Helen Darling

I understand that speaking to a counsellor for the first time can feel very daunting especially if you are already feeling overwhelmed. Like any journey it is best to start one step at a time, the first step would be to contact me.

I am a fully qualified Integrative Counsellor who has been in practice for well over a decade; I offer individual counselling in my practice room in Notting Hill Gate as well as being a Certified Online and Telephone Counsellor offering sessions remotely if preferred. I offer evening appointments.

My therapeutic style is collaborative, creative and dynamic. I see my approach as truly integrative, not only integrating different theoretical approaches such as psychodynamic, cognitive/behavioural and humanistic but also integrating myself into the therapeutic relationship so that I am able to offer whatever is required in the moment. If anxiety levels are so high or low mood is so extreme that it acts as a barrier to being able to engage in counselling, I might offer some CBT type interventions in the first few sessions in order to help find strategies to manage these intense feelings so that engagement is possible on a deeper more relational level going forward

I work in a considered way that allows you to find your own path through whatever difficulties you are experiencing with a solid therapeutic relationship forming the foundations to any other interventions I might offer. My aim is to build a therapeutic relationship with you that is trusting, supportive and genuine and provides a caring, respectful, non-judgmental, safe space in which you can speak openly and explore feelings that might seem dangerous. I believe that when you are able to find new words for old feelings even the most embedded patterns can be transformed.

I offer both short term counselling (6-12 sessions) and longer-term psychotherapy which can be open ended. I have experience of working with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, low self-esteem, bereavement and childhood trauma to name a few. 

I offer a free informal telephone conversation that will last no longer than 30 minutes so we can see if it feels like we might be able to work together. You can ask me any questions you might have about therapy or how I work, I will also ask you a few questions so that I can get a sense of why you are coming to therapy. 

If we decide to proceed we would arrange an initial session which lasts for 50 minutes where we would go into more detail about what has brought you to therapy at this time so we could begin to think about ways forward.