Individual and Relationship Psychotherapist and Counsellor, and Practice Supervisor based in North London (N19). UKCP (Regd.), MBACP (Regd. Accred.)
You must go on. I can't go on. I'll go on. - Samuel Beckett
Welcome to my therapy website
Why Therapy & Counselling
All of us, at some point in our lives, can find ourselves thrown into difficult situations which seem to have no end in sight. Be it at home, at work or in our social lives, we can go through a period of struggle that affects our moods and attitudes, self-confidence and self-esteem. At times like these, routine activities and social relations can feel disappointing or meaningless. Or we can feel that something is terribly wrong but we can’t put our finger on why life seems to be slipping us by. At such times, I think it is quite usual to feel anxious, depressed or stressed, and to want to seek help in moving through these difficulties.
Therapeutic counselling can help by providing a secure and trustworthy place where you can talk honestly about yourself without fear of judgement, freely express your feelings without holding back, and be deeply understood by someone who is mature, competent, experienced, genuine and impartial - someone who will not merely agree or disagree with you because of their own prejudices or vested interests. Quite often this is difficult to ask of, or even expect from, partners, family members and friends.
What is Therapy & Counselling
I regard counselling, or therapy, to be a gentle yet powerful process for people who want to move forward, grow, and become more able to meet the challenges and opportunities in life. Counselling primarily involves you talking and the counsellor listening. It is, however, an active dialogue in which both participate. During the counselling process, it is quite common to begin to see a new angle to an existing problem, to get in touch with an unexpected feeling, or to gain a new insight into an old situation. This might lead you to recognise links to the past or even the future, pointing you towards your next possible step in life. An open and non-judgemental exploration between us can lead to a deeper self-understanding which can increase your capacity to live life more fully by prompting your natural talents, vital strengths and inner resources to emerge, helping you to face life with meaning, purpose, energy, and courage. Deeper and lasting changes then become possible through discovering new, authentic, 'original', ways of being with one's self, in relationships, and in the world. For more, click here
How I work
An open, attentive and accepting attitude underlines how I facilitate the process between us. It involves my listening deeply, having a genuinely respectful dialogue, with empathy, and without being judgemental. I see my work as building with you a deeper understanding of your situation, how you are affected by it, and how you might overcome the difficulties within it. This, for me, is a creative process, full of openness, patience, sensitivity, and concern. Whilst I think that a sense of urgency, clarity and focus are essential in this work, it is not closed off to other qualities such as curiosity, experimentation, playfulness, and humour. I believe it is critical that we work at a pace that you set, and that we work together every step of the way.
Although I am an experienced practitioner in this field, I do not regard myself as 'the expert' on my clients' problems. Instead, I have found that working together leads to a more useful way of understanding any situation, and this allows you to guide and set the direction for your process. For more about my background, click here.
Who comes to me for therapy
Typically I work with sincere and serious-minded individuals from all walks of life who are interested in increased self-awareness, emotional resilience, and are willing to take responsibility for creating a genuinely fulfilling life. Therapy is a space to explore the challenges that life presents, understand these in the context of your personal history, and develop the clarity, courage, and strength to move forward. It offers a chance to transform longstanding patterns, resolve interpersonal conflicts, and embrace life transitions with renewed confidence.
rising above them is where our real story begins.
Of course, we all know how from time to time life can leave us feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and disconnected from others and ourselves. I see my task as one of fostering a deeper understanding of such present challenges. How life affects us can show how to become capable of meeting it with resolute hope in moving forward, growing, and flourishing.
For this I provide a calm, secure, trustworthy, and non-judgmental environment where you can experiment with talking honestly about yourself, express yourself freely, become familiar with aspects that are incompatible with your sense of self. It is possible to engage in this process of self-discovery with an attitude of 'joyful suffering' and 'loving one's fate'.
Good therapy proceeds at a pace set by you, but without losing a sense of urgency, purpose, and direction. If you are new to therapy, come and find out what it's like to feel understood by someone mature, experienced, reliable, and impartial - someone who will not merely agree or disagree with you but instead engage in a way that helps you move forward.
What I offer
Individual Therapy
The work involves a deeper understanding of your situation, how you are affected by it. It is rewarding to pay attention to the 'here and now' of your present life as a whole in the context of the 'there and then' of your personal history, remaining aware of the broader and deeper socio-cultural influences that continually shape our experiences. Learning to make these distinctions is fruitful in therapy to guide the way in a direction towards a future with meaning, hope, purpose - and vital energy.
Relationship & Couples Therapy
Almost all of our joys and sorrows arise in relation to others. I work with marital and romantic couples, friends, business partners, and family members, to explore styles of communicating, understand patterns of interactions, resolve recurring conflicts, and deepen understanding of both, oneself and of others. Aspects of one's personal history which are typically dealt with in individual therapy can be meaningfully included in working with partners also.
Practice & Academic Supervision
Clinical and research supervision for experienced practitioners, counsellors, and doctoral candidates working within person-centred, existential, humanistic, psychoanalytic, and body-centred frameworks.
If you are new to therapy you might find some useful guidelines here
My principles of practice
Therapy works best in an atmosphere in which you can feel yourself being understood in a way that leads to a profound change in your own understanding of yourself. For this reason, I aim to hold the following principles of practice at all times:
- Confidentiality and trustworthiness
- Empathic listening
- Non-judgemental understanding
- Genuineness and reliability
- Facilitative dialogue and clear expression
- Secure professional boundaries
Practicalities
Location
Click here for a map of my practice in North Islington (N19). It is less than a 15-minute walking distance from Archway, Highgate, and Crouch Hill stations. Frequent bus connections are available from Hampstead, Highbury & Islington, Finchley, and Finsbury Park stations.
Fees:
My fee per 50-minute session for individuals is £95, and per 75-minute session for individuals or couples is £145. This is based on a secure agreement to meet weekly at a time reserved for you throughout the duration of therapy. Terms of engagement are agreed upon at the initial session and clarified as necessary. (Practice and academic supervision for experienced therapists on the same basis.)
What next?
I offer a free 30-minute initial consultation, either on the phone or in person to see if we could work together. We also go through the terms of engagement. You can either ring me or email me to arrange this appointment. To read more about me, click here. To see how you might benefit from therapy, click here.
