FAQs

20 minute introductory phone call FREE

50 minute assessment £15

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50 minute in-the-room consultation £15

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50 minute counselling session    £55

Each session lasts for 50 minutes and takes place, ideally, once a week. This is your space to bring whatever feels important, whether that's a particular situation, a difficult feeling or something that's hard to put into words. Everything you share is held in confidence.

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Our work together is open-ended which means you can continue for as long as it feels helpful. Some people come for a short time to work through something specific, while others stay longer as deeper layers begin to unfold.

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I won't give you advice or tell you what to do but I will listen closely, ask thoughtful questions and help you to explore what's going on beneath the surface. The aim is to support you in finding your own insight, clarity and way forward.

Many people feel unsure at first, especially if they've spent a long time minimising their own needs or putting others first. You don't need to be in crisis or have a clear reason to come to therapy. Sometimes just having a nagging sense that something isn't right is enough. We can explore it together.

If you're unsure whether counselling is right for you, an initial consultation is a good place to start. There's no pressure or obligation. It's simply a chance to get a feel for how I work and whether counselling with me might be a good fit for you.

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In our first meeting, we'll talk about what's brought you here, what you're hoping for and any questions you might have. Most importantly, we'll get a sense of whether we feel we can work together.

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If you decide you'd like to continue, we can arrange a time for weekly 50-minute sessions but you don't have to decide straight away. If you'd like a few days to think about it, that's absolutely fine.

​Yes. Starting therapy can bring up all kinds of feelings; nervousness, doubt, even fear. You're not doing it wrong if it feels strange or uncomfortable at first. We can talk about whatever is coming up for you, even if it's just I don't know why I'm here. It's OK to take your time. You don't have to have it all figured out to begin.

That's completely OK. In fact, it's welcomed. Emotions are part of the work. We don't need to push them away or apologise for them. Whether you cry, feel numb or can't find the words, you'll be met with care, not judgement. Therapy is a space where you don't have to hold it together.

Working relationally means that the relationship between us is central to the work. It's not just talking about your relationships, it's also paying attention to how we relate in the room.

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For example, if you often feel like a burden in everyday life, you might worry about taking up too much space in therapy. To work relationally means that pattern would be noticed and explored in the session which helps you to understand where it came from and what it might feel like to be received differently.

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Working in this way helps to create a safe and honest therapeutic alliance where trust can grow and we can work through any misunderstandings or uncomfortable moments together.

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The aim is for you to experience connection to another in a different way which can shift how you relate to yourself and others.

That's important to acknowledge and we can talk about that if you're ready. Therapy should feel like a safe, respectful space so if something in your past experience didn't feel that way, it's OK to bring it in. Together we can explore what went wrong and what you might need now.

Therapy doesn't always bring instant clarity. Sometimes it feels like sitting with things that have been avoided for a long time. Over time many people notice they're feeling more connected to themselves, more able to say what they need or less caught in old patterns. We can check in together regularly to make sure the work is still feeling useful to you

Yes, if that feels meaningful to you. Some clients find it helpful to bring dreams, images or even creative expression into our work. Others prefer to talk things through in a more traditional way. There's no pressure either way, our work will be shaped around whatever feels right for you.

Psychodynamic counselling is based on the idea that our past experiences, relationships and unconscious patterns can continue to shape how we think, feel and relate to others in the present. Sometimes we find ourselves repeating the same patterns, struggling with difficult emotions or feeling disconnected from ourselves without understanding why.

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In psychodynamic counselling, we take time to explore the deeper roots of these experiences. This might include looking at early relationships, recurring themes in your life or patterns that emerge in the therapy itself. The aim is to develop a greater self-understanding rather than manage symptoms.

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CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) tends to be more structured and focused on the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours in the present. It often involves learning practical steps to manage specific difficulties such as anxiety or low mood.

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Neither approach is better than the other. Different people find different ways of working helpful at different times in their lives. Some people come to psychodynamic counselling because they want a space to explore things more deeply, understand themselves better or make sense of patterns that keep repeating.

