A confidential and non-judgmental space to explore the thoughts, feelings and challenges in your life.
Central London W1 and SE1
South Croydon CR2
Near Oxford Street/Bond Street and London Bridge/Southwark tube
On-line therapy also provided
Welcome!
You've come to the right place.
Sometimes in life we can become stuck...
stuck in certain ways of thinking and behaving, stuck in certain situations or relationships, stuck in patterns that just keep showing up, no matter how hard we try to escape them. Therapy can help us to unstick things so we can move forward with our lives more easily and with a deeper understanding of ourselves
My name is Frances and I’m a psychoanalytical psychotherapist and counsellor in Central London
What this means is that I can help you to understand why you do the things the way you do, think the way you think, feel the way you feel. I provide a safe, compassionate, non-judgmental space where we can unpack whatever might be troubling you and look at it together.
Everyone’s journey is unique. I can’t say exactly what the outcomes of therapy will be for you because the process is different for everyone. The aim is to support you to achieve meaningful change in your life, whether that’s in your thinking, feelings or behaviours (or all three).
Life is tough but you don’t have to navigate it by yourself. Whatever brought you here today, you are welcome, your problems are welcome. It takes courage to reach out for help so well done for making it this far. You’ve come to the right place.
Therapy is a journey and you’ve already taken the first step. If you choose to work with me, I’ll be by your side every step of the way – a mature, caring and compassionate companion with the skills and experience to help you.
If you like what you see here and would like to find out more, please contact me and we can have a chat. No obligation, no expectation, just come as you are. I look forward to meeting you.
About Therapy
Clients sometimes ask: “What’s wrong with me?” I invite you to ask a different question - “What has happened to me?” The sum of our past experiences impacts upon who we are now and how we relate to others. Exploring what happened in our past helps us begin to understand why we think, feel and act in certain ways in our present.
The way you respond to life is unique to you, based upon on your upbringing and whatever life has thrown at you. We call these responses “coping strategies”. Sometimes people who’ve had difficult or traumatic experiences might need support to develop new and more effective coping strategies.
Talking to someone in a safe and confidential environment, being able to speak about what happened without fear of being judged, feeling you’re not alone… these are some of the ways that therapy can help you start coming to terms with what has happened to you and finding a new way forward..
As you talk, I’ll help you to identify your thoughts and beliefs about the world around you, your values and what drives and motivates you. When you understand yourself better, change becomes possible. After all, how can you change something if you don’t know what to change?
I believe the most effective way to make lasting changes is to understand why you think, feel and act the way you do. It isn’t about finding the fastest way to get rid of your symptoms, it’s about getting to the bottom of why and how certain symptoms developed so you can make different choices.
As well as working with your conscious mind, we will explore unconscious processes and how these affect your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. This will help to build a much deeper understanding of what’s really going on for you so change becomes easier and more feasible.
To learn more about my approach click here.
Below are some, not all, of the presenting problems I can help with
Depression
Anxiety
Anger
Abuse
LGBTQ+
Personal Identity
Bereavement and loss
Work related issues
Spirituality
Leaving cult based faiths
Age related issues
Life transitions
Issues within the teaching profession
Psychosis
Childlessness/IVF
About me
I began my training at Birkbeck University before going on to study at the Guild of Psychotherapists in London, a leading UK institution for psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I am a trustee at the Guild of Psychotherapists, where I also serve as an honorary psychotherapist. I have degrees in Psychology and Educational Studies and Political Theology.
I am a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and bound by their code of ethical conduct. I maintain the highest standards of professional practice by updating my skills with regular continuing professional development courses.
I am compassionate, empathetic and non-judgmental. As a mature person, I have experienced life and know how challenging it can be. I work collaboratively, encouraging you to set the pace and direction as we explore your inner world. Everything we do in therapy is tailored to you, there is no ‘standard’ approach.
I work with many different clients, both in private practice and community settings. I respect each person’s uniqueness and am LGBTQIA-plus-affirming, with a particular interest in sexuality, gender issues and spirituality. I’ve worked in the voluntary sector with asylum-seekers and alongside a psychiatrist in an addictions clinic. All backgrounds, religions and cultures are welcome.
I have a flexible approach – some clients come weekly, some come three times a week, sometimes we work together for a fixed time period, however, most times the therapy is open-ended. By exploring what is going on in your unconscious mind and how it’s influencing your thoughts, feelings and actions, we can get insights that other more surface-level therapies might miss.
I am fascinated by the depths and mysteries of the human mind. I enjoy guiding clients to uncover hidden aspects of themselves and witnessing their breakthroughs and moments of insight as they connect the dots between their past, present and ultimately their future. I’m inspired by watching clients grow, heal and transform.
To understand more about my approach
Quote of the week
The only person with whom you have to compare yourself is you in the past.
Sigmund Freud
My locations
I work as a Psychotherapist in Margaret Street Practice, W1, a few minutes walk from Bond Street and Oxford Circus, serving most of the mainline underground routes.
I also work at the Guild of Psychotherapists which is ten minutes’ walk from London Bridge Station, and opposite Southwark tube station.
Please scroll down to the bottom of this site to click on a link giving detailed directions to the Guild of Psychotherapists and Margaret Street Practice.
In addition to the above, I see several patients in South Croydon, Surrey, CR2. Please let me know if this is more convenient for you.
For those who have difficulties travelling, I also offer telephone and online sessions via Zoom or Skype for patients
How therapy works
Therapy sessions last for 50 minutes, taking place between 1-3 times per week, and generally at the same times each week. I charge a flat rate of £85 for an initial assessment, and operate a sliding scale for ongoing sessions depenent upon income and session frequency. The ongoing fee is discussed in your initial assessment. I do offer some low-cost therapy for students and those on a low income.
Therapy can be open-ended or short-term, and this will be discussed in the initial assessment where we will also talk about the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you, and whether I am the right therapist for you.
Unless otherwise agreed in advance, I charge for all missed sessions. If you cannot attend a session I will offer you an alternative time if there is space available.
I accept payment in cash or by bank transfer.
Get in touch
I understand how difficult it can be to make the initial contact to begin therapy. Feel free to contact me via email if you have any questions about how therapy works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment.
The assessment appointment enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you, and whether I am the right therapist for you.
You could also call me on 07500 480744 and leave a message and I will aim to get back to you within 48 hours. All contact is strictly confidential using secure telephone and email services.
Crisis Support
If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis and need urgent help:
If you or someone else is in danger: call 999 or go to A&E now.
For urgent mental health support that’s not an emergency: call 111 and select the mental health option.
Click the button below for a link to additional resources.
© Frances Field
powered by WebHealer