Ben Richardson
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About me
Trauma, chronic anxiety, and distress can leave you feeling stuck and disconnected. Trying to navigate therapy should not add to that weight.
I specialise in working with people, particularly adolescents, young adults, and neurodivergent individuals, who may have tried therapy before and found it rigid, overly analytical, or disconnected from their reality. When therapy does not land, it is easy to assume you were the problem or that you are simply "therapy resistant." In my practice, resistance is usually just a sign that the right framework has not been offered yet.
You do not need to know how to be a "good client," and you do not need to have your thoughts neatly articulated before we begin. This is a dedicated space to work at your own pace, without trying to fit yourself into a textbook mould.
As an integrative therapist, I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all model. We draw on a blend of evidence-based approaches, grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) alongside experiential and creative methods, to find what genuinely resonates with you.
What can you expect from me?
In our sessions, you can expect:
- Candour and collaboration: Your lived experience comes before theoretical models. You will always understand why we are working the way we are.
Focus on functional truth: We explore the beliefs you treat as true, looking at how they guide your behaviour day-to-day and whether they genuinely serve your life. - Dropping the struggle: Rather than battling to force away painful thoughts or feelings, we work on untangling old narratives and building psychological flexibility so you can move towards what matters to you.
- Flexibility beyond pure talk: If standard conversation ever feels limiting or exhausting, we can integrate experiential, visual, or music-informed tools to express what words cannot easily capture.
Areas of focus
I work with individuals facing a range of challenges, with particular experience in:
- Emotional-Based School Avoidance (EBSA), academic pressure, and school-related distress,
- Neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism without severe cognitive impairment), offering a neuro-affirming, low-pressure approach,
- Trauma and past adverse experiences that feel unresolved or overwhelming
Identity and life transitions, including gender identity exploration, dysphoria, and self-concept, - Chronic anxiety, panic, and burnout in academic or workplace settings
Body dysmorphia and body image distress, - Music therapy for those who want to explore experiences beyond language.
(Please note: I work with individuals only. I do not provide couples therapy, family therapy, acute crisis intervention, or forensic/court-mandated assessments.)
What you can expect from our first session
Beginning therapy can feel daunting, especially if past attempts were frustrating. Our first session is an unpressured, exploratory conversation where we discuss what brought you here and what has or hasn't worked for you in the past.
You remain in control of the pace throughout, with no expectation to dive into traumatic memories right away.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am registered with the HCPC as an Arts Therapist, who hold me accountable for upholding its professional standards at all times. Separately, I am registered with the NCIP as an Integrative Psychotherapist, upholding their clinical standards for my talking therapy work.
Most recently, I have completed substantial training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and other psychological therapies, such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy, as well as completing training in Auxiliary Schema Therapy. I use aspects of these psychological therapies in all of my work, drawing on methods which knit together neatly to fit your needs.
I hold an MA in Music Therapy with Distinction from Guildhall School of Music and Drama, a two-year course which certified me for HCPC state registration. This training is grounded in relational, psychotherapeutic, and developmental therapy work.
I have worked for over 5 years primarily with adolescents and young adults dealing with complex trauma or difficulties communicating their lived experiences. Together, either through Music Therapy or Integrative work, we find new ways of communicating, accepting, and relating to our distress.
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 HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 - £120.00
Additional information
I passionately believe in making therapy more equitable; as such, please get in touch with me if the price range isn’t an option for you. I ask those in a position to pay a bit extra to do so, so that I can see more people who might not be able to afford therapy, usually.
Whilst I may ask for a rough idea of household income and dependants, I operate on a trust-based system and will never ask for evidence, invoices, or Universal Credit statements.
Further information
My work focuses on young people who may be at a crisis point, ambivalent about receiving support, or disengaged from conventional mental health services. Many have never been offered a genuine choice in whether or how they receive therapy. My priority is to help them develop a sense of ownership over their emotional world by building the emotional literacy, self-regulation, and coping strategies that allow them to feel in control of what support looks like for them.
I take a present-focused approach, grounded in evidence-based psychological frameworks - primarily Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and DBT-derived skills - delivered flexibly and relationally. Where appropriate, I draw on creative tools such as metaphor, improvisation, or the use of music to support expression when words are too much, or not enough.
At the heart of my work is a belief in helping people face the truth of their experiences without being defined by them. I support them to take accountability for present actions, whilst also holding space for the very real impact of past harm. Together, we explore how it is possible to carry distress, acknowledge helplessness, and still move forward with clarity, autonomy, and self-respect.
