Kim Rutherford

Helping You Navigate the Psychological Challenges of Modern Life
Something happens in life. It affects us psychologically. That psychological impact can influence how we think, feel, function and respond to what happens next.

Sometimes there is one obvious reason things have become difficult: pressure at work, a career change, redundancy, relationship difficulties, menopause, bereavement, running a business, becoming overwhelmed or navigating a significant change in life.

At other times, there is no single event. It is the cumulative impact of responsibilities, demands and pressures building across different areas of life.

You may still be working, looking after other people, making decisions and getting things done. From the outside, you may even appear to be coping well. But underneath, keeping everything going can begin to require considerably more effort than it once did.

You might be experiencing anxiety, health anxiety, stress, overwhelm, low mood or depression, overthinking, reduced confidence, low self-esteem, exhaustion, perfectionism, difficulty making decisions or simply a growing feeling that life has become harder to manage.

I’m Kim Rutherford, an NCPS accredited psychotherapist, therapeutic coach, author and creator of the 8Wise® Method.

I offer practical, psychologically informed support to adults who want to understand what is happening, why it is affecting them and what they can realistically do to move forward.

Who I Work With
I work with adults from a wide range of backgrounds, with particular experience supporting:

Professionals, leaders and business owners dealing with responsibility, demanding workloads, work stress or work-related stress, career pressures, career change, difficult decisions, perfectionism, burnout or the challenges of leading and managing others. I also support people who are considering significant career changes, redundancy or who are looking for psychologically informed career counselling alongside therapeutic support.

Neurodivergent adults, including people with adult ADHD, autism or AuDHD, whether formally diagnosed, awaiting assessment or exploring neurodivergence for themselves. This can include overwhelm, executive-function difficulties, procrastination, emotional regulation, competing demands and the additional effort everyday life and work can sometimes require.

People navigating life transitions and significant change, including career changes, redundancy, relationship problems, separation or divorce, family issues, menopause and midlife, retirement, relocation, bereavement, changing roles or simply reaching a point where the way you have been managing life no longer seems to be working.

You do not need to have a diagnosis, be in crisis or even know exactly what the problem is before getting in touch.

How I Work
My approach is practical, straight-talking and collaborative.

Therapy gives us space to understand what has happened, how it has affected you and the patterns, experiences or beliefs that may be contributing to what you are experiencing now.

But I don't believe therapy always needs to stop at understanding.

Where appropriate, I may also introduce practical tools, reflection or actions between sessions so that what we explore together can translate into meaningful changes in everyday life.

I work integratively rather than expecting every person to fit one particular therapeutic model. My work is informed by psychological theory and evidence, alongside more than 20 years of professional experience in people development, senior management, organisational development, leadership and learning.

This means I understand both the psychological impact of pressure and change and many of the practical realities of careers, organisations, leadership, responsibility and modern working life.

The 8Wise® Method
I am the creator of the 8Wise® Method, a psychology-led framework for understanding and managing the different areas of life that can affect our psychological health and quality of life.

Where useful, we can use the 8Wise® framework to take a wider look at what is happening across your life rather than focusing solely on one symptom or difficulty.

It considers eight interconnected areas: Emotional, Physical, Spiritual, Intellectual, Environmental, Social, Occupational and Financial.

This can help us identify where pressure is coming from, understand how different areas of your life are affecting one another and decide where practical change could make the greatest difference.

You do not, however, have to work through the 8Wise® Method to work with me. The approach we take will depend on you, what is happening and what you need from our sessions.

Working With Me
I offer counselling and psychotherapy alongside therapeutic coaching, depending on the kind of support you need.

Counselling and psychotherapy may be appropriate when you want to explore emotional difficulties, experiences, relationships, patterns or psychological distress in greater depth.

Therapeutic coaching is often useful when you are generally functioning but dealing with pressure, change, difficult decisions, feeling stuck or wanting a more structured and action-focused approach.

You don't need to decide which one you need before contacting me. We can talk about that together.

