Leezah Hertzmann
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am both an individual and couple psychoanalytic psychotherapist practicing for over twenty five years. I have also undertaken training in family therapy. I work with young adults to older people in later life.
I offer consultations (assessment), and short and long term therapeutic work. This may be once weekly or less frequently. Where indicated, I work with people more intensively than weekly sessions, over some months or sometimes years. The understanding of the difficulties, and choice of therapeutic approach are discussed beforehand with each person or couple, and reviewed periodically together.
The way I work as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist is to try to help people to become less troubled and burdened by their difficulties, and feel better equipped to deal with the ups and downs that inevitably occur in life. The therapy involves examining how past experiences might shape and influence our thinking, both in relation to how we think about ourselves and also in regard to our present relationships with others –both at home and at work. However, a key part of the therapy involves dealing with matters in the here and now which may be causing distress. It is not only about looking at the past, but simultaneously considering how to shape the present and ultimately the future in more constructive ways.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Individual and couple psychoanalytic psychotherapist registered with UKCP. I am a member of Tavistock Relationships, and the Federation for Independent Psychotherapists.
- Couple psychoanalytic psychotherapist trained at the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships, registered with the British Psychoanalytic Council.
- Accredited practitioner of Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT) registered with the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC MBT Accredited Practitioners)
- Author of many peer reviewed papers, book chapters, reviews, including recently published book
- Psychoanalysis and Homosexuality: A Contemporary Introduction. London: Routledge. L. Hertzmann and J. Newbigin (2023)
- Sexuality and Gender Now: Looking beyond heteronormativity. London: Routledge. L. Hertzmann and J. Newbigin (2019)
Awards
2019: British Psychoanalytic Council – Bernard Ratigan Award for Diversity in Psychoanalysis
2015: British Psychoanalytic Council – Award for Innovation in Psychoanalysis
Examples of recent positions and experience:
Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust: Principal Couple and Individual Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (2017 -
Senior individual and couple psychoanalytic psychotherapist, Head of Parenting Together Programmes
Tavistock Relationships, London (2007 - 2016 )
Member organisations
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 British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) is a professional association, representing the profession of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
The organisation is itself made up of fourteen member organisations and BPC accredits the trainings of its member organisations. An individual who qualifies from one of these trainings is then eligible for entry into the BPC's register.
BPC registrants are governed by a code of ethics, a policy of continuing professional development, a statement on confidentiality and a complaints procedure. The BPC is a Member Society of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (EFPP). Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I have a particular interest and experience of working in the following areas:
- Issues of sexuality and gender including sexual orientation, gender identity, coming out issues
- Older couples in later life
- Difficulties with relationship both for individuals and couples
Therapies offered
Fees
£110.00 - £200.00
Additional information
Individual £110-150 per session
Couples £160-200 per session
Further information
Considering therapy
Initially, it is a good idea to meet two or three times to get a sense of the issues which have brought you to consider therapy. It also gives you a chance to find out about therapy and see whether it seems like this might be the right way forward. Once we have met a couple of times, and have begun to understand the nature of your difficulties, then together we can discuss both the choice of therapeutic approach and also the frequency of the therapy. If it looks like I may not be the right person to help you, then we can see whether a referral on to someone else or another service might be indicated, so that you can access the best kind of help for your situation.
For Specific Problems
For help with problematic relationships which can become stormy, including post separation co-parenting difficulties, or problems of depression, anxiety and work related stress, I offer short-term therapy using a Mentalization based approach .
I welcome enquiries, and you can make an appointment to meet with me if you would like to know more about therapy. It may be that you wish to find out more but may not want or be ready to make a further commitment beyond an initial consultation.
