Meet The Team

Director

Dr. Eva Coleman

I am a UKCP registered, psychoanalytic psychotherapist, with forty years of experience in the field. I worked in private practice, as well as a medium secure hospital, providing consultation and therapy for those with severe personality and mental health difficulties.
I set up and directed a counselling service for women in Brighton and Hove ( Threshold Women’s Counselling). More recently, I set up Brighton Therapy Centre, and was Clinical Director there for seven years.

I have been a member of a an advanced, in-service practitioner training group for over twenty years . I have taught aspects of counselling and therapy and supervised those in practice. I have been a consultant and advisor to a number of local and national organisations.

I am not currently offering ongoing therapy , but I do offer consultations.

In addition to all of this, I am also a Trustee at ONCA, a Brighton based Arts Charity, that bridges social and environmental justice issues with creativity.

Mel Bates

I am a qualified Arts Therapist (1996), Creative Arts Supervisor (C.A.S.T., 2005) and Systemic Practitioner (Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, 2011) working in private practice with adults and children, as well as providing clinical supervision for psychotherapists, counsellors, drama, music, play and integrative arts therapists.  Over the years I have developed an interest in, and have gained further training in Attachment Theory, Working with Trauma and more recently, Infant Observation.

I am registered with the HCPC and a member of BADTH. I am a student member of the BPC.

Prior to working in private practice I was therapist at Respond, a charity specialising in psychotherapy for children and adults with learning disabilities who have experienced sexual abuse and trauma.  Previous to this I managed the Chrysalis Project, a therapy service for children affected by their family’s substance misuse.  I worked for Threshold Women’s Mental Health Drop-in Service as their Development worker and have extensive experience in working in schools and community settings. For several years, I supervised students on the Dramatherapy MA at Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

My experience has taught me that using creative arts methods can often offer helpful ways for a person to express their emotional lives and gain insight and understanding into their experiences and relationships. There is the opportunity to work with Sand tray, Improvisation, Working with symbols and metaphor, Puppets, Movement, Art-making, Working with myths and stories and Role-play. Sessions are client-led and there is no expectation to work in a particular way.

Zoë Boden

I am a Senior Trainee Psychotherapist, having completed my MA in Gestalt psychotherapy in 2018 at the Gestalt Centre, London. I have three years of practice experience working with adults in IAPT, community therapy and women’s services. As a Senior Trainee I can offer reduced fees for 2019/20 of £30-40.

I am also an academic psychologist specialising in relational and emotional experience in the context of mental health. Prior to this, I trained as a contemporary dancer and then worked within the performing arts industry. My arts and psychology backgrounds inform my psychotherapy practice.

I see therapy as a process of increasing awareness, self-acceptance and freedom through creative exploration. Together we can explore whatever patterns might be occurring in your life and whatever feelings arise. Gestalt focuses on what is happening ‘here-and-now’, but that doesn’t mean we ignore what has happened in the past, or your hopes and fears for the future. I am interested in you as a whole person.

How you and I work together will be a process of discovery, but I find creative approaches such as drawing and movement can support people to get to know themselves and their dilemmas.

I work with many types of distress, but I have particular strengths in working with anxiety, panic, developmental trauma (i.e. abuse and neglect) and a range of relationship and identity issues. I have also worked with clients who have had experience of mental health issues and/or substance misuse. I work inclusively, acknowledging and welcoming our similarities and differences.

I meet clients weekly at a fixed time for 50 minute sessions. I will either work on a long term agreement (usually starting with one year) or for Brief Gestalt Therapy for 12 or 16 weeks.

Katie Dennis

I am an experienced Integrative therapeutic counsellor, a registered and Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and a qualified Supervisor. I work with adults, children and young people.

I am a BUPA registered therapist, and part of the therapy team at The Martlets Hospice.

I work with a wide range of issues, including anxiety disorders, loss and bereavement, depression, self-esteem and loss of confidence, addiction, trauma and phobias. I support people living with chronic and acute conditions.

I offer EMDR therapy for a wide range of issues. I am an LGBTQ Affirmative therapist.

I offer afternoon, evening and weekend appointments.

My fees range from £50 to £70, and I also offer a reduced rate for those less able to pay full fees.

