Welcome to my Psychotherapy and Counselling Service.
I am a fully accredited (UKCP) Psychotherapist and Counsellor with over 18 years experience, practising in Archway, Islington N19.
I offer both face to face and online sessions via Zoom, Skype, Facetime or any other platform you prefer. This can be a convenient and safe option from the comfort of your own home, and works just as well as meeting in person. I recommend an initial session online to see if I might be the right fit for you, and then we can take it from there. Individuals and couples are welcome.
With all the increasingly complex stresses and challenges of modern life, anxiety, depression and addictions are on the rise. Deciding to see a psychotherapist/counsellor can provide a calm, safe and sympathetic space to explore how you are coping, the underlying causes of any distress, and to get the support you need. Whether you are seeking short term counselling, or longer term psychotherapy, together we can explore whatever issues are troubling you, and jointly focus on possible solutions.
Perhaps you are in need of a sympathetic person to talk to, someone who will listen without judgement to whatever difficulties you are experiencing in your life or relationships. You may be suffering recurring struggles with anxiety or depression, low self-esteem, or unexplained panic attacks which are making life unbearable. Maybe it feels like time to confront and let go of any self-defeating patterns that are hindering the achievement of your goals.
Some clients come to therapy because they feel blocked in their creativity, seeking release from long held inhibitions. Others just want to be heard and understood, lacking validation from family and friends. Authenticity is the key, a coming home to the person you were born to be, before life events and difficult family relationships created distortions in your sense of self. Unwarranted guilt and shame can be very destructive, interfering with a realistic vision of yourself. Often childhood trauma can lead to the build up of defensive strategies that have now become counter-productive in your adult life.
I can offer you short or long-term holistic counselling and psychotherapy to support you at this difficult time. I work with a wide range of clients, from those wishing to focus on a particular issue in their lives, to those who don't understand why they persistently feel low or confused, or students who need to be in psychotherapy as part of their training.
Deciding to see a counsellor/psychotherapist can be daunting. so my personal approach is warm, non-judgmental, respectful, attentive and compassionate.(This is known as a humanistic or person-centred orientation.) I tailor my approach to meet my clients' needs, whether they want to take a psychodynamic approach which means looking into childhood and family experiences, or a transpersonal orientation where we can creatively explore dream work, visualisations, the inner child, body work or meditation. For some life is seen as a spiritual journey, for others simple peace of mind is the ultimate goal.
"Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power."
(Lao Tzu)
Going to counselling/psychotherapy can also be very useful if you are having difficulties in relationship with your partner, family or at work. Perhaps you need to build up the confidence to stand up for yourself in the workplace, or to change your job. Maybe you would like to embark on a whole new career, or fulfil the long term ambitions closest to your heart. Coaching is also part of my practice, working towards a collaborative strategy for change with each client, according to their highly individual needs. We will examine your options, and identify your blocks.
I am a mature person with a great deal of life experience, which I believe deepens my understanding and empathy for my clients' dilemmas.
My training, interests and practice integrate all the traditional approaches to psychotherapy. (See The Integrative Approach in FAQ)
I use the terms counsellor and psychotherapist interchangeably here, although counselling usually involves short term work around a particular issue, perhaps using highly effective tools such as DBT and EFT. Psychotherapy is more longterm and exploratory, particularly into the past and early childhood experiences.
“The healing factor is in the power of a person’s psyche, given the right support, to resolve its own conflicts.”(C.G Jung)
If using public transport, my practice is located within a two minute walk from Archway Underground Station. There is pay and display parking very close by, with free parking after 6.30pm.
Just Click here to visit UKCP
Just Click here to visit CCPE
Location
My counselling and psychotherapy practice is based Archway N19 in North London, within easy reach of Highgate, Tufnell Park, Kentish Town,Camden Town, Hampstead, Islington, Crouch End and Muswell Hill. N19, N1, N6, N8, N10, NW5.