Judith Zur

ABOUT ME:

I am a warm, caring and professional person with 35 years of experience working successfully with adults and young people, individuals, couples and families with parenting problems, as well as a wide range of other issues.  I am a Clinical Psychologist and Marital/Family Therapist trained in a range of therapeutic techniques and ideas; this enables me to consider a person's difficulties from a number of perspectives and to offer therapy based on a person's needs, preferences and on current research evidence. I have worked within the NHS, and NGOs in the UK and abroad and privately both in my consultation room and online. I am also a Social Anthropologist and a specialist in trauma, cultural issues and social dynamics. I am registered and work according to the professional ethics of the BPS, UKCP, HCPC & AFT).

MY PRACTICE:

Please note I am suspending face to face sessions in my consultation room once lockdown due to covid 19 has been lifted so as to keep everyone safe. I am offering online sessions in the meantime.

My practice offers you a safe, non-judgmental climate to discuss and explore your issues. Many of us suffer from varying degrees of distress and trauma and challenging relationships at some point in our lives and making the decision to seek help can be difficult. I therefore endeavour to try to put people at their ease and help them to see that deciding to seek professional help is a strength and an opportunity and that many times your reactions are very understandable given the past and present context. Whatever you bring to counselling (as individuals/couples and family members) will be received with total acceptance and my own genuine desire to work together with you to create the changes you require. I take a compassionate and non blaming stance which is essential for positive change. I help you to achieve equilibrium when overwhelmed as well as a sense of agency and dignity.

My therapeutic approaches include working in the present here and now and bringing in the past as relevant context to achieve understanding and change. My style and the tools I use are adapted to every individual and couple depending upon their wishes and therapeutic needs. Because I have extensive training and experience I can draw on elements of a wide range of research-based approaches to create the best therapy program for each individual/couple/family rather than being limited to any one particular method of therapy.

PROCESS OF WORKING:
My work begins with you (if you come as an individual or each of you, if you come as a couple/family), it is a two way process where you clarify the issues you would like to address and what the best outcome of our work together would look like for you and I begin to understand what is troubling you. During the first session you can also get a sense of me and decide whether working together with me we can make the changes you long for. It is up to you to decide whether you wish to continue after the initial session. If you decide to continue we will work together helping you find new ways of moving in the direction that you want to go. I work eclectically meaning I will fit the ways I work to you and the issues you present in a collaborative effort between you and me.  With couples (and other relationships) I help you relate to one another helping you to listen to each other so that you feel heard, validated and to communicate in a way that increases connection, diminishes conflict and strengthens your bonds. I help families understand most problems of their children and adolescents in the context of the family, generational patterns including culture; I help parents understand challenging behaviours of their children and to acquire more effective communication and  parenting styles. Change with couple and families will happen in the present during sessions creating corrective emotional experiences of connection which is an antidote to negative patterns. I often set tasks between sessions so that the process of therapy is a continuous one.

LANGUAGES AND MODES OF DELIVERY:
I offer therapy and counselling in English or Spanish for individuals and couples of all ages and of all cultures and gender orientations.

I also offer therapy online, by video, phone & Email. This is not a type of therapy but a way of delivering it which is especially accessible if you are very busy, travel a lot or for one reason or another find it hard to leave your house/office. I have worked online for many years with individuals and couples and have found this mode of delivery to be equally effective as face to face despite the loss of physical proximity.  If you have not tried this mode before I suggest you try one session and see if it is to your liking. That way you can also see if you feel comfortable with my style and what I have to offer you. You are not obliged to continue, the decision to do so is always yours.

FEEDBACK EXAMPLES:
Below is some anonymous feedback from clients which you might find helpful:

1. "Insightful, compassionate, and creative, Judith Zur is a wonderful therapist. I worked with her for about a year and a half, and she helped me more than any other therapist I've seen in my life.  I did both individual sessions with her, focusing on childhood and family trauma, and couples sessions with my partner.  These are areas in which I think Judith is especially skilled.
We focused at first on my family and childhood issues, and she helped me to understand my past experiences in a new way that helps me to release the blame, guilt and shame that were plaguing me. We examined how those issues affected me in my present day, and how I could change my patterns and responses to triggers. This has helped me immensely. Before, I went through life with so many toxic emotions surrounding self-esteem and not feeling loved.   Judith helped me to see the old beliefs and how they played out in my life better than any book I've read, any workshop I've attended, or any other therapist.
The couples sessions saved my relationship with my partner. Neither of us had experienced healthy home lives and had no model to emulate. She helped us so much communicate more effectively. I feel so very happy and grateful to be in a healthy relationship, and a large part of that is the therapy we went to.
Overall, I highly recommend Judith as a therapist. She is truly a gifted healer."

