Erika Lawal

Overview
I’m a UKCP registered psychotherapist and clinical supervisor who has worked in a variety of clinical settings over the course of 25+ years of practice.  I work with training, novice and experienced practitioners, offering both ongoing clinical supervision and a coaching/mentoring/training programme for those setting up or running a private practice.

Clinical Supervision
Having originally trained as an Integrative Psychotherapist at The Minster Centre in London, my practice is now heavily influenced by Schema Therapy.

While I’m open to supervising psychotherapists and counsellors working in a wide range of contexts and specialisms, I have a particular interest in the following areas: 

• Borderline Personality Disorder/Emotional Instability Disorder
• Difference, diversity and identity (in particular; LGTBQ issues, neurodiversity, race and ethnicity)
 
How I Work as a Supervisor
I see clinical supervision as knowing how and when to shift subtly between the role of consultant, teacher and temporary therapist as appropriate. This means that if we work together, I am able to adjust the range and type of support offered in a way that matches a your own level of experience as a supervisee, while allowing and encouraging you to move towards increased understanding of, confidence in and responsibility for your own practice. 

This is all done within the context of modelling reflective practice in which you are encouraged to feel safe to explore both strengths and weaknesses by being shown that these are also dilemmas for experienced practitioner/supervisors. 

In practice, a typical supervision session would see you checking in before going on to survey your caseload, either with reference to individual cases or by exploring emerging themes or patterns. There is normally the opportunity given to explore what I refer to as "big issues' or dilemmas that exist within practice. 

Please contact me via email to discuss clinical supervision.

Coaching, Mentoring & Training for Private Practitioners
I offer a variety of forms of support to practitioners wanting to start up or needing support in developing a private practice.

It’s difficult to come by reliable and personally tailored support when you are setting up in private practice because:

• Counselling, psychotherapy and psychology training programmes rarely offer any insight into what is required in order to successfully set up and run a private practice. 
•  Ongoing supervision provides access to support, but the focus of supervision is usually on clients and casework. 
• If you’re working in an employed role and supervision is paid for by your employer, it will be regarded as inequitable/unethical to use that supervision to further your own ends outside your paid role.

I offer both 1:1 coaching/mentoring and a hybrid online training programme to work around these difficulties.

1. Ask Erika 1:1 
This is a simple and affordable on-demand coaching service. Starting from as little as £25, you can book individual sessions ranging from 15 – 60 minutes to receive support in relation to setting up a private practice.

• Use the 60-minute sessions to discuss and develop your ideas and plans.
  
  
• Use the 30-minute sessions to look at single issues that arise as your practice develops or to fine-tune aspects of your development plan as it unfolds. 
  
  
• Use the 15-minute sessions to get quick-fire help with a simple, uncomplicated issue that has emerged.
  
  

2. Private Practitioner Preparation (PPP) Hybrid Training
This is a comprehensive training programme which covers all aspects of setting up and running a private practice.

Using a mixture of on-demand learning, social posting and live participatory video seminars, you have access to everything you need to move into private practice without making expensive or tiresome mistakes.

Learn more about PPP at https://www.thetherapyhour.uk/ppp-intro