Emily Barlow

I discuss fees with clients during our initial telephone conversation or meeting.

Recent testimonials:

I started therapy sessions with Emily after becoming very anxious and suffering from some depression. I was having problems in my personal relationships: with my partner, family and friends and added to this was struggling with significant stress at work. I was quite unwell, although I didn't understand the extent of this at the time. I felt very helpless and rather desperate. I genuinely feel that Emily has been instrumental in changing my life, the work we did together has had a huge impact on me and has been key to my mental health and recovery.

I really felt that I could walk into the room with Emily and talk to her about absolutely anything, without any judgement. This was particularly important to me so that I could be entirely open and honest about my thoughts - even when they felt embarrassing, invalid or shameful. I found her friendly, relatable and warm, but at all times she was completely professional. When I arrived at each session, the room always felt inviting and she was thoughtful about this beforehand, she always created a safe space for me that felt comfortable and an open forum.

Another key part of working with Emily was that she was particularly perceptive, often picking up on themes and areas that needed work long before I knew that they were something troubling me. She was honest and direct, often challenging my perception of a situation, but entirely supportive.

The key thing for me is that I now understand myself as a person much better; who I am, what is really important to me, and what truly makes me happy. She has helped me to see my thoughts from a different perspective, manage my anxiety and given me tools to do this by myself on an ongoing basis.

I would not hesitate to recommend Emily as a councillor. I strongly believe that therapy is ongoing at different points throughout life and I intend to go back to Emily if I am ever struggling again.

Weekly individual client

Emily gave support sessions to my partner and myself, and was extremely helpful at a time when we were experiencing a lot of stress and difficulty as foster parents. She gave us a model which we both could relate to, coming from different places as we do, which went to the heart of our difficulties and which we are still using years afterwards: it is like she taught us a new language to have in common. As well as being to the point, her sessions were fun and warm and we both remember them with great delight and gratitude.

I also know Emily for her advocacy of ACEs research and practice, where she has been an inspiration and very active in trying to improve the long-term life quality of children in Southwark and elsewhere, both in education and in the restrucuring of the borough. Emily has great excitement and passion for improving the short-term and long-term mental and physical health of young people which she conveys in every area of her work that I have been privileged to see.

Weekly couple client, including therapeutic parenting work