About me
Hello, I’m Lis, a UKCP-registered integrative psychotherapist with over ten years' experience, specialising in developmental, relational and attachment trauma.
I believe that our early relationships and experiences profoundly shape how we see ourselves and interact with the world around us.
In adulthood, this can look like:
- People pleasing, fawning, performing or perfectionism.
- Low self-esteem or self-worth, feelings of inadequacy, a harsh inner critic, or toxic shame.
- Self-abandonment, lack of identity, difficulty identifying own thoughts and feelings, or disconnection from the body.
- High anxiety, chronic or intense low mood/depression, difficulties with anger, or trouble regulating emotions.
- Challenges in forming healthy relationships, co-dependency, poor boundaries, trust issues, tendency to over-analyse, loneliness, or anxious, avoidant or disorganised attachment styles.
- Addiction, and unhealthy or destructive self-soothing behaviours.
- A dysregulated nervous system (stuck in fight/flight/freeze/fawn responses), always being on high alert or scanning the room, and being highly sensitive to subtle changes in others’ behaviour or mood.
As you can see, many of the difficulties we can experience in adulthood, particularly those related to how we see ourselves and how we relate to others, may have roots in our early experiences.
“But I had a normal childhood. Nothing bad happened.”
Many of my clients recall a relatively happy childhood and believe that nothing significant occurred in their past. However, a deeper exploration of their early relationships often reveals clues connected to their present-day difficulties.
The quality of our early relationships with our primary attachment figures - usually our parent(s) - plays a crucial role in our development. Central to this is our caregivers’ ability to be emotionally available, recognising and responding to our needs in a sensitive and attuned manner. This is how we learn who we are and how to be in relationship with others. Essentially, these early primary relationships contribute to the development of our core beliefs about ourselves, others and the world.
As a child, did you feel seen, accepted, and loved unconditionally? Or did you learn that you needed to perform, be useful, or be “perfect” to gain approval? Were you supported in regulating your emotions when you felt overwhelmed, or were you told to “behave”, to “stop crying”, left to manage your feeings by yourself, or taught that anger is “bad”?
If you’ve experienced any type of abuse or neglect, inconsistent caregiving, or other less-than-ideal early attachment experiences, I’m here to help you process and integrate these experiences and rebuild trust in yourself and others. I work holistically and relationally, using a trauma-informed approach to facilitate healing and recovery.
Together we will work on:
- Understanding what happened to you, and processing and integrating your past experiences.
- Developing your self-compassion.
- Helping you reconnect with yourself and your physical body (becoming more embodied).
- Exploring your relationship(s) and becoming aware of any unhealthy patterns or behaviours.
- Empowering you to live more fully and authentically.
I know that taking that first step in reaching out for professional help can feel very daunting, and that opening up to a stranger is not an easy thing to do. So I'd like to reassure you that we can work at a pace that feels comfortable to you; one step at a time.
Feel free to take a look at my website, or you can use the buttons on this page to get in touch with me by sending me an email, leaving me a voicemail message, or sending me a text message or WhatsApp message.
I look forward to hearing from you, and exploring how we can work together to help you live the life you want.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications:
- MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy (2019)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy (2015)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Integrative Psychotherapy (2014)
- Graduate Certificate in Integrative Psychotherapy (2013)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education (2008)
- Certificate in Counselling Skills (2005)
- BSc Psychology (2004)
I have been working as a psychotherapist and counsellor since 2013, setting up my private practice Horizon Counselling & Psychotherapy in 2017.
Prior to this I worked as a volunteer counsellor at the Parenting Project as well as for Age UK.
Before commencing my psychotherapy training I worked as a domestic violence support worker for Victim Support, and as a primary school teacher.
I am qualified to work with adults aged 18 or over to support them through whatever difficulties they are experiencing. From time to time I may receive an enquiry where I feel someone with a particular specialism would be better placed to support that person. If this is the case, I will do my best to help you to find that person, or to point you in the right direction.
Finally, I wanted to add that I view every client that I work with as an individual, rather than a set of symptoms or a label. I always aim to listen to your unique story and to understand your experiences and needs.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
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 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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I charge £65 per 50 minute session.
You're very welcome to book a free 15-minute telephone or Teams call if you'd like the opportunity to speak with me before booking an appointment.
When I work
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Further information
You can find out a bit more about me and what I do by visiting my website. Please do get in touch if you have any questions or would like any further details. I'm happy to talk on the phone, or answer any questions via email, without obligation for you to make any further commitments.
