UKCP Psychotherapist · Therapeutic Coach
Trauma-focused therapy for PTSD, complex PTSD and unprocessed trauma. We stabilise first, then work through what happened at a pace you set, never faster than feels manageable.
Planned support, not crisis care
Years of experience
Trauma does not stay in the past. It lives in the body, the nights and the small moments that most people never notice. This is what clients often describe when they first get in touch.
A sound, a smell or a face drops you straight back into it, as if it is happening now.
You sleep badly, or barely at all, because the nights are when it comes back.
You stay on alert all the time, scanning for the next threat, and you cannot switch it off.
You have gone numb, or far away, just to get through an ordinary day.
You avoid the places, people and conversations that might set it off, and your world has quietly shrunk.
You snap or freeze, then feel ashamed, and the people close to you do not understand.
PTSD is treatable. With the right therapy and support, many people manage their symptoms, process what happened and regain a sense of control (NHS, 2021). Client examples are anonymised or composite.
Anyone can call themselves a therapist. With PTSD, the wrong pacing can make things worse. Here is what changes when you work with a regulated, trauma-trained psychotherapist.
| What matters in trauma work | A regulated UKCP psychotherapist | Generic or unregulated support |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | UKCP-registered and accountable to a professional body, Reg. No. 2011164676. | The words therapist and coach are unprotected, with no register behind them. |
| Trauma training | Trained at the Tavistock and Portman, studied CBT at King's College London, 20+ years of practice. | Trauma training varies widely and is often unclear or unverified. |
| Pacing | Stabilisation first, and exposure only when you feel ready for it. | Risk of going into the trauma too fast, which can retraumatise. |
| Continuity | The same named clinician throughout, in person or online. | You may be passed between people, or see whoever is free. |
| Boundaries | Clear that this is planned support, with crisis routes signposted. | Boundaries around crisis and scope are often unclear. |
PTSD can arise after experiencing or witnessing trauma, and it can deeply affect mental health and daily life (NICE, 2018; Mind, 2021). These are the areas we work through together.
A mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing traumatic events. It is diagnosed when the symptoms last for months or years and disrupt everyday functioning, rather than settling in the weeks after (NHS, 2021; NICE, 2018).
PTSD can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background. It can follow a single event such as an accident, assault or bereavement, or build up through repeated experiences like abuse, neglect or frontline work.
Intrusive memories, flashbacks and nightmares, feeling constantly on edge, avoiding reminders, low mood, and feeling numb or detached. Recognising these early makes timely support easier (NICE, 2018).
Anxiety often travels with PTSD, feeding panic attacks, phobias and a constant sense of threat. The two can amplify each other, which is why we treat them together rather than in isolation (NICE, 2018).
When trauma is repeated or begins in childhood, it can shape self-worth, trust and relationships. Complex PTSD usually needs a longer, gentler stabilisation phase before any processing begins.
PTSD rarely stays contained. Emotional withdrawal, irritability and mood swings can strain relationships and work. Therapy makes room to repair communication and rebuild the parts of life that trauma narrowed.
You do not have to explain everything, or find the right words. A couple of lines is enough to start, and the free call is where we work out whether this fits.
A phased, NICE-aligned approach to trauma. We build safety before we touch the memory, and we only go as far, as fast, as you choose.
First we make the present feel safe enough. Grounding, sleep, nervous-system regulation and daily coping come before we go near the memory itself. For complex trauma this phase is longer, and that is by design.
When you are ready, we work through the trauma at a pace you control, using trauma-focused CBT, cognitive restructuring, carefully paced exposure to take the charge out of the memory (NICE, 2018).
As the intensity settles, we rebuild. Trust, relationships and a sense of a future that is not organised around what happened. The aim is a life with room for more than survival.
Medication such as an SSRI can sit alongside therapy where your GP or psychiatrist recommends it.
NHS-trained · King's College London
I am a UKCP-registered psychotherapist. I have spent more than 20 years working across the NHS, private and community settings, trained at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, and studied CBT at King’s College London. Trauma work asks a lot of a person, so I keep the room steady, unhurried and honest. You see the same clinician every session, and we never move faster than feels safe.
Clear fees for PTSD therapy, with a free 20-minute initial consultation.
Starts from
£195
per 50-minute session
Questions people ask before getting in touch
No. We stabilise first. Before going near the detail of what happened, we build grounding and regulation skills so that revisiting a memory stays manageable. You set the pace, and we only move into processing the trauma when you feel steady enough. Nothing is forced, and you can slow things down at any point.
Mainly trauma-focused CBT, cognitive restructuring, carefully paced exposure, which are the approaches NICE recommends for PTSD. We choose the mix together, based on what you are dealing with and what feels right for you, rather than applying one fixed protocol.
Yes. Complex PTSD, which develops after prolonged or repeated trauma, often needs a longer stabilisation phase and more attention to relationships, identity and self-worth. Single-incident trauma, such as an accident or assault, can sometimes resolve more quickly. We shape the work around which pattern fits you.
It varies. Single-incident trauma can settle in a shorter piece of work, while complex or childhood trauma usually takes longer. We review progress together every few sessions so the work keeps a clear shape, and I will not promise a fixed timeline, because recovery moves at the pace your nervous system allows.
Yes. Many clients have a GP or psychiatrist involved as well, sometimes with medication such as an SSRI alongside therapy. With your consent I am glad to coordinate, so the therapy supports the rest of your care rather than duplicating it.
No. I work privately rather than through insurance panels. You pay directly for each session or block, which keeps the work confidential and free of diagnosis-led restrictions.
My practice is planned trauma support, not an emergency service. If you’re in crisis right now, call Samaritans free, 24/7, on 116 123, or call 999 in an emergency. For a flashback, grounding can help: feel your feet on the floor, name five things you can see, and remind yourself of today’s date and where you are. Once you’re safe and stable, I’m here for the longer-term work.
Choose the format that works best for you. I offer DBT-informed therapy face-to-face at my City Road Therapy and Harley Street practices, alongside secure online sessions for clients situated anywhere in the UK. Many clients prefer online therapy due to its reduced sensory load and transition time. However, both formats deliver the same structured DBT approach.
Harley Street: 96 Harley Street, London W1G 7HY
London City Road: 335 City Rd, London EC1V 1LJ (Angel)
Online: Secure video sessions UK-wide and globally