Susan Egan

I am an experienced BACP Accredited and Registered Psychodynamic Counsellor. I began my career in further education, as an Art and Design Lecturer, where I worked for over twenty-five years. I found that my pastoral and mentoring roles, as a tutor, were very rewarding; and I became increasingly interested in deeper psychological and therapeutic ways of working with people. I started my initial therapy training course in 2007, with a mindfulness approach to counselling. I then went on to study for a Post Graduate Diploma, and qualified as a Psychodynamic Counsellor in 2010. My main approach is Psychodynamic, but I also draw on my combined knowledge of mindfulness, cognitive and art based therapeutic models. The therapy that I offer is appropriate for a wide range of issues including:

• Anxiety
• Bereavement
• Creative blocks
• Depression
• Lack of self esteem
• Loneliness
• Menopause
• Passive aggressive behaviour
• Relationships
• Sexual Issues
• Stress
• Work related issues

I am registered with the following insurance companies: Aviva, AXA, BUPA, Vitality Health & WPA.

Professional Qualifications:

BACP Registered and Accredited Member, PG Dip Psychodynamic Counselling, WPF Therapy Certificate in CBT Skills, Tavistock – Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy, TA101 Certificate from EATA (European Association for Transactional Analysis) with international recognition, OCN Intro Counselling and Communication Skills emphasising Mindfulness-Based Practice.

Other Qualifications: B.A. Hons Fine Art ,PG Dip Digital Media Arts, M.A. Design

Rachael McKeown

Counselling is an opportunity to develop a greater understanding of yourself which can increase the sense of freedom and control in your life. I offer clients a space to think deeply about themselves and their relationships in an open and supportive way.

As a psychodynamic counsellor, I am particularly interested in patterns of relating and feelings of which you might be unaware. These patterns and feelings often have roots in the past and within our sessions we will explore how past experiences are affecting the present.

I work with a range of conditions including anxiety, depression, bereavement and relationship problems which can be felt differently for different people. It may be that you have a harshly critical internal voice that leaves you feeling worthless. You may be experiencing an overwhelming sense of loss or panic, or you may feel cut off from your own feelings.

I have been a practicing counsellor for the last three years in both private practice and the charitable sector. I hold a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling and am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I am a Cambridge graduate and hold a further degree in psychology.

www.spacetotalk.uk

Clair Morrow

I am a Trainee Person-Centred Counsellor with a Foundation Certificate from Tavistock Relationships, London. I work with adults on a short- or long-term basis and, as a Trainee, I offer reduced fees.

As a Person-Centred Counsellor, I will offer you a caring and non-judgemental space where you can feel safe and comfortable to explore whatever is troubling you. I believe that a supportive therapeutic relationship can enable deeper self-awareness and trust in yourself, helping you to realise your potential and make the changes you need.

Prior to working as a counsellor, I spent sixteen years working in Higher Education in teaching, research and student support roles. During this time, I conducted and published research reflecting on the tensions between language and experience and how emotional histories and patterns form, including a study on how young women experience and narrate their feelings of sexual desire, and research on young women’s use of autobiographical secrets and lies.

In both studies, women talked to me about some of the conflicts they faced when attempting to speak their truths and behave in ways that felt authentic in relationships. Through this work, I have developed an interest in supporting women with issues relating to their identities and relationships. These issues include low mood, anxiety, self-esteem, body image, health issues and life changes, such as becoming a parent and menopause. Whatever you are bringing, I will work in a way that offers you empathy, support and respect. We will go at your pace, discussing the difficult issues when you feel ready to do so.

I am a student member of the BACP, and I adhere to their ethical framework.

Jacqui Paterson

I am a registered member of BACP, qualified both as a Person Centred Counsellor and as a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Practitioner. I offer both short term and longer term therapy, adapting my approach to suit the needs of individual clients. I work with a broad range of common presenting difficulties including depression, anxiety & panic, low self esteem, anger, relationship difficulties, eating disorders, substance misuse, issues around sex and sexuality and work related issues. I also specialise in working with clients with more complex needs including complex trauma and a diagnosis of personality disorder.

