Catherine van Maanen

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MBACP, MA

About me

Hello there!

I'm Catherine, but I go by Cat and I'm an integrative therapist and registered member of the BACP. I work in Buckhurst Hill, Shoreditch and Holborn. As a human, I have experienced difficulty, struggle and pain. As a therapist, I have gained understanding and skills to share with clients in how to re-establish a relationship with themselves and their ultimate goals for their future.

Are you donor conceived and struggling with how you feel about your experiences? Do you have a complex relationship with food and eating and want to address it in a holistic, collaborative way? Perhaps you feel limited by your past mistakes, lying, fear and guilt? Maybe you want to address trauma from your childhood, maybe your experiences with bullying or family dynamics? Are you a Millennial and GenZ inbetweener? If you feel like a perpetual outcast, alone or chronically misunderstood, I am here to provide a safe space for you to share your secrets without judgement, be yourself completely and to feel held and therapeutically supported. 

My approach to therapy is creative, fresh and dynamic. I work collaboratively with clients and tailor my approach to meet their specific needs and to meet who they are as a person. My core integration is humanistic and relational psychodynamic. I also draw on attachment theory to help me to understand where you have been and how you relate to those around you (including yourself!), whilst still acknowledging that you are the expert on you and giving you the space to explore in the way you want to. I also encourage integrating the somatic bodily experience and mind in my exploration as I believe this is crucial to our holistic understanding of ourselves and I keep updating my practice as new understanding evolves.

I am down-to-earth and a little bit of a grandma at heart ... I believe that the relationship between therapist and client should be nourishing in a similar way to the desired impacts of a Werthers original from said grandmothers!

In other words, I provide an empathetic, warm, comforting and non-judgemental space to process and hold your lived experiences and to provide a space to be fully yourself, to share your secrets safely, to challenge you along the way, and to help you on your lifelong journey to self-understanding and a life worth living.

I practice online, and in-person at Cherry Tree Therapy Centre in Buckhurst Hill, Studio 31 in Holborn, and Shoreditch.

Training, qualifications & experience

Qualifications

  • Qualified member of the BACP. 
  • MA Psychotherapy and Counselling, Regent's University London (year 3, Integrative pathway). Year 2 equivalent of PGDip in Psychotherapy and Counselling, Regent's University London. Year 1 equivalent of PGCert Psychotherapy and Counselling, Regent's University London. 
  • Diploma, National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED) training in 'Excellence In Practitioner Skills For Eating Disorders'. 
  • On the Trusted Therapist Directory for Donor Conceived UK (DCUK)
  • Foundation Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling from Regent's University London.

Experience

I have experience working with long-term clients experiencing compulsions, anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, eating disorders, sudden bereavement and loss, difficult thoughts, reflecting on challenging behaviours, lifestyle changes, sexuality and identity in particular. My own experience with neurodivergence has helped me to understand the stigma that can still be found in both the medical industry as well as in our interpersonal relationships.

Other notable experience:

  • 2 years of training in Existential, Psychodynamic and Humanistic therapy at Regent's University London.
  • CPD completed on 'Working with Suicidality in the Helping Professions' with The Training ComPenDium.
  • Experience working with clients of all genders 18+.
  • Experience working within a holistic therapy centre.

Please do visit my website for more in depth information on how I work as well as more about the topics I cover.

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.

Accredited register membership

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Other areas of counselling I deal with

I am also a donor-conceived person and aware of the stigmas and some particular areas of struggle here.

I co-authored an article in the BACP journal and official magazine, Therapy Today this November, 2025, on the topic of working with adult clients who are donor conceived for the Good Practice section of the magazine. 

Therapies offered

Photos & videos

Fees

£50.00 - £80.00

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • Keyworkers
  • OAPs
  • Students
  • Trainee counsellors
  • Unemployed

Additional information

I use a sliding scale system to allow for more accessibility.

I do not have any low-income spaces available. 

Sessions held in Buckhurst Hill: £55-£70

Sessions held in Holborn: £65-£80

Sessions held In Shoreditch £65-£80

Online sessions vary £50-£80 (dependent on time/day chosen)

50 minutes or 100 minute sessions available in Buckhurst Hill and 50 minutes, 90 minutes, or 100 minute sessions available in Holborn and Shoreditch.

Please do not hesitate to get in contact with me if you have any queries!

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Early morning
Morning
Early afternoon
Late afternoon
Evening

Further information

LGBTQIA+ 

Insured by Holistic Insurance Services.

​Registered with the ICO (Information Commissioner's office).

Listed on the BACP registry.

I work online UK wide and face to face in Essex and, West and East London.

London, Greater London, E2

2 Station Parade, Cherry Tree Rise, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, IG9 6EU

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Organisations

Key details

Wheelchair user access
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

Please contact me, and I'll be happy to discuss accessibility requirements that you may have. The Buckhurst Hill location is wheelchair accessible, however the Holborn location is not.

Online platforms

Zoom

Social