Hello, I welcome to helping you in seeking the support you need. My approach is to build a positive working therapeutic relationship with you. I offer a balanced mix of focus with curious exploration in working with you.

I work with a wide range of clients and issues, such as depression, stress and overwhelm, existential questions and helping you discover meaning again. How to find ways of being, relating, communicating and participating in the world of living. Gaining calm, clarity and learning to be at ease with the unknowns.

I work with a wide intersection of people; different heritages, cultures, socio-economic groups, additionally LGBTQ community. This includes my work for Talk to The Rainbow clients, a LGBTQ therapist service in Bristol and London. I am also part of the Pinktherapy network.

I work online video as well to help people access therapy who live in remote and other locations across the UK and Europe, this is in addition to my main Bristol base.

I am neuroscience trauma trained which means training in how the brain and body interconnects, The impact this has on our mental health, the extra load we can at times feel more from one environment to another in our sensory and sensation ‘felt’ world. This helps in learning techniques to cope better with our emotional & affect regulation processes enabling clearer thinking. Research is increasingly showing the importance of understanding and resolving our body’s memories in helping the mind.

Life is not always easy…

There are many reasons why people choose to see a psychotherapist.

Some people are looking for life to be different.

To feel more content, to understand themselves better, to live a fuller more rewarding existence. To have meaning and purpose.

Sometimes a current crisis is the catalyst for wanting therapy, or just one day too many of being fed up with having depression sends people finally to seek support and help in facing things.

Relationships or lack of them also are a common reason for people to reach out.

Therapy often gives more than just looking at the issue at hand. Often clients of therapy also get a sense of clarity, a renewed sense of how to be in life and can feel more enlivened and develop more presence and be present in the now.

I have expanded on some themes below. Thoughwhat is important to me, is who you are as a person - the individual, your life experience and hearing you.

Depression/Anxiety whilst each condition is different, the symptoms of both can cause us to isolate ourselves. A negative spiralling effect can occur, and other issues start may arise that further compound the original problem.

Feeling regretful ? Life and aspirations have not come to fruition. Sadness, anger, anxiety about time running out and how to actually be in the now and change - talking through the what next? and how? 

Loss & Grief Losing and grieving the loss of a loved one is tough. Painful emotions and thoughts arise that go through variable phases and can sometimes hit us stronger when we least expect it. Grief also may be more complex, and hard to come to terms with and resolve fully the process when it is with a person who we had lost touch with, such as an estranged family member or a past close friend.

Relationships There are many complexities that arise in close relationships. From sexual intimacy to losing ones own sense of self. Some people end up in a pattern of feeling like all relationships fail eventually. Therapy can help immensely in helping understand healthy connection and being able to see how to make positive changes. Whether poly, open or monogamous therapy can help in many aspects that arise from relationships.

Mid Life crisis/ Major life changes

Family Estrangement and difficult dynamics causing stress.

Increasing Self awareness to make better decisions, see wider perspectives and break behaviours and patterns that are causing problems.

Neurodiversity/Adult ADHD/ADD negative emotions, low self esteem, feelings of failure. In therapy we can work through issues that are important to you. Some adults have had late stage ADHD diagnosis and are looking to get a mix of therapeutic work;EG dealing with depression and other life issues and simultaneously looking to understand how to have a fulfilling life and have your own toolkit on living contently with a neurodiverse brain.

I work with a method of therapy that looks at how ADHD/ADD shows up and affects you in your life. Everyone is different, some people struggle more with rejection sensitivity yet have a handle on organising. Or some struggle more with executive function and find working life difficult.

Acceptance, compassion and understanding aiding improvement in self esteem can be a doorway to other positive areas of life falling into place more.An integrative therapy approach is very helpful in this.

Long term stress/ Trauma / PTSD The whole self in mind-body connection gets impacted during long term stress, or cumulative trauma and effects of PTSD can play havoc with felt body senses as well as the states of mind. There are safe and effective methods to work through these effects. I have trained specifically to enable safe stabilizing methods alongside the talking therapy to help release and for the individual to gain back their own self-help techniques to improve quality of life.

Gender/LGBTQ+/Identity Society still has a long way to go regarding acceptance, equality and diversity. Ignorance, prejudice and negative comments from others still exist, and over long periods of time can impact our emotional state and sense of belonging and self confidence.

I am a LGBTQ + therapist myself. This can help greatly in having good rapport, offering beneficial relational qualities which is an important element for successful therapy.

Wherever you are in life, however you identify, I am here to listen and support you.

Pauls Richards: Psychodynamic & Integrative Humanistic Relational modality