I have a particular interest in working with clients with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD). My expertise in this area has been gained through more than 17 years experience in both community and inpatient settings. During this time, I have worked with EUPD clients both individually and as a group facilitator for programmes which have included skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness.  I have also provided training to staff in secure settings in relation to working with clients who self harm.

At Phoenix Therapy Practice I am a member of the DBT team which offers the full DBT programme.  I facilitate the skills group and offer individual DBT.

I work in an empathic and non-judgemental way, aiming to empower my clients to find their own way of working through difficulties and discomfort and to facilitate them in the process of finding both acceptance and change within their lives.

Caroline Schofield

I have been practicing as a psychotherapist since 1987 after completing a training in Humanistic Psychotherapy. In 1989 I became accredited with The British Association for Counselling (BAC) and in 2000 I became a Senior Accredited Psychotherapist with The British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP).

I have also done some analytical training with The British Association for Psychotherapy (BAP) where I was part of the Jungian stream for the training in Individual Psychotherapy with Adults.

My background is in mental health work in Social Services, Psychiatric and Voluntary Sector settings. Alongside this work I have first trained and then practiced Psychotherapy over a number of years. A substantial element of both the Humanistic and Analytic trainings is the requirement that the trainee be in therapy for the duration of study.

I have regular supervision of my case load and work to the BACP Code of Ethics.

My approach is psychodynamic and my orientation is Jungian, which means that I am interested in the relationships between people and their worlds, both inner and outer. I am also interested in how we find meaning in our lives in both a small and a larger sense.

Most of us experience anxiety or depression at some stage in our lives or we need to come to terms with emotional pain or disappointment. Often we can resolve this without outside help. Sometimes, however, the difficulties persist causing unhappiness at home and at work. This may be because current difficulties are stirring up feelings from the past of which we are unaware.

Psychotherapy can help individuals to understand hidden aspects of themselves by talking over a period of time in a reliable setting with a trained and experienced therapist.

The time together with the therapist provides a space for reflection. Whatever is foremost in the individual’s mind is brought to the session – maybe in the form of feelings, thoughts, memories, or dreams. The therapist listens and helps the individual to reach a deeper understanding of themselves, opening the way to change.

As the relationship with the therapist develops along with a sense of trust, the individual discovers new insights and then more appropriate ways of coping with problems and feelings can be found.

Sessions are usually held weekly so as to give as much continuity and support as possible.

Nadia Townsend

I’m a psychodynamic psychotherapist , having originally completed a rigorous 4 year training at WPF Therapy. I work in full time practice, in Brighton and London and I have considerable experience of working with people with a broad range of issues. I am a fully accredited member of the BPC (British Psychoanalytic Council) and the FPC (Foundation for Counselling and Psychotherapy).

I offer a space in which to explore whatever it is that you feel is causing you difficulty. We are none of us immune from suffering – you may have been struggling for a long time or perhaps a recent crisis has caused you to look for therapy. Whatever the reason, psychotherapy sessions can provide you with a crucial opportunity to process and reflect on struggles, think about relational patterns that might be unhelpful and explore how past experiences could be having an impact on the present day. You may have had previous experience of counselling or psychotherapy or this might be entirely new to you; psychodynamic work can be painful and take time, requiring courage to think about feelings that you may have tried to avoid for a long time. However, it can also provide enormous relief to find the safe and ongoing support with which to understand yourself better and start to change your relationship with yourself and others.

My usual fee is £60 but I can offer a reduced fee depending on your circumstances.

Julia Wright

I am a UKCP registered psychotherapist with more than 18 years of experience in psychotherapy and mental health. I have worked with and welcome a diverse client group and aim in my practice to establish a non judgemental and safe environment in which exploration can happen.

I also work as a trainer and have been training psychotherapists and counsellors for 10 years. My current teaching post is on the MA in Gestalt Psychotherapy at the Gestalt centre London. In my private practice I work with individuals, couples and groups and I also offer supervision.

I have an arts background as well as experience in mental health services and for many years I worked in and managed a Mind/NHS therapy service. People who accessed this service came with many different mental and emotional health concerns including (and this list is not exhaustive) depression, trauma, loss, identity, anxiety (including work ,performance and social anxiety), insomnia, eating disorders, mental illness, anger management  and relationship issues.

