Lori Thackham

Welcome - I am an experienced therapist offering counselling to adults and young people for anxiety, depression and trauma.  I offer a creative approach to help you understand yourself more deeply; work through traumatic life experiences, identify your needs and how to get them met in ways that support a greater sense of wellbeing.  I work flexibly and aim to tailor sessions to your specific focus to help you to explore  and reflect on whatever is on your mind or causing concern, be that anxiety of any kind or feeling depressed and stuck with life, and/or to work through difficult life experiences.

How you feel matters, so deciding whether counselling therapy will help is a big step. Sometimes life events or situations feel overwhelming, and it can be a struggle to know what to do. This can leave you feeling isolated, anxious and/or depressed, unsure of how to move forward.

What is counselling?

Counselling is a talking therapy that can help you work through difficult life events, make sense of feelings, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself. It can help you to move forward and make decisions and choices about your life.

How I can help

I work creatively with clients in a way that suits and feels right for them. My approach to counselling is to build a trusting and honest therapeutic relationship in a space that feels safe and then to work creatively and holistically to enable you to explore how you are feeling and help you to find meaning in what you are experiencing. I often draw on Internal Family Systems  (IFS) theory to help identify and work with parts of self.  People often talk about a 'part' of themselves feeling a certain way - if appropriate, I may suggest using the idea of parts of self to explore how you are feeling, which can help to make sense of internal conflict and process deeper feelings that may be hidden.  

I believe when you feel a deeper sense of integration and understanding between your thoughts, feelings, body, and environment, you can experience a greater sense of well-being.

I am able to support clients who are seeking help with:

• anxiety of any kind
• panic attacks
• depression and feeling stuck
• trauma
• unresolved feelings
• phobias
• family issues
• relationship breakdown
• post natal depression
• low self esteem
• low self confidence
• loss and bereavement
• dissociation
• self injury
• difficult life events
• emotional difficulties

I work creatively and use an integrative model which aims to help you make connections between thoughts, feelings, emotions and existential meaning.  The theories I draw on are:  Person-Centred, Gestalt, CBT, Transactional Analysis, Internal Family Systems, Inner Child and Transpersonal.  These theories enable you to explore, reflect and gain a deeper understanding of yourself as a whole. This holistic and flexible approach can help you make sense of what you are experiencing and move forward in your life.

How many sessions will I need?

Initially I offer a free telephone consultation (approximately 30 minutes); this gives us the opportunity to discuss how counselling could work for you and for you to ask any questions. If we decide to go ahead with counselling sessions, we will discuss the number you may require, the frequency and a mutually agreeable day and time.

Face to face counselling sessions take place in my therapy room based in Tavistock.  For online counselling, I use the Zoom platform.

Counselling sessions usually take place weekly and last for 60 minutes. They cost £50 per session.  I offer a free 30 minute telephone/online consultation.

Insurance and data protection

I am registered with the ICO for Data Protection and GDPR, and I have a privacy policy which explains how I use and store information. This is discussed and agreed at the first session. I am also insured, trained in safeguarding, and hold a current Enhanced DBS.