Our Therapists

I qualified as an integrative counsellor at Northbrook College in 1999 then went on to qualify as an Arts Therapist in 2010. I have worked in a wide variety of settings with both adults and children. My experience includes vulnerable adults with mental health problems, domestic abuse, child loss and bereavement, child
adoption and LAC and parents. I currently work for the NHS in a hospital ward with patients presenting medical problems. I am also trained as an EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) practitioner. I use EMDR in my work and have a particular interest in trauma, especially early developmental
trauma and attachment relationships.

I am registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (registration number AS15180).

I am a UKCP registered integrative psychotherapist with 12 years experience working in Mental Health.

I can work with severe and enduring trauma or with more common difficulties such as mild to moderate anxiety and depression.

Psychotherapy is a relational space where you can feel understood with all your feelings, sometimes for the first time. In therapy you can make meaningful connections between present and past experiences to feel, as well as make sense of your sensations and feelings. This helps you understand yourself in a more wholesome way. You may discover new, often more reflective and compassionate ways of relating to yourself, and therefore others. This in turn can improve your day-to-day life, and help you to gain or regain control of some important aspects of your life.

Psychotherapy encourages long-lasting positive change.

The length of this process will depend on what you want to address or change in your life and on how you wish to approach therapy; whether by focusing on particular issues within a specific time frame and/or by looking more deeply at underlying issues. It is usual for therapy to take weeks (12 to 24 weeks); it can also take months or years. It is an individual experience.

Sometimes the hardest thing is to begin the therapeutic journey.

My work is informed by psychodynamic and attachment research as well as how to effectively work with psychological trauma. Together we aim to support a deeper and gentler way into connecting body and mind processes – we are at our best when they come together. My approach to you will be holistic and I aim to adapt to every person’s needs and rhythm.

I can work in English and in French (if French is your first language).

I embrace working with people who identify as LGBTQ.

 

I am a psychodynamic therapist, an accredited member of BACP, currently holding a PGdip in therapeutic counselling. I am however also working towards an MSc in psychotherapy with the aim of becoming a member of UKCP next year.

My approach is direct, with an honest and containing environment. I have had experience in various levels of anxiety, relating to relationship issues, eating disorders, depression and addictions.

My training is primarily in the psychodynamic modality, but I have interest in Gestalt & the humanistic approach.

I am happy to meet on Zoom, Teams or other means of online communication or face to face.

My qualifications include level 2,3 counselling, PGdip psychotherapeutic counselling, MSc psychotherapy.

I am currently a member of the BACP, working towards UKCP membership.

I am currently insured with Balens, but I hope to include other insurances within the next coming year, ie. Bupa, etc.

 

I am a psychodynamic counsellor offering both short term counselling, or in-depth, longer term therapy for a wide range of emotional issues including anxiety, depression, relationship problems and trauma. I work with adults of all ages, cultural backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations.

I provide long and short term weekly individual psychodynamic counselling. I place great importance on establishing a safe and non-judgemental counselling relationship, allowing clients to talk freely and openly about their feelings and difficulties.

One focus of the work together is how past experiences may continue to affect the ways that we think and behave and so help a client to consider how this could have an impact on their well-being. Through a process of open discussion, I aim to identify current patterns of behaviour or thoughts that may be linked to earlier experiences and attachments. This can help clients to consider how these factors might influence their daily life and relationships.

I work with clients to help address these challenges within a framework where the aim is not only to feel supported in resolving difficulties, but also to gain a better understanding that can maintain future well-being.

I offer sessions in person, by Zoom or telephone.

I am BACP accredited with an MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling.  I have 20 years’ experience working with people from all walks of life having worked in GP Surgeries, universities, community centres and charities. I am also a supervisor.

I am an integrative therapist, and currently a graduate at BTC. I have worked in a mental health setting for the last 6 years, previously having worked within a busy wellbeing service for the charity MIND. I have completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy and am a member of the BACP.

My approach is humanistic: I believe that we all have our own way of looking at the world and how we view ourselves; I offer a safe, warm and supportive space so that together we can explore and make sense of these views, and by doing so, help you understand and accept yourself more fully. We will work collaboratively, which means that the focus and purpose of the therapy will be negotiated and agreed together and the work and the relationship is open for
review; I will draw on a range of tools to find a way of working that suits your changing needs.

