Sharon Toye

I am a humanistic and integrative therapist. Humanistic therapy believes in the full potential and integrity of all people and emphasises a real relationship between client and psychotherapist. Integrative therapy combines ideas and techniques from different therapeutic schools of thought depending on the unique needs of a given client. I draw from various theoretical approaches in my work, including Psychodynamic, Person-Centred, Internal Family Systems and Somatic frameworks.

The aim of psychodynamic therapy is to bring the unconscious mind into consciousness. Psychodynamic therapy can be used to help you recognise, experience and understand underlying feelings to help you understand how you are being affected today. It is based on the idea that we hide painful experiences and memories in the subconscious, and then create defence mechanisms such as denial and projections to avoid having to face them.

Person-centred therapy is a humanistic approach to therapy that believes we each have the ability to reach our full potential given the right conditions. Person-centred therapy is led by you the client, with me helping you to explore your own issues, feelings, behaviours, beliefs and worldview, to allow you to become more self-aware.

Internal Family Systems. This is a way of understanding our Self and our parts to understand that all parts of us have good intentions and that whatever ways they have developed to cope and manage, their ultimate aim is of protection and safety. Sometimes parts of us have found ways that may initially appear detrimental, such as addictive behaviours, angry outbursts or avoidance etc., however with curiosity and compassion we find that these ways of coping tend to have developed when we were very young to help us manage and exist in the world and in our environment and in relationship with others. IFS is a very gentle and compassionate way of working that can enrich and widen your ability to feel like ‘you’.

My goal is to make you feel as comfortable and secure as possible during our sessions. I understand that starting therapy can be daunting, and I strive to create a supportive environment where you can openly explore any difficulties you may face.

I hold these qualifications:

MSc in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, Middlesex University and Bath Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy – March 2008

Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling, Bristol University – 2000

Internal Family Systems Level 1 Certification – 2024

Sessions typically last 50 minutes. We will determine the duration of our work together based on your needs.

I offer an initial telephone 30 minute fee free conversation to explore our match. 

for in-person sessions I work in Hampstead, West Hampstead, Finchley and Camden