Martin Seidel MA;BA Hons; CSAccred.(AAC); MBACP Riverside Counselling

About me

Everybody suffers with life's problems at some time. I hope that my personal website and the information here helps you to choose a way forward. It can be a massive step to acknowledge we need help. My Integrative Relational training allows us to find what best suits your needs. I work from a small garden room that sits on the banks of the river Thames working with individuals, couples, families and groups. I am very happy to talk about what it is you are looking for from a counsellor. I cover the whole of South West London and Surrey

Following many years working in the education system, and having experienced first hand how valuable personal therapy can be, I trained as a psychotherapist in SW London. My course required trainees to be in therapy themselves throughout their 3 year training, and as well as years of personal therapy I also have experience of group therapy. The value of this for clients is the huge range of human pain I have personally experienced. By talking about this I hope to minimise the shame we often feel about our own problems and how we are struggling to manage them.

What I can offer:

I work in a space in my garden alongside the river Thames which is accessed by a well maintained path. It is a beautiful calm setting, it offers a totally relaxed neutral environment in which you can explore whatever issues you might bring to therapy, in complete confidentiality. Parking is easy and disabled access is possible, on foot or by bike plus a mobility scooter is available if needed.

My wish is to help you make sense of whatever has brought you here, you might feel it as pain, loss, or wonder who you are in yourself. There could be links between your current issues and difficulties you have experienced previously, making these connections can often lead to greater acceptance of living in the now, and how this understanding can influence your way of being in the future. Whatever you are feeling, depression, trauma or loss, any of these can make it feel as though life is too hard, that we are stuck, or even that there is little point living.

My training was in Integrative Relational Therapy and Counselling, which offers you a range of therapeutic models. I also work with couples, both maintaining the current relationship and improvements for the future, or maybe to facilitate understanding and acceptance of one another during breakups.

How I Work:


I hope for complete openness and honesty between us. I will bring everything I can into the room to support you. I use psychoeducation, where possible, which lets you develop an understanding that can often facilitate an emotional shift. I will be as flexible as I can to support you, working more than once a week, weekly, fortnightly or monthly, whatever works for you, your budget and your lifestyle.   I have a strong spiritual leaning which can be of special interest to many of my clients. Ultimately I want you to experience change which will relieve your symptoms and also give you tools and techniques to improve your life on an ongoing basis.

How long do people come for?

This is entirely up to individual clients. Some people come in crisis and only require a few sessions, others come with long term deep seated issues, such as childhood sexual abuse, which can be a lengthy reparative process. I have worked in a number of different settings.  I previously worked for the NHS under the services of the Maudsley Hospital which offered counselling for a 12 week period. I have also worked for a counselling service in Horsham under the YMCA. I recently completed voluntary service in a counselling centre in Littlehampton offering counselling to those on a low income.   Both of these services offered counselling for up to three years.  What I have found most important to all my clients is that there is enough time and that you are in control of how long you wish to come.

Ideally we will work until you feel you have resolved the issues which brought you to me, and also you should feel more sure of who you are, with a stronger and more confident voice for yourself in the world.

Contact me to talk either in person or on the phone, also feel free to look at my website. My fees vary so people on low incomes and students can still seek counseling. Session times are varied with some evening times available.