Making the decision to seek counselling or psychotherapy is often not an easy one. There could be many different reasons that brought you to this website and whatever they are, you’ve probably already tried everything you can think of to overcome them.
Maybe you are feeling stuck and unable to move forward in life. You struggle to develop meaningful and lasting relationships or you are just not where you want to be in your career. You try to change and make different choices, but always end up in the same place.
You might just have a sense that you are just not living the life you would like to live. You are not sure why but everything feels like an uphill struggle. This could be causing you to lose your self-confidence and you might even be feeling overwhelmed, anxious or depressed.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could just have the space to think clearly and figure out why things aren't going the way you want and the steps you need to make positive changes?
Whether you have a specific issue you would like to resolve or just a desire to work towards a better experience of your life, I can help you.
I am an integrative psychotherapist – this means I work creatively and I have different perspectives and theories to draw on when working with you. I can adapt my approach to suit your changing needs, offering you a bespoke experience. I will offer a safe space and a warm, non-judgemental presence for you to share the things that matter most to you.
I may invite you to work creatively as a way to deepen the experience. We could do this by exploring the following: metaphors; images that come to mind; feelings or sensations in your body; dreams and imagination; and by using art materials. The imagination can be very useful in unlocking feelings and experiences that appear to be out of our grasp. Experience in art-making is not a requirement for this kind of work.
Counselling is short-term, focused work for people who have one or two particular areas of concern that they would like to work through.
It is usually twelve sessions. However, sometimes people start with six sessions and then decide if they would like twelve. You may be asked to identify particular goals so that you can get the most out of it. This should not limit your counselling experience – it is quite common for goals to change after the first few sessions and you can review this with your therapist if needed.
If at the end of twelve sessions you feel like you would like to continue and explore deeper issues, you can discuss this with your therapist.
During your counselling session you will have the chance to discuss any feelings and emotions that you are currently experiencing. Your counsellor will listen carefully and try to understand things from your perspective to help you explore different options and possibilities. Together, you will review regularly to see if the counselling is addressing your goals effectively.
I put great importance in approaching things creatively. I am trained to use the arts and imagination to help people work through areas where they are feeling stuck.
At times you might find that you cannot find the words to explain how you are feeling. I may invite you to explore this using creative media – this is always an invitation, not a requirement.
Psychotherapy is usually longer, deeper work exploring and understanding the root causes of your difficulties. You can come with a specific issue you would like to start with or you can have just a desire to work towards a better experience of your life.
Chronic or complex issues could be particularly unravelled in psychotherapy, often by exploring how early life experiences shape later life. This could be liberating work for many people struggling alone with reccourring difficulties.
The relationship between the client and the therapist is key for psychotherapy. It serves as a tool to reflect and understand your relational patterns outside the therapy room. Frequently it is in relationships where the clients want to see positive changes the most and the therapeutic relationship will help to address this area.
I practice in an integrative framework - this means there is not just one theory and practice that underpins my work. I draw on a number of therapeutic traditions to find the approach which suits your needs. Amongst them are psychodynamic theory and practice, Gestalt therapy, Transactional Analysis and the Person-Centred approach to therapy.
I approach the psychotherapeutic work creatively acknowledging the power of arts and imagination to shift unhealthy patterns or offer a deeper connection with difficult areas of your life experience. This is always an open invitation, not a requirement.
I offer remote therapy sessions. These will take place by using online video calls through Zoom. Remote therapy sessions are useful for anyone struggling with mental health, anxiety, stress or relationship problems, whom for any reason would find it difficult/inconvenient to attend a face-to-face appointment.
You can also get in touch if you would like me to facilitate a Therapeutic Arts Workshop or Creative Group Therapy. Group and workshop fees are variable, depending on the group size and the location.
I offer an initial 20-minute phone consultation free of charge. This is an opportunity for you to ask me any questions you may have. You may tell me a little about yourself and the issues you are struggling with and we can discuss how I might be able to help.
Individual online therapy sessions cost £80 for 50 minutes and are offered on a weekly basis. The 1st session is an assessment session and a chance to see if we will work well together. There is no obligation to continue after this 1st session.
The initial telephone consultation is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have without any obligations. You may tell me a little about yourself and the issues you are struggling with and we can discuss how I might be able to help. It will last 20 minutes and is free of charge. When seeking therapy or counselling in London, you may want to meet with a few therapists before you settle on the right one for you.
The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and find out whether we can work together effectively. You should feel comfortable, confident, and motivated working with me. You can ask any questions about the therapeutic process or discuss any concerns.
There is no obligation to commit to therapy in the first session.
I will ask you what brings you to therapy at this time of your life and what you would like to achieve. I may want to find out about your background, things that are going well in your life and things you struggle with. The first session is also the time for me to discover whether I am a good match for you.
Ensure that you have access to a private room, where you feel safe to talk freely and are not distracted. For example, If you share your home and are worried about others overhearing, you may want to ask them to stay in another room and wear headphones or go out while you have your session.
For online sessions, it's a good idea to download the Zoom app and familiarise yourself with it before our initial session. This includes testing the audio and video.
You should also test connections/WIFI before the initial session to ensure that you can connect easily.
It is probably not a good idea to use your work computer or phone for our sessions and I suggest you mute all other notifications to avoid being disturbed.
You may want to prepare for your session by being in a quiet space at least a couple of minutes before our start time (I have enabled the 'waiting room' feature for this aim), having a glass of water near you and perhaps some art material (felt tips, paper, etc) or any other material in case you want to use it.
If your session is after work, I suggest that you take at least 20 minutes between finishing work and starting our session. You might even want to go for a short walk, do a meditation, or a short yoga practice. This can help you transition to a different head-space for your therapy session - especially if you are spending a lot of time taking work calls or participating in Zoom meetings.
If you have any problems connecting, you can email me to let me know. If we lose connection during the session, we should both try to log back in and failing that, revert to a phone call.
After the session you may want to plan for a little time for yourself - perhaps a short walk, or just sitting quietly for a while.
If you plan to cancel a session you are required to give at least 1 weeks’ notice.
Note: Continuity in therapy is vital for growth and progress. The space reserved for you each week is for your private ongoing sessions only. I cannot offer this to another client and therefore any missed sessions without giving at least one week’s notice must always be charged.
For any cancellations made by you within the week prior to your session, you will be required to pay for the missed sessions in full. However, where possible I will endeavour to offer you an alternative day/time/phone/online at a time that is convenient for both.
If you have any planned extended breaks or holidays please give at least 4 weeks’ notice.
All missed or unpaid sessions must be paid for at the next available opportunity (next session). Unpaid sessions will not be tolerated and I reserve the right to terminate therapy as a result of unpaid sessions.
If I cancel your session for any reason, you will not have to pay for your missed session. Where possible I will offer you an alternative day/time/phone/online at a time that is convenient for both. If you agree to take this offer, the normal session fee will apply.
I will notify you in advance of any planned breaks.
All my work is strictly confidential and private, and follows the ethical guidelines provided by:
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT)
I will not share any information from the sessions with your employer or family. Initial inquiries are also treated as fully confidential.
As a psychotherapist working online, I will take appropriate measures to protect the integrity and privacy of my computer system and will remove client material from my computer at the end of the contracted work.
To increase security:
1. I will password protected the meeting.
2. I do not record our sessions
3. I will use the 'lock meeting' feature once I have admitted you in the video call
I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and I abide by the General Data Protection Regulation.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how therapy works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This 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 to help.
You can also call me on 07495092680 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquiries are usually answered within 24 hours, Monday to Friday, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
© Zoe Lambe Therapy
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