For me, therapy is about change. Changing the way we feel (about ourselves, about others), changing the way we are (in our interactions with ourselves and others) and changing the way we see the world.  

The initial session is a place and time for us to get to know each other and see whether you and I feel comfortable with each other.

The initial session is free of charge.

Typically, I will first go over the consent form that will give you additional information about therapy. I will also ask you additional questions to deepen my understanding of you and your current context. This helps me with my formulation (ideas I start to have which I can share with you to see whether those ideas are helpful or not).

For individual therapy, the first session will be free of charge. This will allow us to know if we are a good match together.

My fees are £60/h for individual therapy and clinical supervision.

For sessions with more than one person, I will charge £80.

We will meet for 50 minutes to one hour. Initially I like to meet weekly and then space out our sessions to give you time to apply some of the things we discuss. However, we will talk about how often we will meet and see what suits you best.  ion

At this time, I am only able to offer virtual sessions. I will send you a link for us to meet via a secure platform to ensure confidentiality.

How therapy looks like very much depends on the individual seeking therapy. It could be directive, non-directive, a mix of both depending on the person and what they want. The initial goal of therapy is to create a safe space for the therapist and the person. This safe space then allows the person to reflect and focus on some areas they would like to change in their lives. Change is hard, stressful and can be scary and that’s why it can be nice to have someone supportive in the process. It can be change about one’s identity, how one relates to oneself, how one relates to others, or change on how one sees the world.  

For me therapy is about walking alongside the person and go wherever they take us, so they don’t have to be there alone. Through reflection and validation, maybe we can shed a different light and find a new meaning together.  

For trauma therapy specifically, there are usually three main phases (which are not linear and there is a lot of back and forth): safety and stabilisation (finding ways to manage stress and triggers), exploration and reconnection with self: this is usually where “trauma-work” is done.  

Trauma-work does not mean retelling and reliving the traumatic events. There are several ways to process traumatic memories without the need to talk. It is also much more about, understanding how our current traumatic responses make sense, developing tolerance for feelings in the present, and reconnecting to our bodies. This part also focuses on processing the inherent losses that have occurred with trauma and befriending our self and all our different parts.  

Finally, the last step is about an outward focus (vs. inward focus before that): finding healthy and meaningful connections and relationships with others and the community.  

These steps were first formulated by Pierre Janet and adapted and expanded by Judith Herman.  

Yes, more often than not it does, although some of therapy’s effectiveness depends on the level of change each individual can tolerate in a specific amount of time.  

An important factor is the relationship between you and the therapist. If we don’t get along, it will be challenging for us to work together.  

Another thing to consider is defining success. What does success look like? Because I do not have a magic wand, I cannot make behaviours completely disappear. They will still be there to some extent.

The goal will be for those behaviours to occur less often and for them to be less intense. Additionally, the goal will be for you to feel confident about your response to behaviours and respond in a way that de-escalate behaviours.  

Healing is a life-long process. Therapy, in itself, can take a few months, then be paused, then resumed again at a later stage, depending on the needs.  

I aim to have an ongoing check-in to see how therapy is going and how our relationship is going. Finding time to reflect on those aspect is crucial to be able to repair our relationship if there are disconnect and also to know when therapy should pause or end.