Catriona Howatson

I am a highly experienced psychotherapist. In my private practice, I work with high-achieving professionals who are very motivated to engage in ongoing, in-depth psychotherapy to gain a deeper understanding of their emotions, values and relationships, and to work through entrenched habits of thinking or behaving that have become problematical or seem to be holding them back.

People seek counselling or psychotherapy for a variety of reasons. It is not a sign of weakness or inadequacy. Quite the reverse: therapy provides a private place in which to think freely and creatively about the issues that affect your life and relationships. You might be suffering from some degree of depression or anxiety, but equally you might just want to open up your thinking and challenge ingrained patterns. You might perhaps want to process something that you feel has been neglected in the past or is making you unhappy or worried.

You must of course find a therapist with whom you feel comfortable, and so I offer an assessment session in which we can see if we would like to start working together. We can have another assessment session if that seems useful. There is no obligation to continue.  

In addition to my private practice, I have worked in NHS primary care and within the criminal justice system. I have experience of a very wide range of clients and problems. I have extensive experience of trauma, personality disorder and behavioural difficulties.

All psychotherapy is strictly confidential. I work with with depression and anxiety, family and marital difficulties, workplace difficulties, panic disorder, sexual abuse, trauma, personality disorder and offending behaviour. I also have interests in mothers and new babies and parenting issues.

I work with individuals on a once- or twice-a-week basis for open-ended psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is a serious undertaking, but you will not be alone. It is a collaboration. You will have plenty of time to decide if this is the right way for you to go, and of course it is entirely up to you.

Time-limited counselling is extremely effective for those who have a clearly defined problem associated with relationships, emotions, and the emotions around relationships. It is appropriate for people who are not in a position to engage in psychotherapy or who do not want to. It is designed to to give you useful material that you can use to build once the sessions are over. It would usually be from twelve to sixteen sessions.

I am a member of FPC and UKCP. 

I offer a sliding-scale of fees based on what the client can afford. Concessions are available on request.