I have a particular interest in third wave CBT and mindfulness based approaches having trained as a Mindfulness teacher with the Sussex Mindfulness Centre.  By developing awareness of what is arising in each moment, it becomes possible for us to respond in ways that are helpful, rather than react in ways that are not.  I believe that by responding compassionately towards ourselves and our experience we can make the right choices towards growth and fulfilling our potential. 

David Sagar is an experienced psychodynamic psychotherapist and an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

David has a particular interest in early developmental trauma, Complex PTSD and issues such as relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, co-dependency, spirituality and sexuality.  

David trained in Advanced Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Westminster Pastoral Foundation from 1997 to 2002.

Following a lifelong interest in Jungian and post-Jungian theory and practice, he is currently undertaking further study with the Society of Analytical Psychology in London. This is one aspect of a wider interest in spirituality which is expressed in two published books: A Strange Fire – Spirituality for the 21^st Century, and Reflections on an Empty Grave: Songs of Heart and Soul. He has also had articles published in the (Jungian) Journal of Analytical Psychology and in Thresholds, a journal published by the spirituality division of the BACP.

He works with people experiencing relationship difficulties, identity issues, anxiety, depression, and the effects of early relational trauma, such as Complex PTSD. He is also interested in working with people who want to explore their sexuality or spirituality.

David is currently seeing client’s face to face on the basis they are fully vaccinated. 

I am a UKCP Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and a BACP accredited Psychodynamic Counsellor with over 15 years experience. I support adults and young people suffering with CPTSD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, physical and sexual abuse, bereavement and low self-esteem. I practise in both English and Spanish and have been with Brighton Therapy Centre since 2015. I have also worked for the NHS, and in the charity and private sectors. 

I will offer a welcoming, non-judgemental and confidential space where you will be able to explore and reflect on different aspects of yourself and how your experiences in the past influence and impact your responses in the present.  Through the therapeutic relationship, together we will make sense of your unconscious thoughts and reactions to gain an insight into your emotional struggles. I am a member of the Guild of Psychotherapists, where I trained in a pluralistic psychoanalytic tradition, which means that I use different analytical theories to inform my practice to work with your needs individually and to ensure the best approach for you. 

I’m also trained in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) therapy. 

If you are unable to attend in person, I can offer online sessions via Zoom, FaceTime or on the phone.

My experience includes working with those who experience anxiety, depression, anger, shame, loneliness, difficulties with food and relationships, survivors of sexual abuse, chronic fatigue syndrome, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, personality disorders, PTSD, and disordered eating.

Therapies Provided

Sometimes the experience of life causes our innate creativity to become flattened, stifled or stuck. Patterns repeat; we may use people, places and things to numb and avoid painful feelings that we can’t find words for.

My therapeutic approach is tailored to meet an individual client’s unique needs.

I am trained to weave traditional talking therapies, such as Gestalt, Transactional Analysis and psychodynamic therapies with up-to-date neuroscientific research, alongside the arts to empower clients to use their creative agency to establish more fulfilling lives for themselves.

Together, we work through their emotional pain, naming and processing feelings and memories, and safely locating and integrating emotions within the body. The arts can offer an essential component in finding ways to communicate and to be in relationship.

Mediums Used 

My preference is to work on Zoom or in person. 

Qualifications

Masters in Integrative Arts Psychotherapy and an Advanced Diploma in the Therapeutic and Educational Application of the Arts.

Memberships 

HCPC, BAAT, IATE

I am an experienced psychodynamic counsellor and psychotherapist. Qualifying in 2009, I have spent several years working within the NHS with a diverse range of presentations from people recovering from severe and enduring trauma, abuse, and neglect to people experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and depression.  

I will endeavour to provide the scaffolding and a safe and containing space for you to explore your past and present experiences, thoughts, feelings, and patterns of relating. Over time, the therapeutic process may illuminate your unconscious narratives, thoughts, and feelings to reveal a deeper understanding of your inner self and the way you relate to the world.  it may not only alleviate the symptoms that are troubling you, but it can help you to make deep seated changes to personality and development.

I hold a BA (hons) and MA/PGDip level programme in counselling and psychotherapy. In 2018, I completed a further professional clinical training in intercultural psychodynamic psychotherapy at Tavistock Clinic in London, which focused on working in a modern multicultural context.

 I am an accredited member of the BACP.

I offer zoom and face to face sessions.