I work with adults face-to-face in Axminster and Exeter, and online across the UK.

My Axminster practice is accessible to clients across East Devon, West Dorset and South Somerset, including Lyme Regis, Seaton, Honiton, Chard, Bridport and surrounding areas.

I also offer selected appointments and longer 1:1 Strategy Days in London by arrangement.

Ultimately, my work is about helping you understand what is happening, reduce the psychological impact it is having on your life and develop practical ways to navigate what happens next.

Areas I can help with
I work with people experiencing:

• Mental overload and difficulty keeping on top of everyday life
• Stress, anxiety, and ongoing pressure
• Burnout and emotional exhaustion
• Procrastination, avoidance, and difficulty following through
• Decision fatigue and overthinking
• Negative thinking patterns and feeling stuck in your head
• Low mood and loss of direction
• Challenges linked to ADHD and neurodivergence
• Work-related pressure, responsibility, and expectations
• Life transitions, change, and periods of uncertainty

Private 1:1 Support

Counselling & Psychotherapy — £70 per 60-minute session

For adults looking for psychological support with anxiety, stress, overwhelm, low mood, work-related difficulties, relationships, life transitions and other emotional or psychological challenges.

Counselling and psychotherapy appointments are normally offered weekly or fortnightly.

Therapeutic Coaching — £125 per 60-minute session

For adults who are generally functioning but want practical, psychologically informed support with pressure, change, decision-making, work or career challenges, confidence, feeling stuck or navigating a significant life transition.

A six-session Therapeutic Coaching block is also available for £675, paid in advance and used within six months.

Structured 8Wise® 1:1 Support

I also offer more structured 1:1 options using the 8Wise® Method, including:

8Wise® Discovery 1:1 — £1,200
8Wise® Life Strategy Day — £1,500
8Wise® Business & Leadership Strategy Day — £1,500
Strategy Days are available in selected locations, including London by arrangement.

Locations
Face-to-face appointments are available in Axminster and Exeter, with online appointments available across the UK.

My Axminster practice is accessible to clients across East Devon, West Dorset and South Somerset, including Lyme Regis, Seaton, Honiton, Bridport, Chard and surrounding areas.

Selected London appointments and Strategy Days are available by arrangement.

Private Health Insurance
I am registered with selected private health insurers.

Insurance-funded sessions are provided as counselling or psychotherapy and are subject to the insurer's authorised fees, session limits and requirements. Please let me know when enquiring if you intend to use private health insurance.

Discovery Call
I offer a free 20-minute Discovery Call via Zoom to help you decide whether my approach is right for you and to discuss the most appropriate type of support.

I offer face-to-face appointments in Axminster and Exeter, alongside online sessions across the UK. Selected London appointments and 1:1 Strategy Days are also available by arrangement.

My approach is practical, straight-talking and collaborative. I provide space to explore and understand what is happening psychologically, while also helping you consider what may be within your control and what you can realistically do differently. Where appropriate, I may suggest tools, reflection or practical work between sessions so that what we discuss can be applied in everyday life.

I work with adults experiencing a range of difficulties, including anxiety, stress, overwhelm, low mood, burnout, work-related pressure, confidence and self-esteem difficulties, perfectionism, relationship difficulties and significant life transitions. I also work extensively with neurodivergent adults, including people with ADHD, autism or AuDHD. You do not need a formal diagnosis to work with me.

Counselling and psychotherapy sessions are offered weekly or fortnightly. I ask new therapy clients to make an initial commitment of three sessions, giving us enough opportunity to begin understanding what is happening, establish how we work together and consider what support may be most helpful. We can then review and agree how you would like to continue.

Some people come to therapy for focused support around a particular difficulty, while others choose to work longer term with more complex or longstanding issues. There is no expectation that everyone will follow the same path.

Your first session gives us time to explore what has brought you to therapy, what you would like help with and what is currently happening in your life. It is also an opportunity for you to experience how I work and for us both to consider whether working together feels appropriate.

Daytime appointments are available, with a limited number of evening sessions subject to availability.