Olivia Oven

Hello and Welcome!  I’m Olivia, an experienced professional relationship and couples therapist who helps individuals and couples navigate the complexities of their relationships.

 Relationships can be a source of great angst when they are floundering, communication has broken down or  trust has been eroded. We each bring our own expectations, insecurities and defence mechanisms that inevitably shape our interactions, potentially leading to conflict, misunderstandings or emotional or physical distance.

Some of us may find ourselves prone to anxiety in relationships, constantly seeking reassurance or feeling overwhelmed by fear of failure. Others may lean toward avoidance, pulling back when intimacy or conflict arises, which can also create distance. These patterns are common and frustrating but once identified, relationships can heal and be more satisfying than ever before.

My Approach

As a therapist, I provide an open and curious space to explore your relationship and understand the dynamics that are causing distance and distress. Using researched and trusted methods, we will work towards your goals.

Ultimately, the journey of couples therapy is about raising awareness and giving context to the sometimes dysfunctional way we strive to be loved, understood, accepted and cherished. The beauty of this process goes beyond healthier intimate relationships, into a better relationship with ourselves and others in our lives.

If you are looking for a growth-oriented approach to feeling better and functioning better, I would be pleased to walk this path with you.

I offer a no-fee 20-minute consultation where we can discuss your hopes for therapy, explore how we might work together, and look at availability. I work locally and internationally. 

In-person therapy

I work in-person in Margate, Kent. Please enquire for further details.

Online therapy

Online therapy is a great option for couples who would like to cut out travel and attend therapy sessions from a private space at home or work. There is the added benefit of being able to attend therapy from different locations if ever need be.

Sessions are held over Zoom video call, which is a safe and reliable platform. I have undergone extensive extra training to ensure that online therapy is every bit as vibrant, interactive and effective as in-person sessions

Fees for online therapy: 

•50-minute individual therapy £55
•90-minute solution-focussed individual therapy £95

•60-minute couples therapy £70
•90-minute couples therapy £105

•4-hr (over two days) Couples intensive therapy £300

Fees for in-person therapy:

•50-minute individual therapy £70
•90-minute solution-focussed individual therapy £120

•60-minute couples therapy £85
•90-minute couples therapy £130

Specialisations

• Betrayal and Infidelity
• Loss of Connection or Intimacy
• Conflict and Communication
• Anxiety and Stress Management in Relationships
• Support for Parenting Challenges in Relationships

I have a special interest and understanding of life transitions and how to support people to move through times of change in a connecting, healing and empowering way. These transitions include, amongst others; Parenthood. Menopause and Life Stages. Empty Nest. Loss & Grief. Betrayal.

I work with:

Anxiety, stress, nervousness, fear, panic attacks and OCD.
Ageing and menopause
Attachments wounds
Couples and Individuals
Communication skills
Grief and loss: of loved ones, friends, a career, your health, or a life you feel you no longer have.
Depression, low mood, feeling without hope or motivation.
Divorce, problem relationships, family tensions, isolation and loneliness.
Low self-esteem, self-worth or a loss of identity.
New Parents; the highs and lows of becoming Parents and the shifting dynamics in intimate relationships are areas of special interest in my work 
Problematic coping mechanism such as excessive drinking and over-eating.
Trauma
If you have any questions, do get in touch for a free consultation

My special area of interest is working with new parents. The early days of having a baby, and beyond into childhood, can be a time of immense joy but also of incredible stress, exhaustion and shifting dynamics within our relationships and careers.

Navigating this new landscape can be challenging and place great pressure on our well-being. If you would like to know more about how I work with parents, and couples in general, please do get in touch and ask any questions you may have.

I also have extensive experience working with adults who have lived through childhood trauma and detached parenting. People who have lived through these experiences can struggle in their relationships and with their sense of identity. 

Again, please do get in touch if you would like to understand more about how we can work together to help overcome these difficulties.

Once you have decided to get in touch, we can arrange a mutually convenient time for an initial 20-minute Zoom consultation session. This is fee-free and provides an opportunity to look at what has bought you to seek therapy, and is a time for you to decide if I am the right counsellor for you.

I realise that life can be busy and unpredictable and so aim to be as flexible as possible. I offer therapy sessions on weekend mornings and Wednesday evenings subject to availability.

How I work:

I am primarily trained in Gestalt Therapy and also draw from Transactional Analysis, Emotionally Focussed Therapy, Internal Family Systems and Attachment Theory. I am a trauma-informed Therapist.

Gestalt Therapy focusses on our here and now experience, in mind and body. It draws together both our past hurts and our fears for the future and brings them into our present moment awareness; our 'stuckness', repeating patterns of thought and behaviour and explores our learned ways of coping that may no longer be useful to us.

Transactional Analysis looks at the roles we develop (the different parts of us, such as our Child part) and how they play out in our lives and relationships.

Emotionally Focussed Therapy is a humanistic evidenced-based approach to psychotherapy. It explores the layers of emotion and emotional experience that might be driving conflict in our relationships and causing turmoil to our inner world. Our emotions influence our thoughts and motivate our behaviour and as such, the aim of this approach is to transform maladaptive behaviours, such as emotional anxiety or emotional avoidance, to enable personal expression of needs and desires and to enjoy more fulfilling relationships.

A trauma-informed Therapist is specifically trained to work safely with trauma. The impact of trauma can threaten a person’s sense of safety and wellbeing, meaning the therapy space must be safe and contained. 

During the course of the therapy, care is taken to ensure that the pace and process is one that will assist in healing without re-traumatising. 

Please contact me for a free consultation to discuss your requirements.