Yes you can self-refer without a referral or diagnosis from your GP to access anxiety therapy with me. However, if you have a letter from your GP, you can bring any relevant documents with you when we meet in our initial consultation. I am a private therapist which means you can start therapy with me without being directly referred by your GP.
I am not a provider for private health insurance companies. Private health insurance companies often require individuals seeking mental health support to have a referral from their GP. Due to their strict rules around the length of treatment and referral criteria, this limits the number of sessions covered and types of issues I can work with.
Paying for private therapy is a personal investment. Working directly with me means your sessions will be completely confidential. You will not be labelled or judged for your reasons for attending therapy.
Currently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all sessions will take place online via Zoom video. Once it is safe to resume face-to-face work, you will be given the option to meet in person at my therapy office in Islington, Central London. Should you wish to continue to work online, this option will also be made available to you.
My clients are able to notice changes in how they think, feel and behave in small and big ways. For example, you may notice that you are able to form new positive habits naturally, or you may experience more confidence in how you communicate with others. Changes can grow where others begin noticing the changes in how you carry yourself and relate to them. With greater confidence and self-belief, many of my clients have made big decisions in their life where they could not with past anxieties - such as changing jobs, or starting or ending a relationship.
In the short-term, my clients often express feeling acknowledged, affirmed, empowered just from the very act of taking responsibility for their own mental health. In the first few sessions of sharing, it is very common to feel a weight lifted off your shoulders. Over time, you can experience deeper shifts in your thoughts and feelings. It takes time to understand and change unhelpful coping mechanisms and negative belief systems you may have of yourself, but through our work together, you can form a new relationship with how you deal with conflict, fears and uncertainty. With regular support over a period of a few months, you can begin to experience your anxiety in a different way.
The quickest way to get started is to book a 50 minute video consultation on the day and time of your choice.
The day and time you choose for a consultation is linked to a regular time slot for therapy. For example, if you book Thursday at 9am for a consultation, the availability for Thursdays at 9am for therapy will also be available.
If you want to start with a 20 minute phone consultation to further aid your decision, you're more than welcome to schedule a call first.