Cathy Reilly

About Me:
I am a fully accredited, UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy) registered, Psychotherapist with several years experience in both the NHS and private practice. I have an MSc (Distinction) in Relational Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy and am a Certified Transactional Analyst.

What brings people to therapy?
The trigger for entering therapy may be some kind of external event that has disturbed our inner world leaving us feeling destabilised, struggling to find our feet and dealing with difficult emotions. Our usual coping mechanisms seem to have left us and we are unable to support ourselves in the usual way. Such triggers stem from a variety of situations that bring about change in circumstances requiring some kind of adjustment. These situations may have far reaching effects impacting our relationships, sense of self, our security and stability.

People may also enter therapy with a more general sense of dis-ease: with troubling thoughts and feelings that may have persisted for some time.

My approach:
Searching for help at a time when we feel vulnerable requires a respectful and compassionate response. I offer an open, non-judgmental and empathic space where we can work together to explore whatever difficulties you are experiencing.

There are many approaches to therapy but research consistently highlights that the important predictor of successful outcomes is the quality of the relationship that is established between client and therapist. This is why it is important that you find a therapist that feels right for you.

As a relational therapist, I am interested in our patterns of relating and the quality of our relationships in all domains of our lives. This starts with our internal relationship with ourselves. Can we be kind and compassionate to ourselves? Or, do we tend to invest more energy criticising and judging ourselves? Our internal relationship will impact the quality of our relationships with others and our capacity for enjoyment and a sense of a fully lived life.

Most of us are living our lives driven by an unconcious internal narrative that determines our relationships and life course. For some of us this narrative serves us well. For others, this narrative can lead us into repetitive patterns that may be unhelpful and keep us stuck. Therapy is a process of change. It facilitates a re-examination of the rulebook and story we’ve adopted. I see my role as one of guiding you safely through this journey with the intention of creating new awareness and choices re: how we approach situations, relationships and life.

Supervision and Ethics:
I abide by the principles and ethics of the UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy) and EATA (European Association of Transactional Analysis).  All clinical work is professionally supervised.

Additional Experience:
I have worked as an Executive Coach for more than 20 years and am also a qualified Coaching Supervisor. I am able to bring this experience into my psychotherapy practice in many ways including an appreciation of how work place dynamics can impact both our personal and professional lives.