In my clinical experience, the many possible symptoms of distress including those above can be effectively made sense of within a therapeutic relationship. I have witnessed the people I work with moving toward a sense of belonging in their own lives, a greater sense of being at home as well as an experience of autonomy and support. Sometimes beginning to work through and understand the difficult events of the past leads to greater understanding about current life situations and struggles. And in turn this can enable greater awareness of choices made in the present.

My psychotherapy training was in Gestalt therapy which is holistic and integrative and is an approach that originally developed from psychoanalysis. In Gestalt therapy there is an emphasis on meeting you where you are now and through a mixture of support and challenge facilitating a process of self discovery and growth. There is also an understanding in Gestalt therapy that mind and body are not separate and that much can be gained from investigating the felt experience of the body. Although working in this way is not the only option for a Gestalt therapist, sometimes emotions and past traumas can be held out of awareness in the body and by exploring this, emotional, psychological and physical blocks may become less fixed.

If you would like to find out more about working with me I suggest an initial consultation. Starting therapy can sometimes feel a bit daunting so this initial meeting can support you to find out a bit more about me and the process before you decide if it is the right step for you at the current time

My practice is based in Hove, Brighton and London. I am registered with the UKCP and work in line with their Code of Ethics.

My academic and professional qualifications are as follows;

• BA hons, Fine Art, Trent Polytechnic
• Post Graduate Diploma, Gestalt Psychotherapy, The Gestalt Centre London
• MA, Gestalt Individual and Group Psychotherapy, The Gestalt Centre London

Mischa Richards

I am presently a senior trainee in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Counselling with the Westminster Pastoral Foundation (WPF) in London. My professional development is also informed by my continuing research with the Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research (CFAR).

My approach to mental health is client-centred and non-dogmatic, drawing upon the insights of psychoanalysis from Freud and his interpreters.

I understand psychotherapy to be a process that aims to enhance our quality of life and enable us to realise our potential.  Along life’s course, suffering can arise at particular moments or grow to a level that prevents us from living the life that can be ours.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy views suffering as an experience that can be a stimulus to self-understanding and personal development. Supported by the therapist’s empathy and interest, the meanings underlying our suffering can be patiently explored and our deeper resources accessed.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is therefore a tool that can effect radical changes including the reduction and possible disappearance of discomforting symptoms. The long-term beneficial effects of this approach are now confirmed by a growing body of scientific evidence.

Previously I worked in the charity sector providing support to vulnerable children and adults, particularly those experiencing homelessness, bereavement, deprivation and illness. This involved me working in both hospital, hospice and independent settings.

I am a student member of the Foundation for Psychotherapy and Counselling (FPC).  I work according to the BACP’s code of ethics.

Sue Boyer

I completed a diploma in therapeutic counselling in 2000 and have many years experience working in various settings in the field of substance misuse and mental health.

My core training is in Gestalt therapy, I completed an MA at the Gestalt centre in London in 2009 and have since qualified and accredited with UKCP as a Gestalt Psychotherapist. I have continued my personal & professional development in areas such as mindfulness, body psychotherapy, trauma and emotionally focussed therapy. I now work solely in private practice in Brighton and Hove. I work with individuals in both short and longer term therapy.

My clients come with a range of difficulties including: anxiety, depression, bereavement & loss, stress, trauma, relationship issues as well as a range of other problems. I offer a safe and non judgemental space to explore what brings you to therapy. My approach is a sensitive balance of support and challenge to enable growth and change. As a gestalt therapist I work creatively with both body and mind, my work is focussed in the present with whats happening here and now but also on past experience and the impact of this in the present.

I’m interested in the impact of stress and trauma on our mental/emotional/physical health and believe that with increased awareness we can undo old outdated patterns and create new ways of being.

If you’d like to find out more about my practice please visit my website www.sueboyergestalttherapy.co.uk.

Clare Gannaway

As a psychodynamic psychotherapeutic counselling trainee at Brighton University, I am able to offer counselling at reduced rates.

I have twenty years’ experience in working with young adults, in a pastoral role, within an educational environment.

