How much do you charge?
My fees range from £50-60 for a 50 minute session, depending on the type of therapy. Longer sessions are charged pro rata. The fee for couples is £65.
Where are you based?
I have a consulting room which is comfortable, quiet and private, and easily accessible from central Brighton and Hove. It is located near to Hove Town Hall. There is pay-and-display parking nearby.
What kind of problem do you deal with?
People seek psychotherapy for many different reasons: some people come at a time of crisis in their lives, other people for long-standing problems. I am always happy to discuss your problem over the phone or by email. If I don't think I am the right therapist for you, I will recommend other places you could seek help.
Here are some of the kinds of issues which prompt people to contact me:
- Relationship problems: having difficulties with your partner, or other people in your family, can be very distressing. Although therapy cannot 'fix' another person it can help you look at the problem from another perspective or help to see what choices you have in what may seem like an impossible situation. There may be repeating patterns that you seem to get into in relationships which you would like to try and change.
- Life events: sometimes not being in a relationship is a problem; not being able to have children, or not being able to make a decision about whether to have children, causes a lot of distress; sometimes dealing with the stresses and strains of family life or aging parents prompts people to seek help.
- Childhood issues: you may be aware that problems in your childhood have always affected how you relate to other people, or you may suddenly become affected by this by being in a new relationship, or by other changes in your life, such as having children.
- Stress at work: feeling as if things are getting on top of you and you can't cope as you used to, particularly in highly-pressured work environments.
- Anxiety and panic attacks: work or home situations becoming difficult can lead to increased levels of anxiety and panic attacks.
- Depression: Some people have had lifelong phases of feeling flat and low, not being able to enjoy things or function as they would like to. They may feel that they have never been able to find a way to cope with these depressed phases. For others, these kinds of feelings are a new experience and feel completely alien - it seems hard sometimes to work out what is causing them.
- Bereavement and loss: the death of someone close is obviously going to evoke feelings of sadness and loss, however, we can also experience these feelings when a relationship ends, or we lose something else in our lives that was important to us.
- Issues of sexuality: unfortunately, we live in a society where individual sexuality is not always accepted and this can lead to feelings of shame and sadness. I am very committed to providing therapy which both acknowledges and celebrates difference of all kinds.
- Existential issues: sometimes, there isn't a clear- cut issue - there is just a vague feeling that life isn't all it could be, or that you are not fulfilling your potential as a human being.
- Trauma: a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, abuse, bullying, and sometimes bereavement, can make managing and living your life extremely difficult.
How is a therapist different to talking with a friend?
Many people find it helpful to talk to a professionally-trained person outside their circle of friends and family. A psychotherapist has no particular personal involvement, and also has knowledge and experience of dealing with psychological problems.
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
There is no hard line between the two and some counsellors and psychotherapists probably work in similar ways. On the whole, psychotherapy training is longer and more intense and involves being in personal therapy. Psychotherapists tend to work longer term with clients on more deep-seated issues. Counselling tends to be focussed more on one issue and for a briefer time.