Jamie Leatherbarrow
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I offer a confidential, empathic space for you to process, reflect and express yourself without judgement. I am available to work both online and in person, in King's Cross or Marylebone.
As we move through life, many of us will look for support in making sense of painful feelings, understanding our experience, and discovering ways to move forwards. My approach to therapy is to work with you in your wholeness, providing space and time for you to explore your challenges, hopes and motivations and through doing so build greater self-awareness, self-acceptance, and resilience. I believe that we all have inner resources that are greater than we realise, and that through finding ways to explore pain, ambivalence, discomfort, and conflicts, we can begin to become aware of what was hidden to us. Working with the unconscious in this way means we can then connect to who we truly are and move towards living life in the way we want to, with meaning and fulfilment.
When thinking about what has brought you to therapy, you may be experiencing difficulties in relationships, dynamics with family, friends or challenges in your career. You might be searching for a purpose. You might be dealing with traumatic events, loss, or bereavement.
You could be feeling anxious, stuck, frustrated, or lonely. You may be feeling numb or disconnected from others. Perhaps you can’t name what it is that you’re experiencing but feel that your life is not where you’d like it to be.
Some people come to therapy to gain a greater understanding of their psychological processes, work through a difficult experience, explore the relationship between mind and body or to contemplate issues of identity. Others can’t say exactly why they come to therapy; this is completely natural. There is no ‘right’ way to be a client in therapy, just bring yourself. I will listen and meet you where you are, with acceptance an interest in your whole humanity.
What to Expect in the First Session
In our first session, you will have space to share what has brought you to this meeting point. I will listen with warmth and empathy. Therapy is built on a relationship and emotional attunement, whether this is long term, short term or just a single session my focus will be to understand you and your individual process.
Before arranging a session, I offer an optional call to discuss how we might work together, this is free of charge and can last up to 20 minutes. All of my sessions are available online or in person.
How I Work
Through my experience and training, I have built a therapeutic approach that is open ended and relational. Within this therapeutic relationship, we can work with the impact of past experiences on your current life, your connection to beliefs and values and the process of bringing unconscious experiences into awareness and exploring pathways to a greater understanding of self. Where appropriate I integrate psychotherapeutic theory, psycho-education and tools, but my primary focus is on emotional attunement, listening actively and without judgement or expectation. This means that I am fully present and that our sessions are client led, meaning that I respond to you as an individual rather than imposing a clinical or generic plan. My interventions and responses will be considered, personal to you, supportive and gently challenging.
As well as open ended psychotherapy, I am available to work in short term counselling, supporting you to manage a current situation, support with a change or transition or to provide an empathic listening space as you find a course of action that feels right for you. Short term counselling can also support with grounding and preparing you for taking on new challenges or responding to the immediate impacts of a difficult experience such as a relationship breakdown, change of job or career, or episode of physical or mental illness.
Whether open ended or short term, I work integratively and believe in therapeutic pluralism. This means that I respond to my clients’ individual needs rather than strictly adhering to a single theoretical model. I won’t attempt to direct you, diagnose, or simplify your experience. I work with an awareness of intersectionality, that each of the elements of our identity including cultural background, religious and spiritual beliefs, sexuality, and gender identity shape the way that we experience the world. Your experience is uniquely yours and there is no one size fits all approach to therapy. I am always open to discussing how our work is going for you and responding to what’s working and what’s not.
I am open to working in person, online via Zoom or if you prefer, walk and talk therapy, normally in Regent’s Park or Hampstead Heath. Other locations can be discussed, just ask.
Training, qualifications & experience
My training and background
I completed my initial training at the Awareness Centre in Clapham. I am a fully qualified and registered member of the BACP. I am in regular clinical supervision; this supports my practice and continuing professional development. I have experience of working in a low cost counselling service, within the NHS and in private practice.
Before Training as a therapist, I worked in community mental health care as a support worker, supervisor and service manager. This has given me a grounding in person centred care, an understanding of complex needs and an experience of how living with serious mental illness can be challenging and isolating. I am open to working with all diagnoses and medical history; whatever your experience, I will listen and will work alongside you as you navigate this stage of your life.
Member organisations
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
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
£60.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My usual cost for sessions in person is £60, I do offer concessionary rates for students, people on low income, benefits or unemployment, please get in touch and we can discuss your needs and situation.
I am also open to working online via Zoom or walk and talk therapy, normally in Regent’s Park or Hampstead Heath. Other locations can be discussed, just ask.
When I work
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