I offer a safe, secure space for you to bring whatever is troubling or challenging you in your life. You will have the opportunity to reflect on and explore earlier life experiences and emotions, which affect your current behaviour and relationships, in a way that might not be otherwise possible.

Increasing awareness of your inner world and its relationship with both your past and your present can  allow greater fulfilment and meaning in your life.

I am especially interested in the complex dynamics of family relationships, anger and trauma.

Eurik Gilar

I am a BACP accredited psychodynamic counsellor and a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in training with AGIP. My background is diverse and includes an experiential and adventure education degree. I believe we all learn from experience and that learning and personal development, as well as healing and recovering from past hurt and trauma, is a life-long process. This process can be facilitated, encouraged and even re-started (when we get stuck on the way) through counselling and psychotherapy.

I have experience in helping clients with a wide range of issues, including various forms of anxiety, depression, trauma and bereavement and also issues around sexuality, gender identity and relationships.

My approach is suitable for adults of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. I am LGBTQ+ identified and have experience in working with trans, queer and non-binary clients. I have a good understanding of polyamory, kink and other alternative lifestyle choices. My approach is in line with up to date research, inclusive and affirmative, rather than pathologising.

I am bilingual and practice in English and in Czech. http://www.gilarcounselling.uk/

Sandra Kuehl

I am a qualified Gestalt Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Senior Trainee Gestalt Psychotherapist. I work with clients who bring a wide variety of issues, such as anxiety, depression, abuse, trauma, stress, self-harm, ‘personality disorder diagnosis,’ relationship difficulties and problems around self, such as identity, esteem, and sexuality.

I work holistically which means that we will work at your pace, beginning with where you are now and exploring together what brings you to counselling. Through our dialogue we can find out more about how you relate to your world and how you feel within it, what is supporting you and where you might have become stuck. It is through this process of discovering yourself that you will inevitably identify some changes you wish to make. Together, we can work on the ‘how’ and what support you might need along the way. In Gestalt, we also pay attention to the body. After all, this is where and how we feel our feelings unlike in our head which is what society often has us believe. Becoming more body-aware can be a scary process, especially when we have- often subconsciously-suppressed our feelings and sensations because they felt too overwhelming or were perhaps inconvenient. We will approach this work slowly and carefully so that, ultimately, you will not only get to know yourself more intimately but will also be much better placed to enjoy a richer and more fulfilled life.

I believe that, for counselling to be successful, the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist is key. I endeavour to meet you with warmth, integrity and respect so that, in your time, you will eventually feel safe enough to trust me. It is only when we allow our vulnerability to be seen by another, that we begin to heal our wounds.

I have worked in a variety of therapeutic settings and offer an inclusive practice. I have worked with and welcome clients who bring difference- be it a different cultural background, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, identity, physical ability or age.

I am registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and abide by their Code of Ethics.

Kirstine Howe

I am in my final year of an integrative, therapeutic counselling diploma, and as a trainee, I am able to offer reduced rates.

Being an integrative counsellor means that although my core model is person centred, I am able to blend different theories according to what the client brings, providing a holistic approach. I offer a warm, non-judgemental, confidential space, enabling clients to feel safe to explore difficult thoughts or feelings.

I am a member of BACP and abide by their code of ethics.  I  have regular supervision.

Marie Larkin MBACP (Accred), MSc., Pg Dip.

I am a BACP Registered Accredited Practitioner with over 20 years experience as an Integrative Counsellor/Psychotherapist and workshop/support group facilitator.  An “integrative” way of working means that I tailor how I work according to individual clients’ needs.  I have trained in, and draw upon:

• Psychodynamic
• Humanistic
• Solution Focussed Brief Therapy (SFBT)
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Therapeutic Creative Writing

I work with adults from all walks of life and backgrounds and have a particular interest in:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Self Esteem/Confidence
• Loss/Bereavement
• Work Issues
• Cultural/Ethnic Identity
• Relationships/Family (including family estrangement)
• Menopause/Hormonal Effects on Emotional Wellbeing
• Life Changes
• Creativity
• Student Counsellors
• Emotional Support for Healthcare Workers
• BUPA & AVIVA registered

At the heart of my practice is a commitment to professionalism and ethical standards, alongside a passion for ongoing learning and development in my respective fields .I believe that words, be they spoken or written, are the pathways to greater understanding of ourselves and those around us. My aim, in all aspects of my work, is to help clients find their voice and gain greater clarity about who they are, where they are going and where they might have got stuck.

