Welcome
Hi, I’m Beth, I’m a psychotherapist working one to one with adults (18 and over), offering weekly or fortnightly sessions of 50 minutes. I work afternoons and evenings in my peaceful therapy room in Heaton (see on map). I also offer online therapy. Please ask about appointment times and availability. My current fee is £75 per session.
I offer a free first appointment of up to 50 minutes so you can get see what it would be like to work together. Click here to book.
I have always been fascinated by the many ways we search for meaning in our lives, and in the ways we support each other (or fail to). I know how amazing and transformative good relationships of all kinds can be, and how painful it can be when we struggle to find or keep them. I am passionate about helping people learn to relate to themselves, others and the world in the fullest possible way.
Choosing a type of therapy
I know what a brave step it can be starting therapy (I’ve been there), and it can feel daunting knowing where to begin when there are so many different types of therapy (over 400 apparently!)
Research now shows that the relationship between client and therapist is the most important factor in determining the success of any therapy, more so than the type of therapy, so just see what you feel drawn to.
For more information about the type of therapy I offer, click here: Relational Integrative Psychotherapy.
Choosing a therapist
Because the relationship is the most important factor in your therapy, it is really important to find a therapist who feels right for you. Shop around if you can!
Click here and book a free first appointment of up to 50 minutes to see if we’d be a good fit.
See FAQs at the bottom of this page for more information on checking a therapist’s qualification and credentials.
What can psychotherapy help with?
Everything is connected. Very often the work of therapy becomes about much more than the thing that first causes someone to seek it. For this reason I don’t find it helpful to list all the issues I work with, but if you are struggling with something specific and aren’t sure if I can help, please ask.
How can psychotherapy help?
Whatever you’re going through now and however you’re coping (or struggling to) is understandable in the context of your history and experiences. You aren’t a symptom, diagnosis or disorder, you are a unique and amazing human being, doing the best you can in the circumstances, as we all are.
From before we are even born we learn and become who we are in relation to others. Throughout our lives our relationships hugely affect our health and happiness. We adapt to our earliest relationships and form patterns of relating that form the blueprint for our future relationships, informing what we want, need and expect from others, how we feel about ourselves, who we are attracted (and attractive) to and how we expect to be treated.
I understand (and know without doubt from my own experience) that the way we heal and grow as adults is also through our relationships.
Together we will learn how you came to be who you are, how you relate to yourself and others, and why you either struggle or thrive in the ways you do. The more safe and accepted you feel, and the more awareness you have, the more possible it becomes to heal, change and grow (if you want to!)
My qualifications
I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Relational Integrative Psychotherapy from Scarborough Counselling and Psychotherapy Training Institute (SCPTI) and have been working with clients in the charitable sector and in private practice for nine years.
I am accredited by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). I am fully insured and DBS checked and I abide by the ethical principles of SCPTI and UKCP: UKCP Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Conduct
Further information
If you have any questions, or if you think we might be a good match and would like to book a free initial appointment, get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What’s the difference between psychotherapy and counselling?
There is a lot of overlap, the terms are often used interchangeably, and “therapy” can refer to either, which can be confusing.
Psychotherapy training is considerably longer and more in depth, and requires the trainee to be in weekly therapy themselves for at least the 4 years of training. This means that psychotherapy can be a better choice for long term work leading to real change at a deep and sustainable level.
What can psychotherapy help with?
Examples of things that might bring someone to therapy:
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A major life event or transition
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Anxiety or depression
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Low self-esteem
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Eating distress or disorders
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Self harm
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Personality disorders
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ADHD or Autism
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Feeling stuck or joyless
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Relationship difficulties
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Past trauma or CPTSD
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To explore identity, gender or sexuality
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To better understand who you are and what you want from your life
How long does psychotherapy take?
This varies a lot depending on what you hope to achieve. If you aren’t sure what you need we can talk about it in the initial session and review progress and how you’re feeling about it as we go on.
- Short term: Some people come for support around something specific, such as a bereavement or a big life decision, wanting to learn how to regulate their emotions better, or to better understand their patterns in relationships. In these cases someone may feel they have achieved what they want over a course of weeks or a few months.
- Long term: a lot of people approach psychotherapy as an ongoing commitment, often over several years, wanting to learn about themselves and what they have been through, learn how to live and feel better, and to have better relationships. It has taken each of us a lifetime (so far) to become who we are, so really getting to know ourselves and making meaningful change at a deep level takes time, commitment and support.
How can I check a psychotherapist is qualified?
Psychotherapist and Counsellor are not currently protected titles, which means anyone can use them without enough (or any!) training. Psychotherapists and Counsellors can choose to register with a professional body which will set ethical standards, ensure members have appropriate training, and have a complaints procedure for clients. Here are a few of the largest – you can search their directories for registered practitioners:
UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy)
BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
NCPS (National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society)
And here is the full list of membership bodies overseen by the Professional Standards Authority.
There are also several independent directories that check therapists are registered with a professional body before including them, such as Counselling Directory or Psychology Today.
“Every act of communication is an act of tremendous courage in which we give ourselves over to two parallel possibilities: the possibility of planting into another mind a seed sprouted in ours and watching it blossom into a breath-taking flower of mutual understanding; and the possibility of being wholly misunderstood, reduced to a withering weed. Candour and clarity go a long way in fertilizing the soil, but in the end there is always a degree of unpredictability in the climate of communication — even the warmest intention can be met with frost. Yet something impels us to hold these possibilities in both hands and go on surrendering to the beauty and terror of conversation, that ancient and abiding human gift. And the most magical thing, the most sacred thing, is that whichever the outcome, we end up having transformed one another in this vulnerable-making process of speaking and listening.” (Maria Popova)