Individual Therapy

When people come to see me

Most people arrive at therapy at a point where something has stopped working. Sometimes there is a clear reason: a bereavement, a diagnosis, the end of a relationship, a job that has become unbearable. Sometimes there is no obvious cause at all, only a sense that life has narrowed, or that the same difficulty keeps returning in a different shape.

You do not need to be in crisis to come to therapy, and you do not need to be able to explain what is wrong. Working that out is often the first part of the work.

I see adults who are struggling with anxiety, low mood and depression, the effects of trauma, difficulties in relationships, low self-esteem, and periods of significant change. I also see people who are managing outwardly well and are exhausted by the effort of it.

How I work

I am an integrative psychotherapist, which means I am not applying one fixed method to everyone who walks in.

What most characterises my work is an interest in where things come from. Symptoms and difficulties usually make sense once you can see what they grew out of, and most of what people bring has a longer history than the current episode suggests. That history is still shaping the present, generally without announcing itself. Bringing it into view is what allows it to loosen.

I also pay attention to what happens between us. Over time, the way you relate to me will carry traces of how you relate to other people. That is not a distraction from the work. It is often the clearest material we have, and it can be worked with as it happens rather than only described.

Where it is useful I draw on cognitive behavioural techniques and mindfulness practice, particularly for anxiety and for managing acutely difficult periods. These are tools within the work rather than the shape of it.

In practice, sessions vary. Some are reflective and exploratory. Others are practical and focused on something specific happening that week. Both are therapy.

For anyone comparing approaches: this is psychodynamic and relational work, alongside a person-centred approach.

What a first session is like

We start with a free fifteen-minute conversation, by phone or online. You can ask whatever you want to ask. I will ask a little about what has brought you and what you are hoping for. Neither of us is committing to anything.

If we go ahead, the first full session is fifty minutes. I will ask about your history, your current circumstances, and what you would like to be different. You are not expected to have prepared anything, and you are not obliged to talk about anything you are not ready to talk about.

How often to come

Most people come weekly, at the same time each week, and I would recommend that where you can manage it, particularly at the start. Momentum matters. Weekly sessions build something that less frequent ones take considerably longer to reach.

That said, weekly is not a condition of working with me. Some people come fortnightly because of childcare, shift patterns or cost. Some come weekly for a period and then space sessions out as things settle. Some book as and when they need to. All of that is workable, and none of it means you are not doing therapy properly.

You can book directly through my online diary at whatever frequency suits you, and change it as your circumstances change. Some people know from the start that they want to work on something specific over a few months. Others come open-endedly. We review how it is going as we go, and you are free to stop whenever you choose.

Practical details

Sessions are available at 50 minutes for £80 or 75 minutes for £110. The longer session suits people working with trauma, or anyone who finds that fifty minutes ends just as something is opening up. You can move between the two.

I see clients in person in Wimbledon, South West London, and online across the UK. Some people do a mixture of both.

Full details, including cancellation terms, are on the fees page.

Getting started

The hardest part is usually the first message. If you are unsure whether therapy is right for you, or unsure whether I am the right therapist, that is a good reason to book the free fifteen-minute consultation rather than a reason not to.

If you have had therapy before and would rather not spend time on a preliminary call, you are very welcome to book a full session directly.