Dr Natalie Raiher Chartered Psychologist CPsychol AFBPsS West Hampstead NW6
About me
As a Chartered Psychologist, I have extensive experience in providing expert psychological therapy to people who seek relief from anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties and other problems with living.
Support for anyone struggling during Covid-19 social distancing now available:
In addition to my regular offering of psychological support, I am now also doing skills-based Skype sessions for anyone who needs practical help with managing symptoms of anxiety, panic or low mood at this unsettling time.
Please email contact@thepracticeat322.co.uk for more details or to schedule an appointment.
How I work
I work with a wide range of difficulties including anxiety and depression, stress and burnout, self-esteem and relationship problems, eating disorders and trauma. I am a specialist in working with anxiety and other emotional states that are difficult to understand and calm.
I support people both to understand uncomfortable emotions, thoughts and behaviours, and also with practical tools to make these more bearable. Tools and skills can help people to feel more stable in a crisis and to have more confidence in managing overwhelming emotions and distressing thoughts.
Greater understanding and insight helps us to have more choice over how we interact with others and how we deal with difficult situations: it helps us to let go of beliefs and habits that may no longer be serving us and find new, healthier and more flexible ways to live our lives. Research shows that the combination of insight and new skills creates the greatest potential for meaningful change.
I do not believe in a one size fits all approach, and so I integrate a variety of approaches to tailor each course of therapy to the specific needs of each client. Some of the approaches I use include CBT, DBT, psychodynamic psychotherapy and mindfulness.
For some people, their goals are explicit and might be met in a short-term therapy. Other people prefer to come for longer especially when difficulties are longstanding and hard to make sense of at first. I therefore provide both short and long-term therapy. Quite often people are unsure of whether psychological therapy is for them. If this is the case, an initial consultation can be useful in clarifying how I might be able to help. There is no obligation to commit to a course of therapy.
What I can help with
Psychological therapy encompasses a broad range of approaches and tools and as such, can help with many different problems. I have extensive experience in working with:
- Anxiety, panic and phobias
- Stress and burnout
- Low self-confidence
- Depression and unhappiness
- Intrusive, repetitive thoughts and OCD
- Relationship difficulties
- Self-harm
- Personality disorders
- Eating problems and disorders
- Change, adjustment and loss
- Fertility and pregnancy
- Physical illness
- Bereavement and grief
This is not an exhaustive list. Sometimes people don’t know what they want to work on but are aware that something doesn’t feel right and they want relief. In that case, I tailor the course of therapy to help them understand what it is that doesn’t feel right, and what they might do about it.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a Chartered Counselling Psychologist, a protected title which ensures the highest level of expertise and care. I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and am an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
My qualifications include:
Associate Fellow of The British Psychological Society (AFBPsS)
Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DPsych)
Master in Philosophy (MPhil)
Bachelor in Social Sciences (BSocSci hons)
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
My career has spanned NHS, private and community settings in the UK and abroad, and has included psychiatric inpatient and outpatient facilities including The Nightingale Hospital, The Royal Free Hospital and The Maudsley Hospital. I have worked in teams specializing in trauma, eating disorders and problems regulating extreme emotions. I have also worked in outpatient teams specializing in women's health and chronic illness.
I have worked across primary care, secondary care and inpatient services in the UK, spanning adult psychiatry and child and adolescent mental health. I am committed to my ongoing development and learning as a practitioner and engage in regular specialist training courses. Before becoming a psychologist, I worked in media and the arts.
I currently divide my time between my private practice and teaching, research and writing in the field of psychology and mental health.
I am registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and I am an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS).
Member organisations
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.
Health and Care Professions Council
The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Distress Tolerance and Emotional Regulation
Therapies offered
Fees
Please email to enquire.
I am also a recognised provider for most major private health insurers and I am happy to accept payment through these schemes.
People usually see me for a regular, weekly session but this can vary. I am happy to discuss frequency in terms of what feels most helpful for you at the time.
