As a fully qualified, experienced psychotherapist, I value that we can address together a broad range of difficulties, struggles and challenges.
This may be your anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and strong inner critic, bullying, bereavement, recent or childhood trauma. It could be addiction, whether personal or in the family, stuck, unhappy relationships or finding the meaning for you of an ADHD diagnosis.
I am interested too in the worries behind the professional exterior at work and in the deeper questions of identity and purpose that often come with age.
My Approach
Gestalt is a German word that translates as ‘whole’, ‘pattern’ or ‘form’. As a Gestalt psychotherapist, I work with you as a whole person with mind, body, emotions and spirit to get to the heart of the matter.
I aim to be warm, genuine and candid to help you manage distress, explore the painful parts of life and find your strengths and resourcefulness. We’ll explore connections between different aspects of yourself and make links with your earlier experiences that make sense of you now. I’ll offer compassion and support for you to appreciate the creative ways in which you’ve adapted to survive and thrive.
We’ll talk with curiosity to find more clarity and kindness to yourself. I may gently suggest other approaches that bring new awareness – perhaps a movement, a different sort of conversation, getting to know the wisdom held in your body or softening past trauma. This is a shared enterprise where our relationship is a key source of insight and partnership, working collaboratively at a pace that feels right for you.
At the heart of our work is how you become more aware of the patterns in your life, the ways you tick in the world which may have served you well but can now keep you stuck. This awareness gives you a greater range of choice and new possibilities for fulfilment. We all have the capacity to meet the world with more joy, I am here to help you face what is tough and hurtful and explore growth and vitality again.
I see individuals for short-term and long-term work, online and in person. I welcome hearing from you so we can discuss where you are and what your hopes are now.
About Me
My five years of training to become a psychotherapist are underpinned by a long creative career in film and television, wide experience of working with people in organisations and twenty years supporting those who feel life is no longer worth living. These experiences have given me depth of empathy and many thoughtful, safe ways we can shed light on what you bring.
Qualifications/ Accreditations
MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy (Metanoia Institute/ Middlesex University)
Postgraduate (Clinical) Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy (Metanoia Institute)
Certificate in Supervision (CSTD)
M.A., Oxford University
Professional Regulatory Bodies
I am a Registered Member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and adhere to their ethical standards in my practice.
Contact Me
richard.spence@thepractice.org.uk
