Suzanne Walker

A warm welcome to my profile - here you'll find some information about my work with individual adults and couples. The relationship between 'therapist and client', i.e. between 'you and me' has been shown as key to therapeutic work, so please have a read and if you feel like I might be the right person for you, do get in touch.

COUPLES & RELATIONSHIP THERAPY:

Whether you are seeking support to improve aspects of your relationship, you need help to navigate conflict, you are considering separation or various other relationship challenges, therapy can help. I can support you to explore patterns of behaviour, difficulties in communication and ways of relating, attachment and intimacy issues.

We all bring our past, and our stories, into relationships. Having someone witness your interactions and communication objectively, and without judgement, can help uncover blind spots, recognise repeated patterns and offer insight and support in how to make change, if that's what is needed. Differences in communication can often be a factor in conflict. And sometimes we can lose sight of what connects us, focusing instead on division and resentment. Whatever your goals, I am here to listen, support, challenge and help you move forward, whatever that looks like for you. (I'm a couples therapist but I don't specialise in psychosexual therapy).

MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH

Anger and emotional overwhelm: Unresolved frustration can often be expressed as anger. Whether it’s blow-ups in relationships, at work, or within yourself, I work with men to understand the root causes of anger, shift patterns, and develop healthier ways to express emotions without feeling a loss of control.

Relationship issues: if you’re dealing with recurring struggles or patterns in your relationships - whether it’s with a partner, family members, or colleagues - we can explore what’s behind the patterns. We can work on developing healthier communication (including with yourself) and building better connections so you can experience deeper trust and intimacy.

Feeling lost or lacking in purpose: it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. You might be successful on the outside, but inside, there’s a sense of something missing, or of not being enough, however much you do or achieve. If you’re questioning your direction, passions, or life goals, we can work together to reignite your sense of purpose and create a meaningful - and achievable - path forward.

Stress and overwhelm: life can feel overwhelming, especially with competing demands, such as work, family, health - and everything in between. Stress can build up until it feels too much. We can work on developing some practical tools and also allow space to process the feelings, so you'll feel more grounded and connected in the midst of the busyness of life.

TRAUMA

If you have experienced events in your life which resulted in trauma, this can have deep and long lasting effects, both psychologically and physiologically. This may be longer term work, as we need to establish a robust, safe and supportive therapeutic bond, within which healing can happen. 

Understanding and awareness: we will work together to help you better understand the impact of trauma on the present, such as emotional dysregulation and regulation, reasons for any unhealthy or risky behaviours and difficulties in relationships. 

Emotional Processing: holding onto unprocessed emotions from trauma can take a physical and emotional toll. The therapy space can allow you to safely express and release pent-up feelings, which can reduce emotional distress and restore balance to your mental well-being.

Rebuilding trust: If you struggle with trust, in yourself and/or others, this could also be the result of trauma. Developing a secure relationship between us can help you rebuild a sense of trust, allowing a better relationship with yourself, and others. Over time, you’ll feel more empowered to establish boundaries, communicate your needs, and build healthier connections. 

GRIEF AND LOSS

Have you or are you experiencing grief, perhaps without realising it? 
We can feel loss and grief in relation to many things as well as the death of a person; for example the loss of a much loved pet, loss of opportunity, redundancy, the ending of a relationship or friendship and loss of physical ability or ill-health, for ourselves or others.

The emotions of grief and loss: the obvious emotion is sadness, but did you know anger can also be associated with grief? So can anxiety, confusion, denial, relief, numbness, exhaustion...the list goes on. If you're overwhelmed by grief, I will hold space for you, allowing you to unpack and explore all that is going on. Grief is also cumulative, so sometimes what seems like a 'minor' loss can tip us over the edge and our emotional response can feel unexpectedly intense. Understanding this can help.

Talking about grief: sometimes talking about grief can feel like burdening others, especially if it's a shared grief e.g. the death of a family member. People may also be unsure what to say. Should they talk about the person who died, or the job you lost? This makes it feel unsafe to share, but I'll give you space to talk and feel, without any pressure to 'move on' and without giving advice. I know that grief is unique to each person - there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to experience it and all your feelings are completely valid.

Grief doesn't disappear: we don't 'get over' grief and it will never leave us. This can be hard to hear, especially when we're in the midst of intense emotions. 
However, therapy - and exploring and expressing your feelings - can help the heaviness to become lighter. You can start to function better and reintegrate with life. I will support you through this, so that you find a way to reconnect and rebuild around the grief, and also explore ways of continuing bonds, for example to the person who died. 

LATER LIFE STAGES

Are you in 'later life' stages, and perhaps feeling a little lost, sad, regretful, lonely and/or unsure of your purpose? It's never too late to get support.