Joe is a trainee Therapist and is currently working towards his qualification in Therapeutic Counselling at Varndean in Brighton. He has studied Advanced Practice in Psychological Wellbeing Post-Graduate Diploma at Surrey University, and BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling at Greenwich University.  

He has worked within an NHS IAPT service, Psychiatric Acute, Mental Health Rehabilitation, and Community based settings in East Sussex; as well as charities such as Together Your Way, Recovery Partners, and The Prince’s Trust.  

Joe has previously undertaken CBT based training and clinical work within the NHS, while as a trainee Therapist his core model has been person-centred in approach. He currently uses a pluralistic therapy framework. This means accommodating or adapting to the client’s goals and preferences during therapy, working within his level of competency and providing other options if needed.

I offer a safe, non-judgmental, confidential space in which you can talk openly about anything at all that might be weighing on you. In this space, I will support you as you develop a deeper understanding of your current concerns, your relationships, past and present, and your self.

As an American living in the UK and a woman of mixed race, I understand how a sense of ‘otherness’ can influence how we interpret the world in which we all live. As a former English teacher, I pay close attention to the language we all use to tell our stories.

Over time, our shared process will enable us both to become more aware of your motives and your behaviours, which will enable you to develop deep and empowering insights into your choices and your relationships with others.

In addition to my Masters and Education Specialist degrees in Counselling, I have a Masters in Literature, all of which I earned in the United States.

I work both face to face and online with the following concerns:

• Relational problems and family dynamics
• Anxiety and depression
• Alcoholism and addiction
• Self-destructive behaviours and inner conflict
• Relationships and life transitions
• Matters of identity and one’s true self

 

I am a psychologist and group practitioner graduate from the Institute of Group Analysis with twenty years’ experience facilitating group processes. I am also a Research Fellow at the Psychosocial Department at Birkbeck College where my research focuses on safety in groups. I am also a counsellor and mediator.

I conduct therapy groups both in person and online. I work in English and Spanish.

I am an associate member of the Institute of Group Analysis and of the Group Analytic Society International. Trainee member of UKCP.

I offer individual psychotherapy with adults and young people.  I offer both short and long term work that focuses on personal development through the exploration ofemotional and relational issues, loss and life transitions, difficulties with creativity, meaning, and purpose. I also work with people in extreme distress, including anyone experiencing psychiatric problems.

Therapies provided

I am a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and I qualified with the Philadelphia Association, a charity established in 1965 by RD Laing to challenge accepted ways of thinking and treating mental illness and emotional distress. My approach is informed by both the psychoanalytic and the existential heritage of psychotherapy.

I have extensive clinical experience in issues that affect women and young people including depression, anxiety, body image and eating problems, sexuality, sexual abuse, self-harm, substance misuse, parenthood, adoption, and fostering.

I am particularly interested in working with cultural diversity and issues to do with ethnicity, race, mixed heritage, belonging and identity.

I have thirty years of experience working with children, families and mental health, having firstly trained in social work, before psychotherapy.

Mediums used (i.e. telephone, Zoom, in person)

Face to face, online, telephone

Qualifications

MA and Diploma in Social Work (1995), Philadelphia Association Diploma in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (2010), Diploma in Social Work Practice Education (2016)

Memberships

Philadelphia Association, United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy, Society of Existential Analysis, Psychotherapy Sussex

Languages spoken 

English

Registrations with health insurance providers

The Psychologists Protection Society

I am a qualified systemic practitioner, specialising as a couples and family therapist over many years. I also have a background as a mediator and qualified social worker. I trained in London at the Institute of Family Therapy, the Tavistock Clinic and Kensington Consultation Centre and over time 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 have also worked as a trainer and manager, in a wide range of social care, clinical and multi-agency settings, co-ordinating a range of team-building and other training workshops, including the provision of family therapy training and supervision to other professionals.

I currently work on a part-time basis at Relate and in private practice.Much of the work I do is with individuals, couples and families who have significant relationship problems, including those who have difficulties associated with poor mental health, substance misuse and domestic violence.
I work by phone, on Zoom, and in person.

My overall therapeutic approach is very much informed by, on the one hand, the importance of acknowledging, validating, exploring, pondering and ‘being with’ clients in relation to what they bring to the session for discussion – their problems, issues, dilemmas and challenges; and, on the other hand, the usefulness of applying strengths-oriented, solution-focused, non ‘problem-saturated’ ways of thinking in order to address satisfactorily the matters in hand.

