Ann-Louise McCarthy

My name is Ann-Louise McCarthy and I am a UKCP registered Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychotherapist.

It can be difficult to take the first steps towards starting therapy. You may have fears about what will be expected of you and what it will feel like in sessions. I understand that it may seem scary and I am sensitive to the feelings and thoughts that may arise in relation to deciding to embark on a therapeutic journey. I am committed to providing Psychotherapy in a safe, confidential and non-judgemental environment where you can express your doubts and fears and ask questions. I want you to feel in charge of your own therapy and what you want to get from therapy; and I will facilitate you being able to feel comfortable and secure as it is important that you feel this way with the person who will be accompanying you on your journey.

I work one-to-one with both adults and adolescents on an open-ended basis or for an agreed time period.

The aim of the work we do together is to enable you to identify the sources of difficulties you are experiencing and to gain insight, which will help you to better understand yourself, making it possible for you to improve the relationship you have with yourself and others.

How therapy can help

if you wake every day feeling anxious or sad, feeling as if you are facing an insurmountable challenge to be motivated, focused and energetic enough to get through the day, struggle to be around others, or perhaps feel constantly angry and discontented, we can work together to find new ways for you to think and feel.

My aim is to help you identify, understand and eliminate your psychological pain and anxiety so it is possible to live a more comfortable emotional life.

Working together, we can explore the origins and processes underpinning destructive and painful repetitive inter-relational patterns that are negatively affecting you and your relationships. Through our professional relationship and with the skill and experience I offer, positive, permanent change to the ways you feel and relate to others is possible.

Negative thought patterns can be changed through in-depth exploration and resultant insight. I work with you, to make this possible.

How do I get started?

1. Please call or email me to arrange a convenient time for a brief chat so we can discuss what you are looking for. You can ask any questions that you have and you can gain the information you need to make an informed decision about proceeding with therapy. We can then make an appointment for your assessment session.
2. The assessment session will usually be a 90 minute assessment and this time will allow us to discuss what therapy will entail, what you can expect and what you are hoping to achieve in your therapy. I will also hear in more depth what you have been going through and you will have a chance to assess whether you feel I would be the therapist you would like to work with.
3. If you wish to continue in therapy with me after the assessment appointment, we will book a regular weekly appointment.

Where am I?

My private practice is based in Whitstable, Kent within easy reach of Herne Bay, Faversham, Canterbury, Swale, Medway and Thanet, and in Bloomsbury, London.

I also provide online Psychotherapy which is available to clients in any area, including outside the U.K.

Menopause

Mid Life Crisis

Issues related to being looked after/fostered/adopted.

Sessions can be between 1 - 3 per week.

Initial assessment appointments of 90 minutes are chargeable at the usual session rate.

Online therapy is available. 

Psychotherapy is a talking therapy that offers the opportunity for you to talk about your life and struggles in a confidential, impartial and non-judgemental setting.

It allows the exploration of the life experiences that have brought you to where you are now.

Psychotherapy facilitates the discovery of underlying reasons that have contributed to current or ongoing difficulties in your life.

You may have had to bury feelings associated with your experiences, often since childhood, in order to get on with and manage life. Although these feelings are not always present, or even consciously apparent, they interfere with your ability to find contentment, happiness or a constructive and fruitful life.

Psychotherapy can help you to investigate the origins of your discomfort in order to understand and overcome what is preventing you from moving forward in a positive way.

If you are finding current events in your life particularly challenging and feel that support during a difficult phase in your life would be helpful or have been struggling for some time and want to understand why, Psychotherapy offers a way to work through difficulties in a positive way.

I offer a safe and secure space for you to talk and for us to think together about what is going on for you.

I am experienced in helping clients who have experienced difficulties with :

• Feeling Overwhelmed
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Panic Attacks
• Sadness
• Feeling out of control
• Feeling lonely
• Depression
• Addiction
• Trauma
• Abuse
• Interpersonal and relationship difficulties
• Eating Disorders
• Identity issues
• Bereavement and Loss
• Low self esteem
• Redundancy
• Work place issues
• Anger issues
• Repetitive physical health problems