Loss of a long term partner: I understand how absolutely devastating this can feel. You may have spent most of your life with that one person by your side and when they're gone, life can feel empty, scary, lonely. I will sit with you, and give you the opportunity, when you're ready, to reflect on the memories created with your loved one and, if necessary, process any regrets which may emerge, to find self-forgiveness. Grief can feel overwhelming and isolating, but you're not alone.

Finding purpose: If you are feeling a little lost, lonely or directionless, together we can look at ways to bring more purpose and meaning. Sometimes, it might help to look back, to rediscover things that brought you joy or satisfaction in the past. Sometimes, it's more helpful to look forward, and think about what opportunities still lie ahead. I truly believe that later life can be equally meaningful and I look forward to supporting you. Whilst we may not always be working on major behavioural changes, we may be helping you find a sense of contentment, inner peace and greater self-acceptance.

LOW SELF ESTEEM / LACK OF SELF CONFIDENCE

Do you try your hardest, but always feel you come up short? Are feelings of 'not good enough' eroding your self confidence? Or perhaps the words or actions of others have brought you down.

Feeling 'less than': I understand your feelings of unworthiness and 'less than'. We will explore, together, where these feelings originated and what the impact is on your life; your choices, behaviours and relationships. They may come from a critical parent, childhood trauma, bullying at school or toxic relationships... or a myriad of other reasons. Once you understand the origins, I will help you reframe these inner beliefs, and build a better relationship with yourself.

Self compassion: How do you talk to and about yourself? Is it different to how you'd communicate with a friend? If so, we can focus on developing a more positive inner dialogue, and some self-compassion. Since these kinds of feelings are often deeply routed, it can feel hard to break the patterns and change the 'script', so you'll need self awareness and be open to practicing kindness towards yourself, even if it feels rather 'forced' at first.
When you start to recognise your unique abilities and be comfortable with the things you can't do or find more challenging, this will help you begin to feel 'good enough'.

Building emotional resilience: low self-esteem can make you feel fragile in the face of criticism or failure, often leading to avoidance or giving up. I can help you build emotional resilience, so you can handle setbacks, which are a part of life, without letting them destroy your sense of self-worth. With guidance, you can develop healthier coping strategies to face difficulties. Part of this is learning, and practicing, emotional regulation and accepting your imperfections as part of you (and a part of being human!). You'll be able to bounce back from mistakes, rather than let them deplete your self confidence.

In addition to the above, I also offer support with:

Attachment and relationship issues

Anxiety

Feeling sad

Abandonment and rejection (including as a result of boarding school)

Abuse (historic or current)

Depression and low mood

Infertility and the experience of IVF

Family problems

Life transitions.

I work with individual adults (18 years upwards) and couples, in person and online. I have a peaceful room in Great Bookham (near Leatherhead and Cobham) and a spacious room at The Eaves in Godalming. I also offer home visits for older clients or those unable to visit in person.

My approach weaves together a range of different theories, and will be tailored to best support you, depending what might be helpful. These include:

• Psychodynamic - which helps link and make sense of past relationships and experiences with current ways of relating, behaviours and life choices.
• Person-centered - a humanistic approach which ensures clients, and their opinions and beliefs about themselves, are central to the work. This approach respects that every person has an in-built drive to reach their full potential, given the right conditions.
• Attachment focused - I work with clients to better understand their attachment style(s), based on historic relationships and what this may mean for them in the present. It can also help clients gain an understanding of the attachment styles of others, e.g. romantic partners and family members.
• Transactional analysis - a more analytical approach which aims to help us understand the way we think, feel and behave, focusing on relationships and how we might improve them.
• I offer a 20 minute introductory session online (no charge), or in person (£25). This is to assess your needs and see whether we are a good fit to work together.

• Later life stages
• Boarding school
• Men's mental health
• Loss of a beloved pet
• Loss of opportunity
• Redundancy
• The ending of a relationship or friendship
• Loss of physical ability or ill-health.

Individual adults

Initial session (20 minutes): online no charge; in person, £25

Full session: £65 for 50 minutes. 

Couples

Initial call (20 minutes): via Zoom/Google Meet - no charge (both parties to attend)

First assessment session (60 minutes): £90

Ongoing sessions: £90 for 60 minutes

Fees correct as of 01.12.25

I have a small number of concessionary sessions. Please enquire on initial contact.

If you are interested in working with me, please send a message via this site, or text me on the number given. We can then arrange a mutually convenient time for a 20 minute introductory chat to get to know each other a little and decide whether we are a good fit to work together. Going forward, sessions will normally be at the same agreed time and on the same day, but I will be as flexible as possible where needed.

Home practice; I have a beautiful private space in Great Bookham, where I welcome clients for in person sessions. Photos available.

Practice room - I have spacious room at The Eaves in Godalming.