Steve Wasserman

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MA (Cantab), MA Psych., MBACP, ISST (Accred)
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on London HA3 & Wembley HA9
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Therapy Sessions Tailored for You

60-minute therapy sessions with free post-session notes, key insights, and practical takeaways included.

Watch my 5 minute Intro video here: https://teawithsteve.co.uk 

Hello!

I try to approach each person in therapy with care, creativity, and a comprehensive toolkit to support your well-being, as well as deepen your self-understanding. 

My aim is to create a personalised path that helps you feel truly heard, express your authentic self, and (re)discover the wisdom and clarity needed to live a more fulfilling and joyful life.

We can begin doing this by: 

1. Exploring Your Ways of Being and Operating In The World: Examining personal patterns that may unintentionally cause distress to you or others.

2. Addressing Life Challenges: Collaborating to gain new perspective when feeling stuck or overwhelmed.

3. Building Emotional Regulation: Developing techniques to navigate intense emotions and anxious thoughts with greater ease.

4. Processing Past Trauma: Gently working through burdensome memories and experiences.

5. Clarifying Your Values: Aligning actions and focus with what truly matters most to you in life.

Together, we can deepen your self-awareness and weave these insights into your everyday life and outlook.

Nine Areas of Mental Health That I’m Passionate About

1. Anxiety and Stress Management: Learn practical strategies to manage stress and anxiety, promoting balance and peace in your life.

 2. Depression/Mood Support: Explore your feelings of depression with understanding and support, working towards greater emotional stability.

 3. Trauma: Work through emotional, psychological, or physical trauma in a safe space to foster resilience and healing.

 4. Self-Esteem and Confidence Building: Strengthen your sense of personal value by overcoming self-doubt and building confidence.

 5. Men’s Mental Health: Specialised care addressing unique challenges faced by men, helping you build resilience and well-being.

 6. Life Transitions & Changes: Navigate significant life changes such as career shifts or personal loss with guidance and clarity.

 7. Couples Therapy: Improve communication and connection with your partner, strengthening your relationship.

 8. Navigating Modern Dating: Gain clarity and confidence to manage the complexities of modern dating with support tailored to you.

 9. Creativity & Spirituality: Unlock deeper meaning and fulfilment through creative expression and spiritual growth.

Rates: £60 for a full hour (daytime), £70 for evenings (couples: +£20). 

If cost is a real issue, feel free to reach out and we can explore flexible options where needed.

If you'd like to arrange an in-depth, 60-minute consultation session, or a more casual 20-minute "vibes" chat on the phone to see if we're a good fit, let's connect! You can reach me on WhatsApp (07804197605) or via email

I'm here for you, and look forward to connecting with you when we do.

Training, qualifications & experience

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

-Private Practice (Coaching/Psychotherapy) and Consultancy - 2008 to present
-ACT 1 & 2 with Steven C. Hayes - 2018
-EMDR: Principles, Procedures & Protocols - 2017
-Relate CPCAB (Levels 4&5)
-Schema Therapy Training and ISST Accreditation - 2013 to 2014
-Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - 2011 (King's College London)
-Professional Certificate in MBCT/MBSR for groups & individuals - 2010
-NHS General Practice Counsellor/Psychotherapist (5 years) - 2008 to 2013
-MA in Integrative Psychotherapy (mainly psychodynamic) - 2008 (LMU)
-Addictions counselling training & 3 years volunteering experience - 2007
-Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling - 2005 (Mary Ward Centre)
-Samaritans Volunteer training & 10 years experience - 1995
-BA in English Literature - 1991 (Cambridge University)

SHORT PERSONAL BIO:

I was born and received my primary education in South Africa, emigrating to the UK in 1986 at the age of 15. After graduating from University, I worked as a teacher and later as a lecturer. I retrained to become a psychotherapist in my early 30s.

These experiences and others have been useful in giving me an understanding of some of the issues we face when we experience some kind of radical displacement in our lives, be it geographical, emotional, or circumstantial. I also believe it's very important to be sensitive and open to questions of diversity and "feelings of otherness" whether stemming from age, ethnicity, gender, race, socio-economic status or sexual orientation.

Life can be really hard and alienating at times, and I think it's useful to have a therapist on your side who gets that from some of their own lived experience  rather than just mouthing these concepts as a bunch of impressive or nice-sounding words.

Please feel free to get in touch either by email or telephone (07804197605) if you would like to find out anything else about me or the kind of therapy I offer.

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Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).

Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.

Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.

All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.

Accredited register membership

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Fees

£60.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Low income
  • check_circle OAPs
  • check_circle Students
  • check_circle Trainee counsellors
  • check_circle Unemployed

Additional information

FEES:

Daytime appointments: £60

Evenings/weekend/early-morning appointments (before 9 am): £70

Couples: £80 (daytime), £90 (evening appointments or weekends)

Initial consultation: see above

All my appointments run for an hour as opposed to the standard 50 minutes.

Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel a scheduled session within 48 hours of the appointment time, I would ask (unless we have agreed otherwise) for the fee to be be honoured, as I am usually not able to use that time for other work on such short notice.

I will if possible though, always try and reschedule your cancelled appointment for another day and time in the same week of the cancellation (depending on my availability) so that hopefully we won’t miss out on our meet-up.

Concessionary rates: It's important for me, ethically, that private therapy doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. For this reason, I keep my fees well below the current market rate for my 20 years' experience and training. I also offer daytime appointments that are £10 cheaper than my evening slots.

I do have a few concessionary spaces on top of this, but there may be a longer wait for these. Please get in touch and let's see what we can do if the cost of weekly private therapy is a genuine barrier to you. 

