Dr Lydia French

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Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Plymouth PL8 & Bristol BS1
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

My work has given me the privilege of working with many hundreds of people, listening to them speak about their life experiences and mental health. I know how difficult and challenging life can be, how overwhelming work, relationships, and family life often are, and how desperate the need to find purpose and meaning in our lives can be.

As a Psychotherapist, my work is to listen carefully to what is said and unsaid while providing a safe, supportive, non-judgemental and highly confidential place to explore thoughts, feelings and emotions. My approach is warm and open but highly professional.

Training, qualifications & experience

Clinical Titles & Accreditations

I am a Clinical Psychotherapist (Oxon, MBACP, UKCP), Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol), Associate Fellow (AFBPsS) of the British Psychological Society (BPS), and MAPS-trained Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapist (IPT) with over two decades of experience in adult mental health. My research has been published in leading mental health journals.​​

Classical Training

My career has allowed me to research and train in various therapeutic modalities. I undertook my principal training at Oxford University in Psychodynamic Practice and have formal training in CBT, Depth Psychology, Jungian Psychology, and other transpersonal approaches. This diverse range of training allows me to tailor my therapeutic approach to effectively meet the individual needs of my clients.​​​

Contemporary Training

Although my clinical training is grounded in traditional therapeutic approaches, I also have a deep interest in more contemporary approaches not always available in the UK particularly plant medicines and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAT) having personally and professionally experienced their profound impact. In 2024 I was invited to formally train with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) under Marcela Ot’alora and Bruce Poulter. MAPS developed the first double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and it was a profound privilege to be one for the first cohorts of international therapists to train in this approach. PAT is currently not legally available in the UK but please speak with me if you would like to know more about how to access this therapeutic approach. 

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.

Accredited register membership

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Fees

£75.00 - £95.00
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session

Additional information

Where I am able I do offer reduced rates.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Further information

If you would like to find out how we might work together, please contact me by telephone or email and we can arrange an initial consultation. Please understand that while I am frequently fully booked, I do have a waiting list and I will always do my best to find you a space as quickly as possible.

Bristol, City of Bristol, BS1

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)