My therapeutic approach is integrative, with a focus on the psychodynamics of the relationship between the client and me.    I work with childhood sexual abuse and trauma, and my MA focused on sexual abuse, trauma and domestic violence.  I also have experience of 12 Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) and Co-dependents Anonymous (CODA) and encourage participation in these groups to compliment therapy where appropriate.  I also hold a BSc (Hons) in Reflective Therapeutic Practice which helps me reflect on my own processes and how I relate to clients.

Previous therapeutic experience includes working with OneinFour (for survivors of child sexual abuse) and THT in London, and with Counselling Plus and The Sara Lee Trust in E. Sussex.  I have considerable experience working with those living with cancer, including terminal and end-of-life clients.  I have helped develop a coaching service as part of a European project to support people living with cancer to remain in or return to work following treatment.  This protocol will be rolled out in France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

 I am currently undertaking a course in Group Supervision at the Institute of Group Analysis in London, and I supervise therapists in training at BTC.  Prior to training as a therapist I worked in corporate healthcare, including occupational health, healthcare trusts and private medical insurance.  I bring this experience of business to my work and can support clients through work-related issues, as well as more emotional worries such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties and deep-seated childhood concerns.

I work with individual adults collaboratively through a Psychodynamic approach, integrating body awareness where this is helpful. While I work with a wide range of issues, I specialise in supporting people affected by:

-early relational trauma (this may be experienced as chronically feeling unloved, disconnected, empty, abandoned, ‘unreal’ or out of touch with the body)

-LGBTQ+ issues

-autistic spectrum conditions

– depression

-anxiety

• Psychodynamic counselling
• Zoom, telephone, in person
• PGDip Psychodynamic Counselling (Distinction) ; PGDip Mental Health Nursing; BAHons English Literature
• BACP registered
• English

I have worked with people experiencing emotional, psychological distress since 2007, integrating my experience of working in NHS mental healthcare with my current psychodynamic approach. Issues are addressed through a collaborative, empathic exploration of feelings, thoughts, fantasies, dreams, early and current relationships in the context of an evolving therapeutic relationship. Where it is helpful, I draw upon body-oriented approaches to trauma to support clients to articulate and integrate their experience.

I am a qualified, registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and offer both open-ended and time-limited psychodynamic therapy. I work with clients to explore their inner worlds, to seek a better understanding of their inner life, thoughts, desires and emotional landscape. Together we work to develop a thoughtful approach to difficult and sometimes painful aspects of their experience. 

I have experience of working with a wide range of people undergoing prolonged or acute periods of mental or emotional distress. Some examples of the issues I have worked with include: anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive thoughts and behaviours, gender identity, borderline personality presentations, disordered eating, sexuality and attachment styles that impact negatively on clients’ relationships. 

I believe that becoming better acquainted with our unconscious conflicts can help us have a kinder more generous relationship to ourselves, to acquire an understanding of some of the thoughts or behaviours that trouble us, and therefore to gain agency in our lives. 

I offer sessions face to face, via zoom or on the phone. 

I am an existential graduate practitioner currently undertaking further psychotherapy training at Regents University. Existential therapy is a broad approach that looks at the whole of the human condition and works to expand the client’s awareness; it helps people face life’s challenges with more authenticity and purpose. 

Why do we sometimes feel stuck, anxious or depressed? How can we carry our past histories and navigate the future? By exploring our emotional hinterland, we can reveal what really matters to us and how we fit into this world. Such a journey can help us to find meaning or acceptance so that travelling through life is less arduous. 

I am a UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy) trainee member. I am bound by its code of ethics and subject to its complaint’s procedure. I am committed to providing a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship. 

I can offer short- or long-term work in person, on the telephone or online.

Having started working with emotionally disturbed teenagers in the 1970’s, I later took a degree in Developmental Psychology at Sussex University, and then subsequently a post-graduate diploma which qualified me as a social worker. I worked for many years in different settings and services in social care, as a practitioner and later a manager, but generally focused on mental health.

In 1999 I started training in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) at the Munro Centre at Guy’s Hospital in London, and I qualified as a CAT psychotherapist in 2004.

What has always appealed to me about the CAT model of therapy is that it provides a structured way of getting to the heart of what is troubling someone in a timely and effective way, without losing any of the warmth of a trusting, personal relationship. At the same time it is a flexible model that can bring in other techniques and perspectives as required, and it can be adapted for brief or longer-term contracts according to what is needed. So in my private practice I can respond to individual needs and requirements, but I work predominantly with the CAT approach.