For further information, including qualifications, see www.marielarkin.uk

Jules Mercy  PG Dip Psychodynamic Counselling, BACP Registered, Relational Supervision

I have been qualified for 20 years, working with adults,long and short term. I have worked in generic therapeutic clinics, as well as specialist charity services concerned with all kinds of  abuse and also in the field of addictions. I was the founder and clinical lead for the counselling services at Brighton Women’s Centre, supporting women with multple disadvantages from 2006-16.

I offer Relational Supervision, drawing from Psychoanalytic and Humanistic schools for counsellors and psychotherapists.

I work from an understanding that our childhood relationships and experiences are  the roots of our difficulties, inform our understandings of ourselves and  draw us into relational patterns, dynamics and problems that can be life limiting.

I have experience in working with a wide range of difficulties or symptoms of distress including anxiety, depression, addictions, difficulties in relationships or work.I also have experience working with more  entrenched and chronic trauma such as shame, attachment difficulties, adoption and early losses which have impacted on growth and self esteem and the very core of ones selfhood. From my experience people tend to want to feel content, have meaningful lives with authenticity, joy and vigour but often struggle to reach these places due to a tangle of experiences and conditions that are still unfelt, unknown or unshared but still holding sway internally. When someone walks through my door I understand you as somehow being blocked in growing into who you are and meant to be rather than being ill. I see the mental and physical symptoms or problems being the psyche’s best effort to manage some deeper situation which needs exploration and be worked through.

Sometimes the work can be short term to find clarity or to navigate a defined problem whilst some people may choose a longer process of self discovery. I have much experience in working with issues concerning gender, sexuality, cultural differences, and the impact of othering and oppression. I am interested in identity and belonging, differences and uniqueness and also the things common that humans share such as uncertainty and losses of all kinds. I integrate western with eastern understandings and practices when helpful.

Maz Michael (MBACP Accredited)

I have been a qualified and practising therapist for 10 years. I am trained in Humanisitic, CBT approach and EMDR. I typically work integratively although I can work exclusively in a single modality. I work with each client to find out which approach would be the most helpful. I work short, medium and long term; again this is determined on an individual basis. I work with many issues such as: panic, generalised anxiety, depression, self-esteem, bereavement etc. Although I have a particular interest and experience in working with trans/non-binary identifying clients as well as clients who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Pansexual. My fees are somewhat flexible depending on client income and are discussed on an individual basis.”

Vicky Le Beau

I am a trainee psychoanalytic psychotherapist with the British Psychotherapy Foundation, and as such, I am able to provide therapy at reduced fees. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a process of exploration, undertaken by the therapist and patient who meet regularly at least once a week for 50 minutes; treatment is usually open-ended. You are encouraged to reflect on feelings, thoughts, wishes, fears, memories, dreams – whatever is uppermost in your mind. In this way, we work together to understand the difficulties that have brought you into therapy. This is a gradual process that takes time, commitment and effort.

Psychoanalysis and psychotherapy have often been viewed as ‘exclusive’ forms of therapy, and sometimes difficult to access. My practice is attentive to issues of difference – be they of class, ethnicity, sexuality. I am also an elected Scholar of the British Psychoanalytic Council with particular interests in exploring these issues further within the profession.

Michael Lloyd

I am a qualified couples and family therapist, mediator and social worker. I have been working as a couples and family therapist for many years, having done my training at the London Institute of Family Therapy, the Tavistock Clinic and Kensington Consultation Centre.

I have worked in a number of different settings, including Social Services, CAMHS ( the child and adolescent mental health service), the Sussex Family Mediation Service and in private practice. I currently work on a part- time basis at Relate and as an independent practitioner. I have also worked as a trainer and manager, in a wide range of social care, clinical and multi agency settings.   Over many years I have co-ordinated a range of team building and other training workshops, and have provided family therapy training and supervision to other professionals. Much of the work I am currently doing is with couples and families who have significant relationship problems, and with clients who have serious problems associated with mental health, substance misuse and domestic violence.

