Shana Laffy

Sex and relationship therapy and couples counselling in London and online.

I am currently offering some lower-cost spaces for psychosexual therapy clients while I complete my Master's Degree in this specialist area - please enquire directly. 

Are you frustrated and anxious in your relationship and find that patterns keep repeating themselves? Perhaps your intimate connection with your partner isn’t as fulfilling as it once was, or you are experiencing sexual difficulties. Maybe you are having challenges connecting on an emotional or sexual level.

Are you single and want to find new ways to do things, but you aren’t sure what is holding you back? Maybe you are feeling sad, cut off from your life, and struggling to feel fully present in day-to-day experiences.

Therapy can be a safe space to talk things over and consider how to bring about change. Issues around relationships, both romantic ones and with family/friends or work, are often a significant contributor to feeling low, depressed or insecure.

I am in a relationship...why would therapy help us?

Some common reasons for coming to couples counselling or relationship therapy are feeling unheard, issues impacting their sexual lives, wanting to share worries and fears but not knowing where to start or feeling stuck in reoccurring conflicts with a partner. 

You may feel there is a breakdown in communication and want to find a way to reconnect and bring joy, intimacy, and empathy back into the relationship. If you are experiencing challenges since the pandemic, you are not alone.

 Many couples/partners struggle to find ways to communicate their needs, and what once was a free exchange of loving behaviours can sometimes develop into people feeling hurt, upset, isolated and with no easy way to resolve things. Sex and intimacy can suffer when conflict is high, and maybe you are left feeling hopeless or feel you have the ‘wrong partner’. 

Talking things over with friends and family is often helpful but, at times, not as impartial as you might need. Relationship and couple therapy can be a space for each of you to reflect on the relationship dynamics and share truthfully and sensitively to gain a deeper understanding of each other.

I work with a wide range of relationships and take complete account of Gender, Sexual and Relationship Diversity (GSRD). I also offer therapy to siblings, parents, and grown-up children, as well as business partnerships or teams of people working to resolve something.

I am not in a relationship – can I come and see you?

In short, yes! I work with individual clients on a range of issues. Relationships and sexual identity are part of everyday life whether you are romantically involved or not. Your connection with family, friends, work colleagues, and, most importantly, yourself is essential to building self-esteem and confidence. The earliest relationships, like those with parents, stay with us long into adulthood and are sometimes hard to explore. Maybe you have a history of childhood trauma or abuse; maybe you are feeling depressed and fearful of rejection. Perhaps you have had several complex relationships and want to develop a new approach.

Coming to therapy might be about giving you a confidential and non-judgmental place to share your experiences. You might want to explore ideas and think about how to make changes in your life. Lots of people seeking therapy aren’t sure what they really need but feel at a turning point. The focus is on building a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship, from which I aim to support each person in considering what feels most important to them.

How do I make contact and access therapy?

Lots of people feel anxious about contacting a new therapist; this is entirely normal. I offer a FREE phone conversation before any initial appointment so we can discuss your hopes and expectations of therapy, and I can share more about how I work. 

At no time are you tied into an ongoing agreement, and you are welcome to attend a first session and see if therapy with me is the right fit for you. Please get in touch with me using the details provided to enquire about my availability.

I offer both in-person therapy and online Zoom sessions, and clients are welcome to mix the two to suit their needs. 

I am currently undertaking a Master’s Degree to further my training as a Relationship Therapist. This course is specialising in Contemporary Psychosexual Therapy/ Sex Therapy. 

I specialise offering sex and relationship therapy. I have focus on working within the areas of attachment, trauma and abuse with a neuroscience-informed approach. I also offer parenting coaching to support parent-child relationships through Emotion Coaching techniques.

I work in an integrative way which incorporates a range of therapeutic theories and approaches. I offer creative arts therapy for couples, adults and young people as well as more traditional talking therapy.

I offer both short and long term therapy which can be open ended if preferred. I usually see individual clients weekly for 50 minutes and couples/partners every two weeks for 90 minutes. However I am flexible in my approach and can adapt this to suit clients needs.

Individual Therapy - £90 (50-minute session)

Couple & Relationship Therapy -  £120 (1 hour) or £180 (90 minute session)

I offer some concessionary sessions for those on a limited income. Please contact me to enquire about fees and availability.

I am fully insured and hold a Enhanced DBS on the update service.