I am a clinical psychologist qualified for over twenty years and have worked in the NHS in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services most of that time. I work at Brighton Therapy Centre with some adults, children and families for brief or longer-term work, depending on what we agree to focus on.

Therapies

The therapies I provide are flexible and overlap and are broadly behavioural, cognitive-behavioural, systemic therapy, brief solution-focussed therapy and narrative therapy. 

Media

I prefer working in person but I also think that working remotely (Zoom, for instance) has become much more familiar for most of us since 2020. Working over the telephone can also be helpful but with the aim of meeting in person at some stage.

Qualifications

2017 Postgraduate Certificate in Family and Organisational Systems, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

2000 Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of London

1993 BSc (Hons) Psychology, Birkbeck College, University of London

Memberships

British Psychological Society

The Health and Care Professions Council (Registered Practitioner Psychologist)

Health Insurance Provider

Howden

Some more background

I have done a lot of joint work in the NHS over many years with psychotherapists, family therapists, psychiatrists, and community psychiatric nurses; my practice has been influenced by several ways of thinking and working.

Some of the difficulties I have worked with include anxieties and panic attacks, depression, body dysmorphia, deliberate self-harm, phobias, obsessional compulsive disorders, problems arising out of autistic spectrum difficulties, anger and mood issues as well as coming to terms with physical illness or diagnosis. I have always had an interest in and curiosity about what makes a good working relationship because with this, lots of doors naturally open which allow for change and personal growth.

I am also involved with supporting the nearby Brighton Table Tennis Club, which places a lot of emphasis on providing a service to the community. I volunteer working there with a group of people through the medium of playing table tennis, this being the only outlet many of them have for regular physical exertion. I am a keen table tennis league player myself and use this to help maintain my own physical health, as well as enjoying myself in the process.

Dr Steve Morris BSc (Hons), D.ClinPsy, PGCert.(Family and Organisational Systems)

Chartered Clinical Psychologist

I am a fully qualified psychodynamic psychotherapist and have been with BTC since 2014. I work in a way that is inter-personal and relational, because I feel that the connection in the room is an important part of the therapeutic process. I also believe that our unconscious is a big driving force behind a lot of our behaviour and patterns, revealing itself in areas such as our dreams, desires and defences.

I graduated with my master’s degree from Brighton University, I am a registered member of UKCP and I am fully insured with Balens. My undergraduate degree was a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and I also have some training in CBT. In addition, I have worked as a counsellor with young adults and children for the YMCA from 2014-2020. I can offer sessions face to face (preferred) or via online.

I believe that a great cause of suffering can stem from a sense that we are stuck in our lives and within ourselves. Fostering a belief that change is possible by nurturing a sense of curiosity and compassion towards ourselves in therapy can be a great release. Changes and shifts come from the willingness of both of us to work through your own unique personal landscape within a containing, safe space and being led by your unconscious. Childhood always has relevance in relation to the current difficulties and frustrations we are facing in the present. For me, a large part of the therapeutic process is living with the reality that we cannot airbrush away aspects of our lives. We can, perhaps, instead learn to live with ourselves which, eventually, may lead to a much more comfortable existence.

 

My therapeutic approach is Psychodynamic, but I also draw on my combined knowledge of mindfulness 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, relationships, sexual issues, stress, and work-related issues.

I have the expertise, as a therapist, to gently work with you with the aim of bringing understanding and self compassion towards your difficulties. My approach is tailored to your needs, going at a pace you feel comfortable with. I know that sometimes it can feel exposing to talking about personal issues. Therapy is process that can bring relief from stress, anxiety and low mood, with the possibility of opening up more choice in your life.

I have over ten years’ experience as a BACP accredited and registered psychodynamic Counsellor. I began my career in further education, as an Art and Design lecturer, a position I held for over thirty years. I found that my pastoral and mentoring roles, as a tutor were very rewarding so I became 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 qualifying as a psychodynamic counsellor in 2010.

Mediums used: Zoom, in person (when

Qualifications

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 include B.A. Hons Fine Art, PG Dip Digital Media Arts, M.A. Design

Memberships: BACP Registered and Accredited Member

Languages spoken: English

Registrations with health insurance providers: AXA Insurance