LGBTQIA+-affirming therapy that speaks your language from day one

Ok, let’s get this one out of the way as it’s an obvious one.

I’m cishet. If that’s a make-or-break criterion for you, I completely get it.

While there are pros and cons to working with a queer/cishet (respectively), I find that the most important thing is how we gel. So I’’d say if you’re on the fence, maybe just contact me or book a free intro call and take it from there - no pressure whatsoever.

If it helps, I have successfully worked with lots of LGBTQIA+ clients and it has been some of the most meaningful work I’ve done.

I’ve also dedicated one of my master’s dissertations to reviewing LGBTQIA+ interventions for mental health which I then published (read it here) and was LGBTQ+ lead in my NHS service. I’ve read a lot about minority stress and intersectionality, and learned from LGBTQIA+ folks (professionals and clients) for many years. 

I care deeply about this work and would love to consider myself an ally (although I know that’s not for me to decide).

It may be for you if:

• You often find yourself feeling not good enough, bending to other people’s will, and feeling confused and stuck - and you’re tired of brushing it off or trying everything under the sun without anything changing

• You’ve tried other approaches and they’ve left you feeling invalidated, confused, or stuck

• You want a queer- and trans-affirming therapist who, while always being on your side, will sometimes gently call you up on your BS to help you move forward

• You want to live more authentically and are willing to put in some work for this to happen

• (and also, like I said, you can reach out in writing or book a free 15-min intro call to ‘vibe’-check :-)

It may not be for you if:

• You want an open, explorative space with no structure, practical skills, exercises, or things to do between sessions

• You want to get rid of your difficult thoughts and feelings altogether and only experience positives

• You want an uber-’professional’, blank-slate kind of therapist who will nod in agreement to everything you say and never challenge you

• You want a quick fix or expect that things will change by you attending a session a week and continuing as you are outside of it

Short answer - almost. The only limitation is that I can’t offer therapy to clients based in the US or Canada due to licensing (I’m based and accredited in the UK).

I’m online-based only at the moment - so all sessions take place on Zoom. I love online therapy as research shows it’s just as effective as in-person therapy, but we can work together even if we live miles apart, and you get the comfort and flexibility that comes with it. As long as we both have good cameras and microphones, we can recreate most, if not all, of what we would do in a therapy room. You get high-quality therapy AND you can show up in a familiar, comfy space, with a hot drink.

I mainly specalise in working with adult (18+) high-achieving introverts, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ clients (separately or combined).

I also specialise in working with dog phobia - see here.

Having said that, I am highly trained in working with a range of mental health difficulties, including stress, depression, generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, health anxiety, social anxiety, low self-esteem, perfectionism, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

I generally do not work with people who present with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, including, for example, active symptoms of psychosis, or severe difficulties with emotional regulation - this is because such difficulties are best addressed in specialist services which consist of multi-disciplinary teams of clinicians.

Importantly and relatedly, I also do not work with people who are presenting with concerns related to their own safety or that of others - as in private practice I do not have access to professionals and facilities which would support managing such concerns, and therefore, it would be unsafe and unprofessional.

I am not set up to provide crisis support, so I am not able to respond to any urgent queries between sessions, nor am I able to work with people who have concerns about their own safety or that of others.

If you are having such difficulties and are in the UK, please call 999 or go to A&E. You can also contact your GP or local NHS mental health service for urgent support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, text Shout to 85258, or use the Stay Alive mobile app.

If you are outside of the UK, please contact your local emergency services.

I have quite a few, bit of a nerd here :-) The most relevant ones are my PgDip in Psychological Intervention (CBT) from the University of Surrey, which I then topped up with an MSc in Psychological Therapies from the University of Exeter, and my accreditation with the BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies) as both therapist and supervisor. I also completed the Mindfulness Teacher Training Pathway with The Mindfulness Network/University of Bangor. 

I’ve also dedicated one of my master’s dissertations to reviewing LGBTQIA+ interventions for mental health which I then published (read it here) and was LGBTQ+ lead in my NHS service. I’ve read a lot about minority stress and intersectionality, and learned from LGBTQIA+ folks (professionals and clients) for many years. 

I also hold a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of York, an MSc in Clinical Neuroscience from UCL, and plenty of experience - read more about me here

The type of therapy I offer is evidence-based and structured, goals-oriented, and forward-focused. 

We’ll do in-the-moment stuff like helping you:

• Learn more about how low mood or anxiety show up for you and how to ‘catch’ the signs before they slip into overstimulation and burnout

• Know what to do if you get to the point of struggling (that works for your neurodivergent brain)

• Be able to do stuff that helps you in the way it helps you even if it’s different to the neurotypical way

But we’ll also go deeper, exploring and working with:

• Beliefs (your fear of being your true self and not being accepted, of not being good enough)

• Wider contexts (the neurotypical world that has shaped the way you’ve learned to cope)

We’ll explore and get specific about how to shift things and move you forward in practical ways (think understanding where this stuff comes from AND learning to handle it differently). We’ll challenge what’s unhelpful and honour everything you’ve been through and how your brain works. We’ll do it all together, at your own pace, in your own way.

Read more about ACT here.

You’re definitely not alone! Talking to a complete stranger about your deepest thoughts and feelings can feel quite daunting when you think about it, and I really get that - and many clients tell me the same thing.

That’s why I offer a few options so you feel as comfortable as possible:

• If you feel most comfortable starting in writing, contact me via this form

• If you’d like to see if we click live, book a free 15-min consultation here

• If you’ve decided you want to go straight for an initial session to explore things in a bit more depth, book it here

Not at the moment, no. It means fewer limitations around logistics (like number of sessions) for you, too!