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WELCOME
Clinical Psychology | Psychological Therapies | Supervision
You may have come to this site because you are struggling with low mood and difficult emotions, find yourself repeating painful life patterns, or are trying to come to terms with traumatic experiences or loss. You may feel a sense of general dissatisfaction and unhappiness but are unsure where this stems from, or are hoping to build self-confidence and improve your relationships with others.
There are many times in life when it can be helpful to meet with an impartial professional to think about personal issues in detail, understand what is happening at a deeper level, and find new ways of moving forward. I’m a registered Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist and would be delighted to help you on your journey.
ISSUES I CAN HELP WITH
I aim to provide a therapeutic space in which you can increasingly reflect on and process painful aspects of your life, develop new perspectives, and work towards the changes that you wish to make. I am experienced in providing therapy in many areas, including:
Anxiety and phobias
Low mood and depression
Stress
Low self-esteem
Relationship problems
Intimacy fears
Sexual difficulties
Issues relating to food, weight and shape
Anger management
Intense emotions
Self-destructive behaviours
Personality difficulties
Identity problems
Issues to do with social inclusion, belonging, and culture
Traumatic incidents
Childhood trauma
Adjustment to illness
Pain management
Loss and complicated grief
PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIES
GENERAL COUNSELLING AND CONSULTATION
You may have a sense of something not feeling right in yourself but are unsure what the issue is or what might help. I offer one off and extended consultations as well as exploratory counselling to help you think about yourself and clarify what might be contributing to how you are feeling. Sometimes this can be enough to help you understand what needs to change and how to go about it. Sometimes it can lead to us agreeing to meet for a longer period of time for a more focused psychological therapy.
SCHEMA THERAPY
Schema therapy helps you identify problematic life patterns (Schemas) that have arisen as a result of unmet childhood needs and helps you understand better how different parts of the self are involved in the maintenance of these patterns. Schema therapy goes beyond giving you an intellectual understanding of your life story. In the course of your therapy you will engage in experiential exercises which will help you break negative patterns on a deep, emotional level.
MENTALIZATION-BASED TREATMENT
Mentalizing means being able to see oneself from the outside (how thoughts, feelings and behaviours are understood by and influence others) and imagine others from the inside (what their intentions, thoughts, feelings, wishes and desires might be). Mentalizing mostly happens automatically, outside of our awareness. It is only when something unexpected happens that we pause and ask ourselves, ‘Why did I do that?’ or ‘What did he mean by that?’ Being able to mentalize is crucial for a stable sense of self and for good relationships with loved ones, friends and colleagues. Fulfilling and healthy relationships are based on being able to take perspective and have curiosity about oneself and other people.
Everyone can mentalize. However, the capacity to mentalize can get inhibited under high levels of stress. Sometimes this can be linked to a particularly difficult period of time, such as a divorce or problems at work or at school. Other times it can be linked to chronically high levels of stress.
Mentalization-based therapy focuses on strengthening the ability to reinstate mentalizing whenever it breaks down. It has been shown to be an effective intervention for emotional instability, family discord, eating difficulties and depression and suicidality.
MINDFULNESS-BASED APPROACHES
Mindfulness means becoming aware of the workings of the mind without feeling compelled to act on thoughts, feelings or urges that might arise. Regular mindfulness practice can strengthen emotional regulation, reduce ruminative thoughts, and give you more choice about how you want to respond to internal and external events. I offer Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT; one-to-one and in groups) and mindfulness skills training based on Dialectical-Behaviour Therapy (DBT) principles.
EMDR - EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITISATION AND REPROCESSING
EMDR is an effective intervention for treating psychological trauma relating to single traumatic incidents or childhood experiences that are feeding into present day problems, such as phobias, anxiety disorders, confidence issues and low self-esteem. EMDR helps process traumatic memories that have become ‘stuck’ and gain a healthy distance from them.
ABOUT ME
B.Sc., M.A., D.Clin.Psy., AFBPS, HCPC reg.
Pronouns: she/ her/ hers
I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist with extensive experience of providing psychological therapies, clinical supervision, staff consultation and training in the NHS, non-statutory settings, and in private practice. I have worked in a range of child and adolescent and adult mental health services and have a special interest in the connections between childhood adversity and psychological difficulties in adult life. In my last NHS role I was the Clinical Lead for Young People's Services in a Central London NHS Trust. I have expertise in adapting psychological interventions to the needs of adolescents and young people.
Clientele
I specialise in treating long-standing emotional and relational problems and work with adults, adolescents and families presenting with a wide range of complex needs and strengths. Many clients work in financial services and the creative industries and face particular challenges in achieving a healthy work/ life balance.
I am bilingual and offer therapy in English and German.
Approach
I am passionate about using psychological insights to help clients overcome emotional and relational challenges, lead more fulfilling personal lives, and thrive professionally. My approach is integrative, person-centred and creative. The interventions I offer are grounded in psychological formulation and are tailored to take into account individual needs, hopes and social and cultural circumstances. I draw on the full range of my training and experience and have found that patience, keeping an open mind and considering issues from many different angles is important to allow new understandings and possibilities to emerge.
Qualifications & Accreditations
I received my doctorate from Canterbury Christ Church University, having previously worked in mental health research and psychological support roles. Post-qualification I specialised further in
Schema Therapy, Mentalization-based Therapy (MBT), Mindfulness (MBCT), Group Psychotherapy, EMDR and Dialectical-Behaviour Therapy (DBT). I am also a registered Yoga Teacher (British Wheel of Yoga).
I am a registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Care Professionals Council, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, an Associate Member of the International Group Analytic Society, a certified Schema Therapist and full member of the International Schema Therapy Society, and an accredited Mentalization-based Therapist with the British Psychoanalytic Council.
Wimpole Street, Marylebone, W1G, London
Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate, EC2M, London
Online (Zoom, Skype)
Languages
English, German
CONTACT
You can contact me by using the contact form below or by phoning. Please leave a message if I am not available to speak.
I aim to get back to you within 48 hours.
Thank you.
FAQs
WHAT ARE YOUR FEES?
WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?
Please enquire about fees for individual therapy and supervision.
For your first appointment I require 48 hours notice. Thereafter, if we agree to meet on a regular basis I will reserve the same slot for you each week to provide as much continuity as possible. If you are unable to attend a session, the session will be charged at the full rate. However, I always try and offer you an alternative time or remote option in the week of the missed session.
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FIRST APPOINTMENT?
The first appointment is a chance to think about what has led you to seek help at this point in time and to see whether it would be helpful to meet again or agree to work together. It is also a chance to ask any questions that you might have about psychological therapy and the difficulties that you are experiencing.
HOW LONG ARE SESSIONS?
A session lasts 50 minutes, starting at the agreed time of the session.
WHAT IF I NEED OUT OF HOURS SUPPORT?
For non-urgent issues you can contact me by phone or email and I will get back to you within two working days. If you require urgent help, please contact your GP's out of hours service or NHS Trust's crisis team. In the event of an emergency, please dial 111 or go to your nearest A&E.
DO YOU ACCEPT HEALTH INSURANCE?
Yes, I work with major insurance providers in the UK and globally, including but not limited to:
AXA Global, BUPA Global, Cigna and Evernorth, WPA
Please mention in your enquiry if you wish to use insurance.