Counselling in Cheltenham

We provide medical psychiatric & psychological assessment, diagnosis, treatment for Autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, gender dysmorphia, eating disorders, tic disorders, mood disorders, PTSD, trauma, self-harm, psychotic disorders and emotional dysregulation and more. We have over 20 years’ experience working in various CAMHS mental health settings with extensive experience and knowledge. The service is clinically led by a consultant child psychiatrist and a consultant child & adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapist who both trained in the NHS who have provided clinical leadership for services.

Do you ever feel that your life could be better? Maybe there is not enough satisfaction and joy in your life, maybe you feel stuck, perhaps because you have been unable to create the life you want, or because relationships, either at home or work, seem to repeat in unhelpful ways without resolution. Sometimes these circumstances can interact with anxiety, depression or other difficulties, causing an unhelpful spiral which leave you feeling even less able to make positive change. Contacting a therapist may feel difficult, but it can be the first step towards understanding the blocks preventing you from living the life you want.

Life is full of challenges, and we can all struggle to cope with the impact of difficult events or circumstances. Therapy can be a useful support in navigating tricky periods and can help people deal with distress in a way that minimises its impact on quality of life. I work with individuals in a collaborative way, using a process of formulation to develop a shared understanding of psychological difficulties. The direction and content of our work will depend on an individual’s personal goals for the future and can range from exploratory work to a more structured approach focusing on the development of self-management skills.

Welcome, I am a registered Clinical Psychologist offering high quality, compassionate, therapy. You may be here because you are feeling anxious, stressed, perhaps struggling with low self-esteem or critical self-talk, or dealing with the impact of difficult experiences. I aim to create safe, non-judgemental, space where we can work together to explore the source of your troubles, increase understanding, reduce distress, and build new skills and perspectives. Specialist interests include anxiety, burnout and stress, trauma, low mood, and long-term health conditions (e.g., pain/fatigue).

I imagine if you have come this far, there is something causing you distress. This may be related to overwhelming emotions, anxiety, relational difficulties or reoccurring and intrusive memories which continue to traumatize you. Perhaps you have experienced a significant loss or bereavement in your life and you seem unable to move on from painful grief and fears of abandonment. Maybe your early life was fraught with absent, inconsistent, frightening or abusive parenting, leading to low self esteem. You may also be aware of how this impacts on your ability to trust and reach out for care, or a constant need to be around others.

Are you being driven by self-defeating thoughts but don’t know how to change? To the outside world you have it all; everything seems well. Internally you are stuck in a cycle of self-criticism, self-doubt, and overthinking. You feel that you are walking on eggshells; you don't want to upset anyone. You struggle to make meaningful connections with people and the things that are important to you. These things are beginning to have real world consequences on your relationships, work, and social life, and you fear that it will always be this way. But you don't have to stay stuck in this cycle.

Starting therapy takes courage and it may feel daunting given that talking openly about your distress may evoke feelings of vulnerability. The therapeutic relationship is often the vehicle for positive change so finding the right ‘fit’ is important. Therefore, please contact me for a free telephone/video consultation to find out more. As a Clinical Psychologist my job is to listen with compassion to your life story and help you make sense of any troubles or trauma that you are facing within your life, whether that be in your present or reoccurring from your past.

Clinical psychologist with 20+ years experience in the mental health field. I offer assessment and formulation sessions as well as therapy sessions. In my view, the goal of therapy is not to find a "fix" or a speedy solution, but rather to help you explore and understand what has brought you to this point, what is keeping the difficulties going and what would help you to move forward and continue to move forward towards a place of good mental health. I am a specialist in anxiety and trauma (including social anxiety, OCD and PTSD) but work with people experiencing a range of struggles impacting their mental health.