My overall therapeutic approach is very much informed by, on the one hand, the importance of acknowledging, validating, exploring and pondering with clients what they bring to the session for discussion – their problems, issues and challenges, and on the other hand, applying strength-orientated, solution focussed, non-problem –saturated ways of thinking in order to resolve these matters satisfactorily.

Dr. Lydia Rainford

I am a qualified psychoanalytic psychotherapist. After working in academic and pastoral roles in the university sector, I completed the clinical training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the Guild of Psychotherapists in London. I am a Member of the Guild of Psychotherapists and a registered member of the UKCP. I have worked as a psychotherapist in clinics, charities and private practice since 2012.

I have experience of working with a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, loss, identity issues, relationship problems, eating disorders and illness. I take care to attend to the specific problems and history of each person beyond and in relation to mental health diagnoses.

At the heart of psychoanalytic psychotherapy is the recognition that our complex and often unconscious emotional life is fundamental to how we live in the world, and to our health and wellbeing. My sessions aim to build a stable, confidential space, where current emotional difficulties can be explored, and where strictures and repetitions in the client’s ways of being and relating to others might be realised, unravelled and experienced differently. Psychoanalytic treatment can significantly diminish psychological suffering and bring about lasting change.

Rachel Singh

I am a BACP accredited counsellor and hold an Advanced Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Therapy from CPPD (UK). Since qualifying as a counsellor, 5 years ago I have worked for mental health services in Sussex. In 2016, I attended the British Isles Dialetical Behavioural Therapy training and now form part of the DBT Sussex team.

I began my career in the field of autism spectrum conditions over 15 years ago. Motivated by a desire to understand autistic peoples’ internal worlds and to help them feel more at ease into fitting into their local community. I have a particular interest in working with difference – cultural, gender and sexuality – and in attachment styles and anxieties,  stemming from childhood trauma and bereavement, autism spectrum conditions including Aspergers, ADHD, OCD and depression.

At Phoenix Therapy Practice I am a member of the DBT team which offers the full DBT programme.  I co-facilitate the skills group and offer individual DBT sessions which include pre-treatment and DBT informed counselling.

Sarah Soutar

I originally trained with the Association for Group and Individual Psychotherapy and was accepted as a professional member in 1984 and registered with UKCP.

Over the following decades I worked in the NHS, the student counselling service at the University of Sussex, in voluntary organisations and in private practice. I saw individuals for long-term psychotherapy and worked with groups as well as supervising, training and teaching both counsellors and supervisors.

Along the way I undertook extended training in the psychodynamic approach to trauma therapy and qualified as a supervisor with WPF.

After a sabbatical in 2017-18 I ceased offering open-ended individual therapy but attended an intensive week of training with Tavistock Relationships to develop my skills in working with couples.

My focus remains psychodynamic but eclectic . Recent developments in trauma work and links with neuroscience have influenced my practice but I still find a very powerful source of useful information in the relationship between the therapist and client(s).

Although partially retired, I am happy to receive referrals for couples, initial assessments and supervision.

Natalie Woods

I am an Integrative therapeutic counsellor with 16 years experience of building trusting therapeutic relationships with people and providing a safe relational space where difficulties can be explored. It is this relationship between you and your counsellor that is so important in enabling you to get to know yourself better and reflect on the things you would like to do differently in your life and relationships. This relationship with me may bring to life relationship difficulties you are experiencing enabling them to be explored and worked through with me safely.

I have worked in a range of settings and my counselling work has brought me into contact with a wide range of people facing all sorts of difficulties including couples experiencing relationship difficulties, and I have worked extensively with LGBTQ individuals and couples. My own experiences of therapy have contributed to my ability to provide what can be a healing relationship to others. I am approachable and have the personal qualities that help people feel able to talk about their difficulties, although I understand that this can be difficult and I respect the client’s need to take their time with the counselling process.

In my couples counselling work I provide a supportive space helping the couple to understand each other better and explore the dynamics of their relationship, as well as enabling them to develop better communication and empathy for each other all of which can help with the ‘stuckness’ that can often be experienced in our relationships with others.

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and am committed to my on-going personal and professional development. I am professional in my approach whilst being very human!