Emily Ollman-Hirt
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a qualified Counselling Psychologist and Psychotherapist with twenty years of experience working within the NHS and private sector. I am a member of the British Psychological Society, Healthcare Professionals Council and United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapists and I abide by their code of ethics.
I work with adults, couples and families. I specialise in psychological health during the perinatal period, as well as working with couples who have experienced pregnancy loss, infertility or other reproductive trauma. In working with adults who are not parents, I may still apply my knowledge of developmental psychology to help you to understand how your earliest experiences of relationship might be impacting upon your current day to day life.
Due to a broad training background, I have grounding in various different approaches, which allows me to be flexible in how I works with each individual:
“I try to listen to the therapeutic goals of the client before deciding upon what sort of approach might 'fit'. Sometimes a client may be unsure what their immediate goals for therapy are, which would lead me to consider having a more open, explorative stance in the therapy. At other times, I might use a more behavioural (CBT-like) approach to support someone to actualise behavioural changes in their life. I believe that an understanding of a person's past relationships is extremely important in order to help them understand their current difficulties, and I see therapy as a way of detangling oneself from old, painful relational habits. I try and work with transparency, which involves being clear about how therapy works and how we will measure when you have achieved your goals.”
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a qualified and accredited Counselling Psychologist and an Integrative Psychotherapist, registered with the BPS, HCPC and the UKCP.
I have worked in the mental health field for the past twenty years. This includes working in busy London-based primary care psychology services; with looked after children in residential settings, within NHS in-patient units and within a community parent-infant psychotherapy service.
I currently work as an associate clinician for Parenthood in Mind, a perinatal psychology service. I also see adults and couples for individual or couples therapy in my private practice.
I completed my professional doctorate at the Metanoia Institute in West London, accredited by Middlesex University. I have also completed professional development trainings in psychodynamic work with couples at the Tavistock Institute as well as other trainings with the British Infertility Counselling Association amongst others.
I wrote my thesis on the topic of intergenerational trauma, and I also specialise in working with childhood trauma, prenatal trauma and cultural/historical trauma.
Member organisations
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Parenting
Motherhood
Anxiety
Depression
Relationship problems
Identity issues
Therapies offered
Fees
£95.00 - £125.00
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
The initial assessment session is charged at a flat fee of £85 for individuals, £95 for couples sessions.
Subsequent sessions are also charged at £85/£95 but I do hold a limited number of therapy slots with a reduced fee of £75 (this is the maximum reduction that I am able to offer) - please enquire for more information.
When I work
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Appointments available online only
Further information
I understand what a daunting task it can be to choose a therapist, and taking that first step can be anxiety provoking!
I believe that finding the right therapist, and booking that initial meeting is the first and most important step on the way to actualising real change in your life. For this reason, I view the beginning 6-8 sessions of therapy as an intermediary period of 'getting-to-know' one another, as well as a chance for us to see whether or not I am the right therapist for you. There is no obligation to continue past the initial period, and in fact some people find that those first few sessions were all they really needed!
Change can be scary for some, as it means letting go of old habits and patterns. I am therefore not surprised that people come to therapy with some mixed feelings, particularly as you may not know what to expect.
My promise to all of my clients is to make the process of psychotherapy as transparent as possible, with plenty of opportunity to discuss how you are finding the sessions. We will be clear about our goals, and we will negotiate together how we will aim to get there.