When I work

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Further information

TESTIMONIALS FROM FORMER CLIENTS [pseudonyms used*]

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"I've really appreciated your care, warmth, and professionalism. You're just what the doctor ordered, and this doctor will certainly be recommending you to family and friends from now on!"

-Dipesh, 40, GP [email, 2019]

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"Steve, you've been so incredibly helpful to me, thank you! I can't believe how far I've come in just a few months. When I first came to see you all of this anxiety and OCD stuff was keeping me literally IMPRISONED in my own home. Never thought I'd be out and about again, often with struggles and anxiety, but what a change. I know I've still got some way to go, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. In fact, I might even be standing in that light, and it feels good."

-Mary, 45, Full Time Mum & Children's Book Illustrator [email, 2019]

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"I feel much more in touch with myself, my own needs and emotions (it's been a very tearful year but in a good way!), and am more comfortable being assertive, vulnerable and asking for help. My relationships with family and friends feel more stable and open, and people have commented on how calm and relaxed I seem - I generally feel more self-confident. To top it off, and completely out of the blue in the autumn I met someone who is now my boyfriend. The connection I feel with him is stronger than anything I've felt and even though it's early and he's based over in Milan I have a real sense that we're going build a future together. So thank you for helping me lay the foundations that have enabled all this to happen! Of course it's not all perfect and in particular I still have a strong self-critical voice, but it's been amazing to feel this sense of growth and experience a general sense of purpose and excitement about life."

-Dan, 30, Qualitative Researcher [email, 2019]

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"I realised I never really got around to thanking you or saying a proper goodbye after our last session.

You might be interested to know that I am doing very well these days. I changed jobs in July and am so much happier in my new job....The big news though is that we are expecting our first baby (a boy) in Feb! I have been assigned a midwife who specialises in mental health am still taking a low dosage of citalopram but so far so good and feeling excited!...

Thanks for being a great therapist! You really were the best I've had."

-Tiya, Data Analyst (30) [Christmas Card, 2018]

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"Steve, here's a little text for your to stick on your website/wherever. I really appreciate everything.

As a young male I found it difficult to admit to myself that I suffered from depression. I'd often tell myself to 'man-up' or to just have a few beers and get on with it. Eventually I sought professional help and realised that finding the right psychotherapist was difficult, but soon enough I met Steve and very quickly felt that I had nothing to be ashamed of. I became more at ease with my emotions and began to understand the effect it has on me.

Despite my wanting to pay for multiple sessions every week, Steve suggested that in my condition, I would benefit most from just one session per week. He was absolutely right. He introduced me to some simple but effective mindfulness techniques and also suggested little things that I can do to find a happier sense of being on a day-to-day basis. I'd gone from fighting my emotions to embracing and nourishing them.

I'm now in a happier place and will be using a couple of Steve's beautifully simple techniques to ease my way through the negative moments in my life. I know I will want Steve's support on-and-off for many years, but thanks to him, I know I am able to face my daily mental challenges alone.

Thanks for everything!"

-Sahan, Technology Consultant [email, 2018]

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“It was very difficult for me to find a therapist that I could get on with and talk to easily. After trying 3/4 different people, I was extremely lucky to meet Steve. He has a warm approach, with a lot of 'no nonsense' sensibility thrown in and this works very well for me. I would recommend him to anyone looking for help.”

-Rishal, Solicitor (34) [email, 2018]

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“I began seeing Steve when I was at a very low ebb, and have been with him for two years now. A lot of things have changed for me, and I have him to thank for listening and helping me get clearer on a lot of things that have been bothering me for a while.”

-Uma, Graphic Designer (29) [email, 2018]

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"Thank you so much again for your warm ways of listening, I have found your approach very sharp and helpful in terms of identifying my main vulnerabilities and coping mechanisms, as well as giving me the tools I now need to get a bit closer to the real me and the life I need to be living."

-Anna, Community Care Solicitor (32) [email, 2018]

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“The thing about Steve is that he really cares about you but also has a brilliant mind which I find a privilege to access. His approach and methods are wonderfully creative and if you add to that his humanity, you've got yourself a rather special therapist.”

-Mimi, Artist (50) [email, 2018]

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“As soon as I met Steve and started talking to him, I felt at ease and comfortable. I had never had any therapy before, and was extremely anxious. But he immediately made me feel he was listening and understood me. He gives me time to think about what I want to say, and even if I repeat myself over and over again- which I do - he is patient and asks very pertinent questions. It has been a life -changing opportunity to me to have therapy with Steve, and helped me immeasurably.”

-Lucy, Full Time Mum (32) [email, 2017]

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“Steve is a compassionate therapist, who always listens and encourages me to think deeply about what I am saying. He is very patient and always makes me feel that my problems aren't stupid or even ridiculous. In the last year since I started therapy with him, many things have changed in my life and I owe this all to Steve's help.”

-Chirag, Community Fundraiser (45) [email, 2017]

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"I have found Steve to be a very insightful and skilled therapist. He has the ability to help me understand myself better and also provides practical solutions to help me address my issues. I have had individual and group therapy on and off for more than 20 years and Steve is up there with the best. I recommend him unreservedly."

-George, Probationary Services Manager (62) [email, 2016]

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"Steve's sharp intellect, knowledge, humility along with a non judgemental approach and sensitive understanding of the human condition and it's complexities has helped me enormously through the years. I would highly recommend him to anyone."

-Beatrice, Musicologist (72) [email, 2016]

[*Clients were all asked when giving testimonials to supply a pseudonym in order to protect their confidentiality.]

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone
Home visits

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Couples
Employee Assistance Programme

Additional languages

Italian