About me
Whatever may be troubling you, I welcome you to get in touch with me, to see how I can help you.
I have worked as a psychotherapist for adults within an NHS service and have extensive experience in the university sector.
Alongside my private practice, I work as a counsellor for students at a leading drama school.
I have particular experience of working with relationship and family issues as well as with anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
My focus is on creating a warm, non-judgemental and supportive space, where we can think together about how you are experiencing your current situation.
While we can not change painful past experiences, we can work together to better understand how the past may be playing out in the present.
Together, we can explore a way forward by navigating and making sense of complex feelings. The process of being listened to, heard and understood can bring great relief to emotional distress.
I believe that my own diverse heritage can help inform and enrich my therapeutic work, especially around issues including cultural identity and difference.
I have experience of living in different countries and of adapting to different cultures and languages. This allows me to hold a shared awareness of some experiences.
Before becoming a psychotherapist, I worked as a lawyer and have an understanding of high-pressure work environments. I support clients navigating stress, burnout, career transitions and work related anxiety.
Training, qualifications & experience
- I am a UKCP Accredited Full Clinical Psychotherapist and a BACP Registered Member. These professional bodies have strict codes of ethics and practice, including confidentiality and supervision, to which I abide.
- I have completed a five year postgraduate academic and clinical training in psychotherapy and counselling and hold a Masters in psychotherapy and counselling (with Distinction) from Regent's University, London.
- I am committed to my continuing professional development and have undertaken a variety of additional trainings including bereavement and working with trauma.
- I am experienced in providing therapy for creatives and those within the performing arts and have an understanding of the unique pressures and demands of the industry.
- I have worked within the counselling service of a leading nationwide charity for older people.
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 UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
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.
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Loss of a parent (including losing a parent in childhood and anticipatory grief)
- Academic pressure (including navigating university challenges and taking time out from studies)
- Relationship issues (including siblings, flatmates, friends, colleagues, ex partners).
- Exploring issues of culture, identity, race and belonging.
- Emotional impact of health related challenges including coming to terms with a medical diagnosis
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I hold a limited number of reduced fee spaces. Please feel free to enquire about current availability.
When I work
I work on weekdays, including early mornings and evenings.
Further information on how I work can be found on www.vchristietherapy.com
Further information
I provide both long term, weekly psychotherapy as well as short-term, more focused counselling (up to 12 weeks), both in person or online, depending on what feels right for you.
My consulting room is within close walking distance of both Sloane Square and Victoria tube stations.
I welcome you to contact me by email for an initial enquiry. Communications are confidential and I will aim to respond within 24 hours.
I am used to guiding people through the initial steps of counselling and I offer an initial 10 minute phone call for us to discuss what help you are looking for.
We may then decide to proceed with an initial 50 minute session (charged at a standard rate), where we can start to develop an assessment of what is going on for you and how we might work together. The therapeutic relationship is central to therapy, so it also gives us a chance to see if we are a good fit.
If we decide to work together, we would then normally agree to meet at the same time each week. We would review the therapeutic progress regularly.
