspiration drawn from the privilege of working with others’ stories; the wisdom that comes from living through my own real challenges in life and in ageing; and the warmth, empathy and perspective with which I build good strong therapeutic relationships. Trust is, ultimately, what we need to be able to be who we really are; I offer the safest possible space to allow you to trust me.
I offer reduced fees for people in financial difficulties. A reduced price between £45-55 will be discussed during our trial session.
I have worked for nearly twenty years as a psychotherapist. My experience covers all types of existential crises: whether you are stuck, immobilised, in depression or conversely caught in a relentless loop of anxiety; whether you are fighting losing battles against addiction or running panic-stricken away from intimacy; whether you are bombarded by feelings of inadequacy or lost in a fog of indecision; whether you are bereft with bereavement, buried in grief and loss; whether you are helpless in the periodic assault of old traumas or consumed with guilt or possessed at times with rage or gripped with terror or simply lonely and confused and needing a chat – Whatever it is, I am here.
Firstly I invite you into a safe space and get you to take as long as you need to breathe, relax, adjust to your surroundings, feel as grounded as possible. I then ask you some basic questions that help me understand what has brought you to me, and why now. I then, whilst checking in with you regularly, tend you ask you some important questions about your history so that I better understand how you present yourself in life, what your challenges are in being you, any traumatic events that have shaped any emotional blockages, any fear that you carry with you, and so on.
I come back regularly if need be to your body language: I work with mindfulness in this way. I also work with imagery where it is helpful, any dreams you bring to me if they feel powerful or meaningful. I work holistically ie with mind and thoughts, body and sensations and breathing, emotions, ideas. Images in the mind’s eye or found using crayons and drawing is also often helpful to move away from a mind crowded by anxious thoughts. I emphasise that I work with the here and now: what is happening for you right now; what is happening here with me. Ultimately the here and now is all we have. Having said this, getting to know the story of your past can be very important to help you rewrite what needs rewriting, re-wire what needs re-wiring.
Together we get a good feel of how we are going to work together. If you feel safer creating a finite set of sessions we can work with this short-term arrangement with a review towards the end of the block to find if we want to extend that work. If so we can agree on another block of sessions or move into open-ended work.
Finding the right therapist for you is as important as finding a good coat for the winter. Come and see me and there’s a very good chance I will be able to be that good warm winter’s coat you need.
