About me
Connection Psychotherapy
Specialist Trauma, Childhood Neglect & Psychological Therapy Clinic — Glasgow
Sometimes there is no obvious crisis. You simply have a persistent sense that something is not quite right.
You may be capable, thoughtful and outwardly doing well, while internally dealing with anxiety, guilt, overthinking or constant mental noise. You might replay conversations long after they have ended, automatically put other people first, struggle to rest, or swing between periods of intense drive and exhaustion.
You may have wondered whether this is anxiety, burnout, ADHD, trauma — or simply something about you that you have never fully understood.
Many of the people who come to Connection Psychotherapy are highly self-aware. They may already understand themselves intellectually, have read extensively, or have had therapy before, but still feel that something important has not changed.
Understanding why these patterns developed
We are particularly interested in the lasting effects of trauma, childhood emotional neglect, inconsistent caregiving and chronic stress.
Childhood neglect can be difficult to recognise because it is often less about what happened and more about what was missing — emotional safety, attunement, reassurance, protection, consistency or space to develop a secure sense of yourself.
Patterns such as people-pleasing, perfectionism, emotional inhibition, over-responsibility, shame, withdrawal or constant self-monitoring can develop for understandable reasons.
Therapy begins by making sense of those patterns rather than treating them simply as symptoms to eliminate.
About Connection Psychotherapy
Connection Psychotherapy is a specialist psychotherapy clinic based in Glasgow and working with clients across the UK online.
The clinic is founded and clinically led by Gem Thomson, BABCP Accredited CBT Therapist, who has more than 16 years' experience across NHS and private mental-health services.
Gem specialises in trauma, childhood emotional neglect and complex psychological difficulties, integrating approaches including CBT, trauma-focused CBT, EMDR and Schema Therapy.
Our wider clinic also includes experienced clinicians offering psychological assessment and therapy, including work with children and young people.
Sessions are available in person in Shawlands, Glasgow, and online.
What therapy looks like
We do not assume that one diagnosis or one therapy model explains everything.
We begin with a careful assessment and shared understanding of what is happening, what may have shaped it, what keeps it going now, and what you would like to change.
Therapy may involve:
identifying the patterns that repeatedly pull you into anxiety, shame, guilt, perfectionism or withdrawal
understanding where those patterns came from
changing beliefs and emotional responses that no longer serve you
working experientially, rather than relying only on intellectual insight
developing new ways of responding to yourself and other people that hold up outside the therapy room
The aim is not simply to help you cope better with the same internal struggle. It is to help create meaningful psychological change.
What change can look like
Over time, that might mean pausing before automatically saying yes. Feeling less responsible for other people's reactions. Having a quieter internal critic. Being able to rest without guilt. Understanding your own needs more clearly. Feeling less driven by fear, shame or old patterns.
And often, it means developing a stronger sense that your life belongs to you.
If you recognise yourself in any of this, you are welcome to contact us.
Connection Psychotherapy offers a free initial consultation to help you decide whether one of our clinicians may be a good fit
Training, qualifications & experience
- BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (meeting the gold-standard for CBT in the UK)
- Specialist training in trauma-focused CBT, schema therapy, EMDR, and compassion-focused approaches
- Over 16 years’ experience working in mental health, including NHS and private practice
- Founder of Connection Psychotherapy Ltd, offering online therapy to adults across the UK and internationally
- Regularly attend supervision and continued professional development (CPD) to ensure my practice is up-to-date and responsive to client needs
Over the years, I’ve helped people struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, grief, stress, and low self-esteem. I bring both professional expertise and a warm, down-to-earth approach, aiming to make therapy a safe and collaborative space for you to work through challenges.
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 BABCP is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the UK. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the practice, theory or development of CBT. BABCP also provides accreditation for CBT therapists. BABCP accredited members adhere to the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics in the Practice of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, and are willing to be scrutinised in this adherence as required.
Accredited register membership
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£100.00 - £130.00
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Gem Thomson Sessions £120
Child and young person therapist £110
CBT Therapist £100
Clinical Psychologist £130
When I work
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Further information
I offer sessions online via secure video call, which means you can access therapy from the comfort of your own home. Evening appointments are sometimes available to help fit around work and family commitments.
My style is collaborative and down-to-earth. I believe therapy works best when you feel safe, understood, and supported to explore both the challenges you’re facing and the changes you’d like to make.
Many people worry about whether they’ll “know what to say” in therapy. Please know you don’t have to prepare anything - we’ll go at your pace, and I’ll guide the process so you feel supported, not pressured.
