Anastasios Gaitanidis

Anastasios Gaitanidis


Registered Member MBACP

Contact information

Phone number
07787023692

Contact Anastasios


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Therapist - Clapham Common

Clapham Common SW4
07787023692
Sessions from £85.00

Features

  • Flexible hours available
  • Concessionary rates

Availability

I offer morning, afternoon, evening, and night appointments during the week.

About me and my therapy practice

I am an experienced Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and the Director of Relational Psychoanalytic Therapy with extensive clinical expertise developed through years of private practice, clinical supervision and university teaching and training positions.

At the core of my clinical framework is a profound understanding of intersubjectivity and mutual recognition. Drawing from my specialised training in relational psychoanalysis, I create a therapeutic environment where clients' emerging sense of self can be witnessed and validated. This relational matrix becomes the foundation upon which meaningful psychological development can occur.

My relational approach integrates multiple psychoanalytic traditions - from object relations to self psychology and intersubjective systems theory - while maintaining the centrality of the therapeutic relationship. This allows me to work effectively with the complex transferential and countertransferential dynamics that emerge within the therapeutic dyad.

I am particularly attuned to the intricate ways in which early attachment patterns, implicit relational knowing, and procedural memory manifest in present relationships. Through careful attention to the here-and-now of our therapeutic engagement, I help clients recognise and transform maladaptive relational templates.

In our work together, clients experience a safe, validating space where their emotional realities are approached with empathic attunement and genuine concern. This non-judgmental stance facilitates the exploration of unconscious processes and the integration of dissociated aspects of experience.

Finally, I utilise the rich symbolic language of psychoanalysis to explore how past and present traumas, losses, and relational difficulties impact psychological development, always understanding these elements within the context of our evolving therapeutic relationships.

Practice description

In my relational psychoanalytic practice, I am not a neutral observer but an active participant in our therapeutic journey together.

You can expect that:

  • We'll work together to understand your experiences, patterns, and unconscious processes within the context of your relationships - both past and present.
  • Our own relationship will become a meaningful space where patterns can emerge, be recognised, and transformed. I'll openly acknowledge my own subjectivity rather than claiming a position of objective authority.
  • We'll continually influence each other in our interactions. Your experiences affect me, and my responses affect you - this bidirectional process becomes a powerful tool for insight.
  • While we'll explore your past, we'll pay particular attention to what unfolds between us in the present moment.
  • I'll strive to be genuine and emotionally attuned rather than maintaining rigid professional boundaries that might recreate harmful power dynamics.

My approach views the self as fundamentally relational - we develop and heal in connection with others. Through our work together, you'll gain deeper understanding of yourself, your relational patterns, and new possibilities for authentic connection in your life.

Training and Qualifications

I completed my training in Psychodynamic Counselling at Goldsmiths (University of London) and a 4-year training in Relational Psychoanalysis at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies (NIP) in New York. I have also an MA and PhD in Psychoanalysis from the University of Kent. I am a member of the SITE for Contemporary Psychoanalysis and served as an Acting Chair and Member of its Council and Training Committee.

I have been teaching and training psychotherapists and counsellors at various universities and private settings for the last 25 years. I have written numerous journal articles and books, with the most recent one titled "The Sublime in Everyday Life"

My first session

Your initial session serves as our introduction and an opportunity to determine if we're a good fit for working together. Unlike some practices, I don't offer a different rate for this first meeting, as I believe meaningful therapeutic work begins from our first interaction.

During this 50-minute session, I won't ask you to complete formal assessments or paperwork. Instead, we'll engage in conversation about what brings you to therapy at this time. I'll invite you to share as much of your background and history as feels comfortable, recognising that trust develops gradually.

I may ask about:
  • What prompted you to seek therapy now
  • Significant relationships and experiences that have shaped you
  • Previous therapy experiences, if any
  • Your hopes and concerns about the therapeutic process
This is also your opportunity to ask questions about my approach and how I work. I encourage you to notice how you feel in our interaction, as this intuitive sense often guides whether we'll work well together.

By the end of our session, we'll discuss possible next steps. If we decide to continue, we'll establish a regular weekly meeting, cancellation policy, holidays, and payment schedule.

Remember, we will only continue if we decide that we are both willing to engage in this process. The therapeutic relationship is based on choice and collaboration, beginning with our decision about whether to embark on this journey together.

What I can help with

Abuse, Addictions, Anger management, Anxiety, Bereavement, Cancer, Career coaching, Cultural issues, Depression, Health related issues, Identity issues, Loss, Men's issues, Obsessions, OCD, Personal development, Phobias, Post-traumatic stress, Redundancy, Relationships, Self esteem, Service veterans, Sex-related issues, Sexual identity, Sexuality, Stress, Trauma, Work related issues

Types of therapy

Brief therapy, Integrative, Psychoanalytic, Psychodynamic, Relational

Clients I work with

Adults, Couples, Groups, Older adults, Organisations, Trainees, Young people

How I deliver therapy

Long-term face-to-face work, Online therapy, Short-term face-to-face work, Telephone therapy, Time-limited

Languages spoken

English, Greek