Many people come to therapy wondering why they seem to end up in the same situations again and again. Perhaps you find yourself drawn to unavailable partners, struggling to set boundaries or feel responsible for other people's feelings. You may notice that, despite your best intentions, certain patterns keep repeating in friendships, family relationships or romantic relationships.

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This can feel frustrating or confusing especially if part of you knows things could be different but finds yourself reacting in familiar ways. Often these patterns are not conscious but ways of relating that were learned in early life.

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Our earliest relationships can shape how we experience closeness, conflict, trust and love. If you grew up in an environment where your emotional needs were overlooked, where you had to keep the peace or where relationships felt unpredictable, you may have developed ways of coping that once helped you but no longer serve you in adulthood.

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Therapy can help you explore these patterns with curiosity rather than judgement. By bringing them into awareness, we can begin to understand where they came from and what purpose they served.

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Over time, this understanding can create more choice in how you relate to yourself and others, making it possible to build relationships that feel safer, more authentic and more fulfilling.

Yes. Many adults who grew up with emotionally immature parents find that the effects can continue long into adulthood even if they struggle to explain why. You may have learned to put other people's needs before your own becoming highly independent or feel responsible for keeping the peace. Perhaps you find it difficult to set boundaries, trust others or know what you truly want.

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Sometimes people can tell themselves their childhood wasn't that bad or feel guilty for struggling when their basic needs were met. Yet emotional experiences can cast a shadow even when there was no obvious abuse or neglect.

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Growing up with an emotionally immature parent can sometimes mean your feelngs were dismissed, your needs were overlooked or that you had to adapt to meet the emotional needs of others. Over time, this can shape how you see yourself and relate to the world around you.

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Therapy can help you to explore these early experiences with compassion and curiosity. We can begin to understand how the past may still be influencing the present and make sense of the patterns that are no longer helpful.

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The aim is to better understand your story, not blame parents as such. Then you may be able to live with greater freedom, choice and connection to yourself. 

If you often find yourself saying yes when you'd really like to say no, worrying about disappointing others or feeling responsible for everyone else's happiness, you are not alone. Many people describe themselves as "people pleasers" and find it difficult to prioritise their own needs.

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People pleasing develops for a reason. Maybe you grew up in an environment where keeping the peace was important, where you learned that being helpful or self-sufficient kept you safe or made you feel loved. These patterns can be deeply rooted and continue into adulthood but no longer serve a purpose.

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Constantly putting others first can leave you feeling exhausted, resentful or disconnected from what you truly want. You might struggle with setting boundaries, feel guilty for saying no or worry that prioritising yourself is selfish.

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Therapy can help you explore where these patterns began and how they may have helped you in the past. Together we can begin to understand them without judgement and explore what it might feel like to make space for your own needs too.

Many people come to therapy with a persistent feeling that something isn't right. From the outside life may look fine; you may have a good job, relationships or responsibilities that keep you busy. Yet inside you feel disconnected, stuck or unsure of who you really are.

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Sometimes people describe this as feeling lost, numb or as though they're living the life they think they "should" be living rather than the life that feel authentic. Others say they feel as though they've spent so long meeting other people's expectations that they've lost touch with themselves along the way.

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These feelings don't come from nowhere. They can be linked to early childhood experiences, difficult relationships or years of putting your own needs aside. If you grew up in an environment where there wasn't space for your feelings, you may have learned to adapt to others rather than developing a strong sense of your own needs and wants.

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Therapy can be somewhere to listen more closely to yourself. We can explore patterns, experiences and relationships that have shaped you and gently reconnect with the parts of yourself that are being overlooked or hidden. The aim is to become a more full and authentic version of yourself.

It's completely normal to feel unsure about what to say in therapy especially at the beginning. There's no right or wrong topic and you don't need to plan anything in advance.

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You might want to talk about something that's worrying you, a difficult experience from the past, a relationship or emotions that feel overwhelming or strangely absent. You can bring whatever feels real for you in the moment, even it's confusion or silence.

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Sometimes what you bring will be clear or it might show up in a dream, an image or a feeling that's hard to explain. However it arrives, it's welcome.

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If you do feel stuck I'll be there to guide you through the process gently. Over time, as you begin to feel more comfortable, the flow often opens up naturally and you may find yourself sharing more freely than you expected.