Lisa Ferrara

Hello and welcome. It takes courage to reach out for support. 

Perhaps you have found yourself caught in patterns that feel difficult to understand or change. Maybe your relationships feel complicated, you are struggling with how you see yourself, or experiences from the past continue to shape how you feel and relate to others.

I work with people experiencing a range of personal and relational difficulties, including anxiety, stress, self-esteem, relationship difficulties and the lasting effects of childhood experiences and trauma.  You may find yourself repeating patterns without quite understanding why, struggle to trust or depend on others, or feel stuck in ways of relating that no longer feel helpful. I also support people navigating the profound and often complex transitions of conception, pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

I have a particular interest in the emotional complexities that can accompany fertility difficulties, pregnancy, termination, pregnancy loss, traumatic birth and other experiences around conception, pregnancy and birth. These experiences can bring powerful and sometimes unexpected feelings of grief, anxiety, shame, guilt, sadness or uncertainty. It can be difficult to find somewhere to talk openly about these experiences, particularly when they feel complicated or hard to put into words.

Becoming a parent can also be an extraordinary and deeply meaningful experience, while bringing unexpected challenges. Becoming a parent can sometimes bring aspects of our own childhood to the surface in ways we weren't prepared for. You may find yourself questioning who you are, struggling with your sense of identity, or experiencing emotions that feel difficult to understand.

Our earliest experiences and relationships can shape how we understand ourselves and the world around us. They can influence how safe we feel with others, how we experience closeness and intimacy, and what we expect from relationships. Therapy can offer an opportunity to explore these experiences with curiosity and compassion, without blame or judgement.

Perhaps you find it difficult to trust or depend on others. You may become anxious when someone feels distant, withdraw when relationships become difficult, struggle to express what you need, or find yourself repeating patterns without quite understanding why. You may feel stuck in ways of relating that no longer feel helpful, or have a particularly critical or punishing inner voice.

Whatever brings you to therapy, I offer a warm, thoughtful, confidential and compassionate space where you can feel heard without judgement. Together, we can gently begin to make sense of difficult experiences, explore where patterns may have come from, and consider how they may be affecting your relationship with yourself and with others.

How I work
I am an embodied relational integrative therapist. For me, relational means believing in the collaborative power of relationships. I see therapy as something we create together, where the relationship between us can become an important space to explore, understand and experience yourself in new ways.

Integrative means that I have trained in Humanistic, Attachment, Contemporary and Classical Psychoanalytic modalities. I also draw on neuroscience, psychobiological research and our understanding of the body. I pay attention to somatic experiences because, alongside our minds and brains, our bodies can hold and communicate powerful messages, sometimes before we have words for what we are experiencing. We are embodied creatures. 

I also work from a trauma-informed perspective. Bringing these different approaches together allows me to tailor our work to your individual needs. I don't believe that one approach or one way of working fits everyone.

I encourage you to bring your whole self to therapy, including your emotions, uncertainty, vulnerability and the responses that arise within the therapeutic relationship. These are real and authentic, and can become an important part of the work. You can bring these experiences knowing that I will be present with you and that you don't have to navigate them alone.

Therapy can offer an opportunity to slow things down, become curious, and develop a deeper understanding of yourself. It can be a space to explore what you have been through, make sense of what you are experiencing now, and begin to discover new ways of relating to yourself and to others.

All of you is welcome here.

Initial discussion

If you would like to know more or have any questions I am happy to have a short initial phone call. There is no charge for this. This gives us an opportunity to discuss your needs and better understand the position you are in and how I can help.

I have specialist experience with pregnancy, birth trauma, still birth, infertility, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and pre/post natal anxiety and depression.

If you would like to know more or have any questions, please feel free to get in touch. I am happy to offer a 20 minute initial phone call at no charge. This gives us an opportunity to talk about what is bringing you to therapy, your current needs and concerns, and how I may be able to help.

If you decide to arrange an initial session, there is no obligation to continue afterwards. I recognise that finding a therapist who feels right for you is important. Therapy is a relationship, and it is fundamental that you feel comfortable enough to work together. 

I currently offer therapy online, or face-to-face in Bath and East London.

The initial consultation session is £80. If we decide to work together, ongoing therapy is from £80 per session. A therapeutic hour is 50 minutes.