Avis Underwood
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Do you feel like something’s holding you back — but you’re not sure what?
Maybe you’re caught in cycles of anxiety, low mood, or self-doubt. You might feel stuck, disconnected from who you are, or unsure why the same patterns keep repeating. It can be hard to imagine change when you don’t fully understand what’s going on beneath the surface.
That’s where therapy can help.
I’m a BPC and UKCP-accredited Psychodynamic Psychotherapist. I work with people who want to better understand themselves and make lasting change. In our work together, we’ll explore how early experiences and unconscious beliefs might be shaping the way you think, feel, and relate to others now — often in ways you haven’t yet been able to name.
As we uncover these patterns, therapy can help you feel more in control of your life. You may begin to notice a growing sense of clarity and emotional resilience. Over time, this deeper understanding often brings renewed confidence in yourself and your choices, more fulfilling relationships, and a stronger sense of direction.
Therapy offers a quiet space away from the noise — somewhere to reflect, make sense of things, and connect with what really matters to you. If you’re ready to explore what’s been holding you back and take a step toward real change, I’m here to support you.
Training, qualifications & experience
Before becoming a psychotherapist, I spent several years working in the arts and cultural sectors, both in the UK and abroad. These experiences shaped my interest in how we adapt — or sometimes struggle to adapt — to change.
Living and working across different cultures taught me how disorienting transitions can be, especially when they stir up questions about identity, belonging, or direction. I bring this understanding into my work, supporting clients through periods of change, uncertainty, and those times when we feel stuck and unsure how to move forward.
My journey into psychotherapy began with my studies at Birkbeck, followed by training at WPF, and was completed at BPF, where I gained extensive experience in psychodynamic practice.
I am a registered member of:
- The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
- The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- The Foundation for Psychotherapy and Counselling (FPC)
- The British Psychotherapy Foundation (BPF)
- I adhere to the code of conduct and ethical standards of these Professional bodies.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
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 British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) is a professional association, representing the profession of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
The organisation is itself made up of fourteen member organisations and BPC accredits the trainings of its member organisations. An individual who qualifies from one of these trainings is then eligible for entry into the BPC's register.
BPC registrants are governed by a code of ethics, a policy of continuing professional development, a statement on confidentiality and a complaints procedure. The BPC is a Member Society of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (EFPP). Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
I am trained to work with a wide range of mental health challenges and have an encompassing range of experience, please feel free to reach out for other difficulties that are not mentioned here.
Therapies offered
Fees
£65.00 - £85.00
Additional information
Sessions are 50 minutes long, and take place at the same time and place each week. I have a sliding scale of fees, starting at £65, depending on income.
Further information
I have been a listener for The Listening Place, a charity for those suffering from suicidal ideation where I saw a wide range of visitors, many of whom were new to being in a therapeutic space.
