I am an Integrative Counsellor and Gestalt Therapist and a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). I currently work with adult individuals one-to-one, both privately and for charities. My London practices are in Old Street/Shoreditch EC2A and Tooting SW17, and I also work online.
The ultimate aim of counselling - as I see it - is to support you in becoming self-aware and robust enough to make changes to help you towards personal growth. I do this by working with you to create a safe, warm and positive working relationship within which to explore your life stories.
I often witness clients exploring and coming to terms with their past and present - and sometimes their future - in a way that helps them to live more honestly with themselves and others. If this is similar to your aims - and you would like to explore this further - please do get in touch. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is most powerful agent in therapy, which is why it’s important to ensure that you work with a person that you click with. For this reason, I offer a 30 minute introduction session, free of charge. You can book this through Counselling Directory.
Working together
We can look at discrete issues, such as grief at a recent or not-so-recent bereavement, long-term problems with relationships, or coming to terms with family history. However, at this point it may be that you’re not exactly sure what needs to be addressed, rather that you are experiencing a more general sense of things not being right. This is something that we can explore together.
I work with clients on a wider variety of issues, such as relationships, sexuality and gender (I am LGBTQ+ affirmative), anxiety, depression, understanding major life events, childhood abuse, intergenerational trauma, and self-esteem. I am though open to working with whatever you are experiencing - we can discuss this during our initial assessment, which is free of charge.
I work both short (minimum six sessions) and longer term.
After our initial assessment, I charge £60 per session i Tooting, and £75 in Shoreditch. I offer a reduced rate for counselling/therapy students of £50 (Tooting and online only). Unfortunately I currently do not have any low-cost places available.
Experience and training
My experience
As well as my private practice, I have worked in community counselling since 2018, much of which has specialised in working with older adults. My main specialised areas of interest presented themselves to me early on; working with older clients has meant that I often come across grief, although of course bereavement can affect all age groups. Grieving is a necessary - although often extremely painful - process that for many of us is not sufficiently supported by the societies that we live in. I find meeting that lack through my work to be highly rewarding personally. I have also worked with many clients who identify as LGBTQ+, often facing the unique challenge of feelings of difference within their own families and close communities. My work in these areas has taught me that presenting issues, such as grief and sexuality/identity, are often not the issue that needs resolving, instead they can highlight the weaknesses in significant relationships. For this reason, I am always curious about the context of a client’s issues, as the presenting issue and the root of distress are often very different.
My training and modalities
My training is in Gestalt Therapy and Person-Centred Counselling, both of which emphasise personal autonomy; I will never lead you somewhere that you don’t want to go. Safety and personal investment are crucial for effective therapy, so we will always work at your pace, although at times I will gently challenge you. Gestalt has a particular creative aspect to it; if I think you’re ready, I might invite safe experimentation, for example drawing, or movement to offer an alternative viewpoint to your situation.. Oftentimes therapy is simply about talking, but there are other ways to deepen your understanding.
As a member of the BACP, I am in continued professional development, and often attend trainings. Recent examples include: supporting clients with complicated grief, carer burnout, Trauma-informed praand understanding sexuality and gender.
My qualifications:
Postgraduate Diploma Gestalt Therapy Theory (Gestalt Centre/LMU)
ADPD Gestalt Therapy Theory (Gestalt Centre/LMU)
Diploma in Integrative Counselling (Heartwood Counselling and Psychotherapy)
Certificate in Humanistic Counselling (Gestalt Centre/LMU)
I am a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and work within their ethical guidelines.
How to contact me
It’s simplest to book a free of charge introductory session through my Counselling Directory page.
Alternatively, please feel free to get in touch with me either by calling 07349 949923, and leaving a message, texting me on that number, or emailing me at liamwatsoncounselling@gmail.com.
However you contact me, I will respond by the end of the next business day.