2. "Dr. Zur is just wonderful. When I was in my darkest times she helped pull me out. She was very patient and understanding. She gave me wonderful advice to help resolve my current situations. I felt that she truly cared about my well being. You can tell she is very well educated with lots of experience and was willing to try different techniques that would personally work for me. I would definitely recommend her!!"

3. "Thanks to Dr. Zur, I am a firm believer in the power of counseling, even if there aren't any immediate issues requiring resolution. Dr. Zur challenged us to continually improve our communication skills, and create goals - both personal and as a couple."

4. "Dr. Zur was extremely caring during our conversation. She genuinely wanted to help and was very resourceful. Thank you for being on top of my needs and for your professionalism. I highly recommend you."

5. "Simply stated, counseling with Dr. Zur is very good. She brings knowledge and experience to the table, and inspires those around her to become better partners and people themselves. My wife and I are very grateful to have worked with Dr. Zur and continue to this day to implement the many concepts which she empowered us with."

5. "We are a cross cultural couple and came to Dr. Zur with issues of anger, frustration and lack of communication that escalated to physical and verbal abuse. through therapy with Dr. Zur we learned to understand each other better, be empathic and acquired tools to communicate and deal with conflict better. We felt very comfortable with her style and neutrality. Before our first session, I was very skeptical of going to yet another therapist. But I meet her, I saw warmth, like a spark in her face, that and your smile helped me to connect and open up. We have recommended Dr. Zur many times as she helped us so much. Our children are happier too because there is a different energy in our home.
We are very thankful that when we had issues that we considered urgent, she took the time to listen to us and usually it was not the clock regulating the length (or number) of our sessions but more a human component."

6. "Judith Zur has been a great support to me during a time when I was dealing with depression and addiction—issues that went way back, with roots in my childhood, but she was the first to connect my past with my present and now my future.  Judith has given me the tools to handle my problems in a less destructive way: to face what’s hard in life with self-knowledge and kindness to myself, and understanding.  I loved our sessions—I felt like I could say anything to her and her feedback was always informative and helpful.  Also, I know she’s a resource that I can rely on in the future, even though I’m now feeling very well and more confident and optimistic than I have felt for some time".

7. "I am a seasoned psychologist who has also been a client during crucial times in my life. I was so very fortunate to find Dr. Judith Zur two years ago. She is a highly trained and skilled psychologist as well as a warm and compassionate person. The work we have done together since that time has helped me make important, life changing decisions. Being able to use telehealth helped me manage my time the best and was a real godsend when I was hospitalized for a month. She always found a way to get me into her schedule despite time differences, etc. I whole heartedly recommend Dr. Judith Zur to become your therapist. "

8. "I went to Judith nervous that therapy would release strong emotions that I was convinced I was controlling successfully, even though I was regularly close to tears. From the first meeting those emotions did surface, powerfully, but Judith offered calm, empathy and insight, recognised and pointed out destructive patterns of thought and behaviour from the situations I described, and helped me to understand what I was feeling and why. Experiences that have troubled me for years now have their place, and I have more confidence and self-respect. Judith was always completely professional, providing a safe environment and an atmosphere of warmth and trust."
 

I work eclectically given the years I have worked as a therapist. I have many tools in my toolkit so I do not work using one  exclusive method but tailor therapy to the needs and wishes of the clients. I also work using Emotionally Focused therapy and Coherence therapy not listed below and Emotion Focused therapy for individuals and couples as well as Gottman approach for couples.

My fees vary according to whether I meet you as an individual, couple or family and somewhat according to financial restrictions.  Concessionary prices that are available for students, trainee therapists and lower-income earners/unemployed. We can discuss this before meeting for the first time. Please let me know if you need reduced fees due to covid 19 or other circumstance.

I am registered with BUPA, AXA, AVIVA & Vitality Health should you want to pay for sessions through insurance.  I am also open to registering with other insurances if you need me to be.

Payments are made at the end of each session either by cash or or by BACs transfer.

At least 48 hours cancellation notice is required, if less, the full fee will be payable.

Attending an initial meeting does not commit you to ongoing therapy. Many people are unsure about starting therapy, and an initial meeting can help with making that decision. It will be your choice whether to book another appointment, or to take some time to consider whether I am the right therapist for you.

If you would like to call me or write to me with any questions or concerns you might have before deciding to arrange a session please do so writing to me on 07733694733 or zurtherapy@gmail.com. I will try and come back to you within 24 hours.

I have DBS clearing regarding work with children.