About Therapy
At Examined Life Psychology, we believe that the foundation of effective therapy is a safe, trusting relationship between you and your clinician. Before anything else, we focus on understanding you, your history, your experiences, and what has brought you to therapy, so that the work we do together is grounded in what matters most to you.
From there, therapy is a collaborative process. We work with you to identify the patterns and experiences that are getting in the way, and to build the insight and practical skills needed to create real, sustainable change.
Our approach is evidence-based and tailored to you, your goals, your strengths, and the life you want to build.
Your commitment to the process
Therapy is most effective when both you and your clinician are actively engaged in the work. While we bring expertise, structure, and support to each session, meaningful change also depends on your willingness to engage fully. This includes not just your presence in session, but your engagement in the time between them. This might look like reflecting on what comes up in therapy, practising new skills in your daily life, or simply sitting with discomfort rather than avoiding it. Progress is rarely linear, and there will be sessions that feel harder than others. That is a normal and often important part of the process.
Consistent attendance is an essential part of making progress. Leaving too long between sessions can disrupt the momentum of the work, making it harder to build on what has been covered and to sustain the changes you are working toward. We recommend attending sessions regularly, particularly in the earlier stages of therapy, to give the work the best chance of taking hold.
Openness, with us and with yourself, and a genuine willingness to explore what needs to change, will help you get the most from the process. The more you bring to therapy, the more you are likely to take from it.
We work with adults and couples across a wide range of concerns
We can help you with:
Trauma
Childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, assault, accidents, medical trauma, occupational trauma, and the lasting impacts of difficult or harmful relationships at any stage of life.
Mood and Emotional Wellbeing
Low mood, depression, sadness, and loss of motivation or direction are among the most common reasons people seek therapy. We also work with a range of emotional difficulties, including feeling overwhelmed or reactive, emotional shutdown, and anger, as well as concerns around self-esteem, confidence, and sleep.
Anxiety
Worry, rumination, health anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or perfectionism, therapy can help you understand what is driving it and develop more effective ways of responding
Relationships and Interpersonal Difficulties
Difficulties in relationships, whether with partners, family, friends, or colleagues, Space to explore patterns of conflict or people pleasing, communication challenges, and difficulties around setting and maintaining boundaries.
Work and Life
Stress, burnout, grief, loss, serious illness, and major transitions such as changes in relationships, parenting, career, relocation, or retirement.
Don't see your concern listed here? Get in touch. We're happy to discuss how we may be able to help.
Therapeutic Approaches
Treatment is never one-size-fits-all. We draw on a range of evidence-based modalities, thoughtfully selected and adapted to suit each individual.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and EMDR 2.0
Schema Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Mindfulness-Based Therapies
Motivational Interviewing
Gottman Method
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”