Frequently Asked Questions: 1-1 Therapy

What is feminist therapy?
Feminist therapy starts from the idea that there is nothing wrong with you. The people pleasing, the perfectionism, the guilt, the anxiety, the anger you keep swallowing, the numbness, the flashbacks, the panic: these aren’t personality flaws or signs you’re broken. They are things you learned, or things your body and mind did, to get through what happened to you and the world you were living in.

As a Clinical Psychologist specialising in feminist therapy, I hold in mind how the systems we live under (patriarchy, ableism, white supremacy, capitalism) shape your mental health and wellbeing. We look at your history, what you’ve experienced and how you’ve coped. Then we look at how that coping is working for you now, and what you’d like to tweak, change or process so you can move forward in a way that feels good and true to you.

The aim is to untangle what’s yours from what you learned in order to survive, and to reconnect you with your wise self so your life can feel like yours again.

Who do you work with?
I work with adults, mostly women and many of them mums, who look like they’re coping and feel like they’re not.

You might be anxious, angry or exhausted. You might push your needs and emotions down until you explode, and then feel awful about it. You might be stuck in people pleasing, perfectionism and guilt, or burnt out from holding everything together.

You might also be living with the effects experiences such as: childhood abuse or neglect, sexual violence, coercive or controlling relationships, or other trauma. That can look like flashbacks, nightmares, panic, feeling numb or switched off, or feeling unsafe in your own body. Underneath, there may be thoughts like “I’m broken,” “there’s something wrong with me,” “it was my fault,” “I’m not good enough” or “I’m a fraud,” and a feeling of being afraid or disconnected from yourself and the life you’re living.

If you’re parenting, you may be trying hard to do it differently from how you were raised.

You don’t need a particular story, a diagnosis, or to have “survived enough” to be here. There’s no such thing as “bad enough” for therapy, and you also don’t need to tell me everything before we begin. We go at your pace, and I won’t ask you to go anywhere you don’t feel ready for.

Who aren’t you the right fit for?
I don’t offer couples therapy and I only see adults (18+). I’m also not the right service if you’re in crisis or currently at risk of harming yourself. In that case, please contact your GP, NHS 111 (option 2 for mental health) or Samaritans on 116 123.

What will therapy actually be like?
It’s a relationship where you’re the focus. You won’t be told what to do, and you won’t be met with defensiveness, punishment or shame. I’m not a silent therapist who nods and reflects things back. I’ll offer guidance, ideas and sometimes experiments to try between sessions, always at a pace that feels right to you. If you have difficult or distressing memories, thoughts or beliefs, we can also process these, so that they become less distressing.

What approach do you use?
I’m a Clinical Psychologist and EMDR therapist, and my work is relational, feminist and body-aware. I don’t believe in one model being right for everything or everyone, because the research shows the relationship with your therapist matters more than the technique. EMDR can help process difficult or distressing memories, thoughts or beliefs using bilateral stimulation which helps alleviate the distress associated with these experiences.

How do we start?
We start with a free 20-minute chat, with no obligation, to see whether we’d be a good fit. If we both feel it is, we begin with two initial sessions to build a shared understanding of what’s going on for you, what you’ve already tried and what you’d like to be different. From here, you can decide whether you would like to go into longer term therapy with me, or if you would like me to sign post you somewhere else.

How often will we meet, and for how long?
Most people come weekly. I also have a small number of fortnightly slots if weekly feels too much, financially or time-wise. After the initial sessions, and if you decide you would like to engage in longer term work, we work on a rolling basis with a check-in every 6-8 weeks. On average, most people come to therapy for around 20 sessions, but for some people it is less, and others it is more. There’s no rigid end point where by you have to finish, and you’re always welcome to bring questions about timing and how long therapy goes on into the room.

How long are sessions?
Sessions are 50-60 minutes

Do you work online or in person?
I see all my clients online using Microsoft Teams.

How much does it cost?
Sessions are £150. Payment is by bank transfer, due before or on the day of your session.

Do you accept health insurance?
Yes, with some insurers. Please contact me before booking so I can check I’m registered with your provider, and make sure you have an authorization code. If your insurer won’t cover a session, you’ll be responsible for the fee, so please don’t book sessions you haven’t been authorized for.

Is what I say confidential?
Yes. The exceptions are where you give consent for me to share information, where I’m legally compelled to, or where I believe you or someone else is at serious risk, in which case I’d work with your GP or other professionals to make sure you’re supported. We’ll go through this properly before we begin.

Are you a legit registered health professional?
Yes. I’m a Clinical Psychologist (which means I have completed 6 years of academic study to become a psychologist - 3 years undergraduate psychology and 3 years of post graduate doctoral training in the NHS) and registered with the HCPC (you can check my credentials by putting in my professional registration number on the HCPC website: PYL33677). I have regular clinical supervision and work to the BPS and HCPC codes of ethics.

How do I book?
Book your free 20-minute call using the form above. It’s just me on the other side. No bots. 🥰