"Awakening begins when one realises they are going nowhere and does not know where to go" ~ G.I. Gurdjieff
Starting psychotherapy or counselling can be a daunting prospect, but many have found it to be a powerful, transformative experience.
An Integrative approach is tailored towards each individual client's needs. I believe clients are the experts in their own lives and draw on both traditional and modern techniques to ensure we bring long-lasting changes to every aspect of your wellbeing – mental, physical, emotional, relational.
My way of working helps clients explore their patterns of relating to others and understand how these affect their own sense of self. Early attachments with our caregivers are critical to how we perceive our surroundings. A strong therapeutic relationship where you feel heard and understood can become a creative blueprint for change.
Whether you are struggling under the weight of your past, find yourself at a critical juncture of life or feel your emotions are overwhelming, I offer a supportive and non-judgmental space where I help you reflect and work through the difficulties in your life.
About Me
People's stories have been a lifelong passion for me. Before training as a psychotherapist, I worked as a producer in film and television, spending much of my time supporting screenwriters through the development process. I realised how vital our narratives are to the way we construct meaning and identity. As a result, many of my psychotherapy clients are writers, actors, musicians and professional athletes wrestling with the relationship between their personal and professional identities.
I also have a keen interest in systemic and psychosexual therapy, with extensive experience working with trauma, loss, relationship difficulties and issues related to sex and fertility.
I hold an MA in Psychotherapy & Counselling and a postgraduate certificate in Integrative Psychotherapy from Regent's University London. I am an accredited member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy and a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, abiding by both their codes of ethics. I am also a registered provider with health insurers Axa, Aviva and WPA.
I speak fluent French for any clients who feel more comfortable working in their native language.
Je parle couramment français donc vous pouvez me contacter même si vous ne parlez pas anglais.
People come to me for help with a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that I have worked with:
Stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Trauma and post-traumatic stress
Men's issues
Loss of meaning
Parenting concerns
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Anger
Issues relating to sex and fertility
Concerns around identity
Impacts of boarding school
Struggles with creativity
My practice is based in central London, primarily at 6 Lower Grosvenor Place, SW1W 0EN – 2 mins walk from Victoria station. I see clients here on Mondays, 2-7pm, and Wednesdays, 10am-6pm.
I also see clients in Notting Hill on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-6pm, at 6 Pembridge Mews, W11 3EQ. The practice is 5 mins walk from Notting Hill Gate tube & 10 mins drive from Paddington station.
In addition to providing face-to-face therapy, I also offer online sessions via Zoom or Skype. Contact me to find out more about how online therapy works.
All sessions last 50 minutes and take place on a weekly basis.
My fees operate on a sliding scale depending on your financial circumstances – from £95 to £150.
I also provide a limited number of daytime spaces for trainee therapists at £75. Contact me to enquire about availability.
Should you need to cancel an appointment, I require one week's notice otherwise the session will be charged.
Feel free to contact me to arrange a free 20-minute telephone consultation. This will enable us to discuss the reasons behind you coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07389 765 947 if you prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
However few options you think you may have, commitment to the therapeutic process can help you understand your suffering, create new meaning from your experiences and open the door to new possibilities going forward.
Many therapists tend to view counselling as ‘short-term’ work – when someone has a problem that can be looked at and discussed in a clearly-resolvable way. This work often requires undertaking sessions for a certain number of weeks, to explore, discover and clarify a way forward. Therapy is a word used more to describe ‘long-term’ work – discussion that tends towards substantial issues and things that might be life-changing on a deeper level.
Whether counselling or therapy work best as a short or long-term option depends on the client though, and the difficulties they are facing.
Psychotherapy sessions are once per week and 50 minutes in duration. Please be aware that sessions will finish on time and I am unable to extend them if you are late.
After our initial phone consultation, we will meet for our first session to explore the issues the issues you mentioned in more depth and see if we both feel we are the right fit going forward. A good working relationship with your therapist is the most crucial ingredient in the therapeutic process. It is, therefore, vital you feel comfortable with whomever you choose to see for the long-term.
We will contract for an initial number of sessions (usually twelve) and then review our progress and discuss renewal. This setup ensures both parties retain a focus and collaborative spirit throughout the work. I will, however, accommodate clients who prefer short-term or open-ended therapy.
It is important that we are both able to commit to meeting weekly if therapy is to progress. The consistency of this framework is key to the process of change.
I require a week's notice to cancel a session, otherwise it will incur full charge. If you do cancel, I will try and offer you another session time within the same week but this is not always possible.
Everything we discuss in the therapy room, over the phone and on a Zoom or Skype call is treated with complete confidentiality. Your privacy will be respected and maintained.
The only situation where I would legally or ethically be obliged to break confidentiality would be in circumstances where I am concerned for your immediate safety or that of another person. I reserve the right to raise these concerns with an appropriate person, usually my supervisor or a GP. Wherever possible, I would consult you first before breaking confidentiality.
My work as a therapist is supervised in accordance with BACP regulations and my clinical supervisor is bound by a similar code of ethics and confidentiality. No names or identifying details of clients are disclosed in supervision.
I am a registered member of the BACP and am due to receive UKCP accreditation in December 2022. I subscribe to the BACP's ethical framework.
The nature of therapy is personal, emotionally involved and co-created and I commit to working with integrity. I trust that disagreements, mistakes or confusion can be worked through as part of therapy and aim to resolve difficulties through discussion with my clients.