Lesley Berongoy, MSc, PGDip, MBACP Accred

Hello, my name is Lesley and I am a counsellor working in private practice in Central London, West End.  I also have a small practice in Central London.

*** Due to the coronavirus outbreak I am offering additional sessions remotely either by Skype or Zoom.  I am happy to do single one-off sessions as well as short term to get through this uncertain time ***

I am a warm and accepting professional counsellor. My work has a strong relational focus and I provide a safe and non-judgemental space where healing can happen. I believe that counselling can bring a renewed sense of hope to people's lives, releasing pain and encouraging personal growth and well-being. My clients have shown me that when they feel safe enough to challenge what is difficult within themselves, they experience a sense of empowerment as they begin to make changes in their lives and gain confidence and trust in themselves. I believe we all have our own inner wisdom and I am committed to helping those I work with find theirs.

The areas I work with include stress and anxiety, relationship issues, self-worth and self-esteem, trauma, bereavement and loss, bullying, childhood issues, codependency, depression, issues with identity and belonging, body image, obsession, over-eating and other issues with food, work-related stress, alcoholism and recovery from addiction. In addition to my private practice I also work with both individuals and groups at The Priory hospital. In terms of my work with recovery from addiction I am familiar and comfortable with the 12 step approach.

Testamonials include:

"I have begun to gain back my lost confidence and start trusting in my own abilities. The self discovery is helping me to recognize and find myself again after being through a very hard time. I was stuck within myself, now I feel a sense of relief and freedom"

".. you did not sit in judgement and, for your open demeanour, I managed to talk about what I had not been able to say to many other therapists, doctors and even psychiatrists"

"I have tremendous respect for your style in group"

So why counselling?

Sometimes blocks, such as difficult memories and feelings, and patterns of behaviour which no longer serve us, get in the way of healthy living, and can cause anxiety, stress, pain and unhappiness. This is the point at which people often seek therapy. I will work with you to raise your awareness of your own
patterns, your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, exploring whether these are serving you in your life.

My approach to therapy is underpinned by humanistic values. I integrate different theoretical schools into my work because I believe we are all unique - one size simply does not fit all. These include person-centred and humanistic counselling, cognitive approaches, mindfulness based techniques, existential therapy, motivational interviewing, sound and voice work, gestalt therapy and group therapy

Ultimately, I believe that “therapy should not be theory driven, but relationship driven” (Yalom). I will work with you to explore your experiences, to understand you more fully and find out what works best for you.

Lesley Berongoy (MSc, MBACP, MFDAP)