Dr Nicholas Wakefield
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This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
Offering adults therapy and psychological assessment in the Central London and Online.
I think that every person’s therapy journey is different. Some people need skills and coping techniques to help deal with things in their current context. For others it is important to address the underlying psychological mechanisms that give rise to the problems or symptoms at different points in life. For some it is important to address childhood origins of problems so that they can break free of repeating, destructive life patterns. I want to help people find the journey that is right for them.
The first step is to discuss in detail the issues that bring you to therapy and your current context. then we spend a few sessions going over your history from birth to now. You are more than your current problems and it helps for me to get to know the person what has influenced and shaped you. From there we develop a formulation or map of the issues and identify ways to address the the parts that lead to you current distress.
How can therapy help?
Therapy is a process. It starts by exploration and understanding of what is causing your distress and getting to know yourself better. Throughout your therapy sessions the various techniques, discussions and approaches aim to change your way of engaging with the world, tackling the reasons for your distress and reducing it. This could be through different skills to deal with the physical symptoms you experience, changing your behaviour patterns and building positive habits, resolving problems, stepping out of conflict, reducing self-criticism, setting boundaries, acceptance of unchangeable conflicts.
My Experience
Trained in the UK both academically (University of Liverpool Doctorate in Clinical Psychology) and by the clients I have met along the way, I’ve spent 15 years developing my therapy style; how I relate to the person in the room is just as important as the psychological knowledge I bring. I try to take a person centred approach, first trying to understand not just the problems a person presents with but the person themselves so that the current issues can be put into the context of the whole person. Through this approach I aim to help a person deal with their psychological, emotional and relational difficulties in a way that best suits them.
My background is working with people who have complex presentations and trauma, as such I have substantial experience in working with a range of psychological difficulties including personality disorder, psychosis, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, self-esteem, anger, LGBTQI+ related issue, Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity, interpersonal difficulties. I have spent the last 5 years working in the Middle East learning from my clients about a wide variety of different cultures and cultural experiences that contribute to psychological distress and resilience.
Therapy Approach
I have a passion for learning and to continue to develop my theoretical knowledge and therapeutic skills. I believe that no one psychological theory or model can fully explain the human condition. And working in the NHS for many years I have been fortunate enough to be trained and supervised in a range of psychological therapies for both individuals and groups which include:
- Schema Focused Therapy
- Mentalization Based Therapy,
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy,
- Eye-movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
More recently my explorations have taken me down the Existential therapeutic and philosophical path, whilst I do not claim to be an Existential Psychotherapist I try to incorporate these ideas into my therapeutic approach.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
Doctorate of Clinical Psychology
University of Liverpool
Pass 2012
Post Grad Cert Primary Care Mental Health
University of Manchester
Pass 2005
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Manchester Metropolitan University
2.1 2003
Teaching and Training
I have extensive teaching and training experience (I’m just showing off now, you probably don’t need to know this) having taught on the University of Liverpool, Doctorate of Clinical Psychology program, and University of Nottingham, Doctorate of Forensic Psychology program. I have been responsible for the supervision of assistant psychologists, Trainee Clinical Psychologist and Qualified Clinical and Forensic Psychologists. I have delivered training to a range of professionals including medical professionals, psychologists, nurses and probation officers, as well as delivering numerous Dubai Health Authority Continuing Medical Education courses.
Professional Bodies
Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) – since 2013 (on going) - 149379 Member Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP) – since 2007 (on going)
Registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) – since 2012 (on going) PLY28183
Mentalization Based Treatment Qualified Practitioner – British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) – Since September 2014
Member organisations
school 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.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£130.00 per session
Free initial online session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
When I work
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I currently offer in-person sessions at the London practice on Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and evening. All other sessions are online only.
Further information
Registered Provider with the following insurance:
AXA
Vitality
Aviva