Frequently asked questions

What happens in the first session?

The first meeting is an assessment, not a commitment. We talk about what’s brought you to think about therapy now, a little about your history, and what you’re hoping might change. It’s as much a chance for you to get a sense of whether this way of working suits you as it is for me to understand what you’re bringing. There’s no obligation to continue afterwards.

How is this different from counselling or CBT?

Most short-term approaches aim to manage or reduce a symptom directly — a technique for the anxiety, a strategy for the low mood. Psychoanalytic work starts from a different premise: that a symptom usually says something, even when we don’t yet know what. Rather than moving straight to fixing it, we follow where your own words lead, including the parts that don’t quite add up, the slips, the repetitions. Often it’s in that detail that something genuinely shifts — not because a technique was applied, but because you’ve arrived at a truer understanding of your own doing.

This tends to be slower than CBT, and it doesn’t offer a fixed programme of sessions. What it offers instead is a space where your own thinking is allowed to lead.

How long does it take?

There’s no set answer, and I’d be wary of anyone who gives you one before knowing you. Some people find real relief within a matter of months; others stay in the work for years, because what emerges keeps being worth pursuing. We review this together as we go — it’s never simply left open-ended without discussion.

How often would we meet?

Once a week is the usual starting point, at a fixed day and time. This regularity is part of what makes the work possible — it gives the process a frame to return to.

Do you work in person, online, or both?

Both. In-person sessions are held at Coppergate House, 10 White’s Row, London E1 7NF, close to Liverpool Street station. Online sessions are held by Zoom, for people based elsewhere or who prefer it. Many people move between the two as circumstances change.

Do you work in French as well as English?

Yes. Sessions can be conducted in either language, whichever you’re more at ease in — and this can vary from session to session if that’s helpful.

What are your fees?

Sessions are £80. I’m a recognised Bupa provider, so if you have Bupa cover, it’s worth checking your policy for psychotherapy sessions. Payment and any questions about insurance are easiest to discuss directly — get in touch and I’ll answer specifically for your situation.

What if there’s an excess on my Bupa policy?

Some Bupa policies include an annual excess — a fixed amount that you, rather than Bupa, are responsible for paying directly to your provider before your cover begins to contribute toward sessions. This is set out in your policy when you first take it out, so it’s worth checking with Bupa in advance if you’re unsure whether yours includes one.

Where an excess applies, Bupa’s invoice following a session will show it clearly, and I’ll let you know directly if this is the case for you, along with the amount involved. I’d ask that any outstanding excess be settled by bank transfer, at the latest by the time of our next session.

What if I’m not sure what’s wrong, or don’t know what to say?

That’s an entirely ordinary place to start from, and not a barrier to beginning. Very often, people arrive with only a vague unease or a sense that something isn’t working, without a clear diagnosis or a name for it. Finding the words is part of the work itself, not a prerequisite for it.

Will you tell me what to do?

No — and this is a genuine feature of the approach, not a withholding of help. The aim isn’t to hand you advice or a ready-made ideal of how you should live, but to help you find your own bearings in relation to what you want. Freud himself put it well: the analyst respects the patient’s individuality and doesn’t try to remould them according to his own ideas.

Do you discuss or prescribe medication?

I’m not a psychiatrist and don’t prescribe medication. If medication seems relevant to discuss, I’ll say so, and can support you in raising it with your GP or a psychiatrist. Many people are in therapy while also taking medication prescribed elsewhere; the two aren’t in conflict.

Is what I say confidential?

Yes, with narrow and clearly defined exceptions — chiefly situations of serious risk to safety, or a legal requirement to act. You can read the full detail on the Confidentiality & ethics page.

How do I get started?

Get in touch through the contact form, by email, or by phone, and we’ll arrange an initial assessment. There’s no pressure to decide anything before that first conversation.