"Change occurs when one becomes what he is, not when he tries to become what he is not.
Change does not take place through a coercive attempt by the individual or by another person to change him, but it does take place if one takes the time and effort to be what he is -- to be fully invested in his current positions."
~ A. Beisser
Welcome to my site!
My name is Katy and I am a relational Gestalt psychotherapist specialising in working with anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. I work online with people all over the UK, as well as face-to-face in Brighton & Hove. I work in Polish (po polsku) and English.
I imagine that you have come here because you want to grow and develop, whether you are new to therapy or have already had it in the past. I know that life can be tough and painful. I am here available to support you in a safe, confidential and non-judgemental atmosphere.
Do you feel stuck, trapped or overwhelmed and struggling to believe that things can change for the better?
Do you often feel like you are ‘too much’ or ‘not enough’?
Do you experience depression, anxiety, low mood, or a quiet sense of disconnection?
Do you experience unease in relation to your body, hold a negative body-image, or perhaps your body feels like it’s rebelling against you?
Do you have racing thoughts and are good at predicting what could go wrong?
Do you often put yourself down or blame yourself?
Are you struggling with self-acceptance, self-love and self-compassion?
Do you find it hard to fully relax into relationships, or feel like you belong?
Do you often retreat into yourself, hiding some aspects of yourself, fearing judgement or rejection from others?
Do you feel mobilised to express yourself more fully, but you keep finding blocks and obstacles to expressing your authentic voice and feelings?
If any of these themes resonates with you, please contact me for an initial no obligation consultation to have a chat about how I could help you.
I am registered with UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I provide therapy in both English and Polish (po polsku). Please, follow your curiosity and continue exploring my website.
How Therapy Works
People often come to therapy because they would like change.
Sometimes life can feel difficult, painful and unmanageable. For many of us, it may be challenging to make changes that we want, and we may feel helpless, not knowing quite what to do, often falling into a trap of old and familiar patterns of behaviour, or trying to ‘fix the problem’, ‘improve ourselves’. Or the changes we want to make may feel unachievable, beyond our reach, scary.
Well, therapy can help in those situations. Talking to a professional who provides non-judgemental, respectful and kind presence can support you to speak about things that matter to you and be heard.
Change can be complex, messy, layered, and non-linear. There can be small changes and bigger changes, insights, and bigger shifts; some changes can happen ‘just like that’, and others require consistent attention and nurture from us. I am inspired by the idea, referred to as the Paradoxical Theory of Change, that change happens when we can truly accept who we are in the here and now. Then, we are able to let go, not be so hung up on our habitual ways of being and doing, and make space to welcome something new.
Therapy with me is about getting support at any stage, aspect, or element of the change that you would like to make or are going through.
It is normal to live and breathe what we already know. It often has been what we have known through our experience of living in our family, society and cultural systems. And some of us have had a really tough time within these systems, challenging our sense of self-worth and belonging.
The trouble starts when these familiar ways of being and doing stop us from living our lives to the full and engaging in them the way our hearts and souls desire! Our
habitual patterns of being are a little bit like this old familiar coat which has protected you from bad weather for so many years, but now, it cannot be as good in different weather conditions - for example in Antarctica you may need a different coat, whilst in the rainforest of the Amazon you may not even need it.
Therapy with me is about supporting you wherever you are in your life journey and supporting you to become aware of and honour your old familiar coat.
It is about supporting you to develop curiosity and acceptance towards what and how this ‘coat’ may have been useful to you. It is about processing, little by little, elements of your experiences in a safe and supportive environment and making sense of them. It is about supporting you to develop deeper (visceral and embodied) connection with yourself and others, which will empower you to engage in new opportunities and equip you in bigger resilience in responding to life challenges.
Testimonials
'Katy helped me explore the issues I brought to therapy in a kind, supportive and warm environment. I appreciated her approach, in particular the way she suggested different methods of exploration alongside talking, such as drawing and considering the body as a whole which helped me to think about things from a different perspective.' Client 1
'Attending therapy with Katy helped me navigate a deep personal crisis and a very difficult period in my life. ' Client 2
Who I Can Help
JudI can help you if you feel:
- Anxious
- Depressed
- Stressed
- Stuck
- Conflicted
- Lonely
- Hopeless
- Judging yourself harshly
Or, if:
- Something happened in your past that you feel needs resolving.
Or if you:
- Have experienced loss
- Are lacking confidence
- Are experiencing relationship issues,
- Have a sense that something stops you from living your life to the full
About My Practice
‘Gestalt’ means ‘whole’.
In my practice this translates to us working with the whole of you as a person, including your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and imagination. We will explore your experience together in a safe, non-judgement and confidential space, in a creative way, suited to your needs and preferences. For example, we may talk using metaphors, or describing images, or drawing, or using small objects to help us talk about your experience.
I believe in your capacity to use your natural inner strength in service of living a fulfilling life and I support you to trust and build on this capacity.
I believe that via supporting you to raise your awareness and honour what happens for you in the here-and-now, change can happen in your life. I am sensitive around social-cultural and spiritual issues.
About Me
I have an MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy from Middlesex University and a Clinical Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy from Metanoia Institute.
I have experience working with NHS patients as well as with clients in London-based counselling and therapy services (The Awareness Centre and Metanoia Counselling and Psychotherapy Service).
I have worked with clients suffering from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and self-worth, shame issues, trauma, as well as relationship and work/study issues. I abide by the code of ethics of the BACP, UKCP as well as this of Metanoia Institute.
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Photos by Kim Manley Ort