Julian Richards – Integrative Therapist

Often, the appearance we present to the world contrasts starkly with how we feel inside. Sometimes, that tension reaches a point where we know we need help.

Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, sad, or simply out of sync, the promise of every therapeutic encounter is hope.

Working together in a confidential relationship, we can explore the feelings and experiences that are preventing you from moving forward. You can begin the journey of meaningful change.

Since I began working in mental health in 2010, there’s something I’ve heard over and over again: the person in front of me worries that their problems aren’t big enough to deserve help. I’ve heard it from clients with stable, materially comfortable lives blighted by anxiety. I’ve heard it from clients grieving a loved one whose emotions threaten to overwhelm them. I’ve even heard it from people who thought death was the only way out from their troubles.
Maybe you feel this way too. And yet here you are, looking for help. That’s proof enough that your need is real and that you’re serious about wanting change.

I am an integrative therapist, which means that I use the most helpful elements of several therapeutic approaches:

• person-centred counselling
• attachment theory
• psychodynamic therapy
• transpersonal therapy

I have specialist training in trauma-informed therapy and considerable experience of bereavement counselling.
In therapy you get a rare experience: time and attention dedicated entirely to you. You will find me calm, curious, empathic, and supportive. Without judgement, I will take you as you are.

This is collaborative work between therapist and client – and a good relationship is the most important factor in its success. On our journey together, we will patiently explore the terrain of your life in search of the root of the problem. Along the way, perspectives will shift, new understandings will emerge with a visceral certainty, and confidence will grow. This is another benefit of therapy – it is a fertile space for growth.

Anxiety, depression, low mood, despair: What’s wrong? It’s much easier to ask that question than answer it. Some clients can’t put a name to what they’re feeling; some aren’t feeling anything at all. Yet there’s a nagging suspicion life could be better, a desire not to feel like this forever.

Attachment issues: As a child, did you get the care you feel you deserved? Were you separated from your siblings or a parent due to family breakdown? Perhaps you were adopted, or fostered for a period. Maybe you were sent away to boarding school. Sometimes, childhood is characterised by a sense of abandonment. You may have reached a stage where you want to understand how your past is influencing your life now.

Bereavement, grief, death: Some losses are harder to come to terms with than others. You may be feeling anger, guilt, or resentment towards the person who’s gone. Perhaps the bereavement has stirred up family tensions. I have helped many clients come to terms with the pain of loss, difficult memories, and the sense of isolation that can accompany the death of a loved one.

Family: Family conflict has been the stuff of drama since ancient times, yet many of us still assume families will be close and supportive, offering unconditional love. I have worked with clients who feel they are the odd one out, some who are estranged from close relatives, and some who simply don’t love a parent.

Life changes: From a promotion at work to redundancy or retirement, the strange process of ageing, the menopause, sudden ill-health, separation or divorce, challenging caring obligations, or the discovery of your true sexuality or gender – sometimes life sets you a challenge you weren’t expecting, and sometimes predictable changes can bring unexpected outcomes and emotions.

Low self-esteem, imposter syndrome: Do you put yourself down? Do you feel uneasy about reaching for the status and responsibility you want? There are all sorts of reasons – past and present – for heightened insecurities. I’ve worked with clients to explore the roots of their self-doubt, to find out why they continually compare themselves with others rather than recognising their own value as individuals.

Purpose and meaning: What is the point of it all? This isn’t just a philosophical question. To live a fulfilled and contented life, most people need a sense of purpose. So what is standing in the way of yours? Starting from your values and the things you enjoy, we can work towards a better understanding of what you’re here for.

Relationships: In many ways, it’s the relationships we have with others – as well as the ones we don’t – that make us what we are. Whether it is in your professional or your private life, it can be challenging to experience relationship breakdown, rejection, lies, betrayal and guilt. You may be feeling regret, remorse, resentment, or rivalry. Perhaps you’re worried that it’s a familiar pattern in your life. Working with me, you can find a way through this emotional minefield with confidence and hope.

Social anxiety: Do you avoid spending time in groups? For some of my clients, being with other people is such hard work that they shy away from socialising altogether. Maybe you worry that you’re boring or can’t keep up with your more confident, quick-witted peers. Whatever the roots of your social anxiety, together we can understand and tame those fears.

Identity: Some of us don’t fit in with the groups we’re supposed to. It can be hard to live the life you want when society seems to demand otherwise. Maybe you aren’t sure who or what you are. Maybe you don’t want to think, feel, or behave the way you’re expected to as a man, as a woman, as a person of your class or racialised identity or culture or age or sexual orientation. We can find out how other people’s expectations are boxing you in. In the end, you can be free to explore your own identity without rejecting the collective values that also make you who you are.

Trauma: Terrifying experiences and neglect can change your brain and nervous system, leaving you prey to extreme emotions or numbness. As well as listening to your pain, and attending to it, we may use grounding techniques to help you process your experiences without becoming overwhelmed or retraumatised. Session by session, calmly and carefully, you can start to put those experiences where they belong – in the past.

Thoughts of suicide: Are you desperate to voice the thoughts you can’t tell anyone else? I have worked with people who feel overwhelmed by life and compelled to consider death. Calmly, we’ll find out more about these thoughts. We’ll work to find a way out of the trap, towards more frequent encounters with ease and hope. If you’re in a crisis, though, call Samaritans on 116 123 or the NHS on 111.

I offer clients one-to-one talking therapy in 50-minute sessions.

Longer-term work is open-ended and can range widely across the terrain of your life. I also offer short-term therapy, which can be useful for clients seeking to address a specific issue over eight to twelve sessions.

I enjoy working with a broad range of people and will welcome you as you are, whatever your sexuality, gender, ethnicity, class, religion, or cultural background.

• Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling from the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB)
• Registered member (MBACP) of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy – I therefore follow its ethical framework
• Level 5 Award in Trauma Informed Therapy from CPCAB
• Bereavement counselling training, St Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney [Read more]
• Creative therapy tools and techniques training, St Joseph’s Hospice
• Training in therapy for people at risk of suicide, Maytree Respite Centre and St Joseph’s Hospice
• Clinical assessment training, Connexus Institute
• Certificate of Higher Education in Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London
• BA (Hons) in Fine Art, Central St Martins College of Art and Design
• BA (Hons) in Greek and Latin literature, and philosophy, Keble College, Oxford

I have monthly supervision to help me to help you ethically and effectively. Alongside my private practice, I work as a bereavement counsellor at St Joseph’s Hospice.

I was born and raised in Liverpool.

My life experience includes several years winning internationally in sport, coming to terms with failed artistic ambitions, and a successful career in journalism that spanned over three decades – from photojournalism in West Africa to senior management positions at two of the UK’s most respected publications.

My decision to retrain as a therapist was the result of a life-long fascination with the workings of the mind, coupled with my own pivotal experience of being in therapy in my thirties.

Apart from periods living and working in Greece, Ivory Coast, Mali, and South Africa, I have lived in London, a city I love, for over three decades.

To arrange a first session, please email or call me. I will be very happy to answer any questions you may have before we meet.

I charge £65 for in-person clients at Space To Be You.

I also have rooms in Holborn and Chingford, and I see clients online too. If you are on a low income, I offer some weekly sessions at a reduced fee.

CONTACT ME:

<< Back to our directory of Hackney therapists.