Harriet Ward

I have limited spaces for new clients.  

I am a skilled and experienced Psychodynamic Psychotherapist. I am a fully qualified and accredited member of the BPC, TSP, & the BACP. I offer face to face and online therapy in Brighton & Hove.

Qualifying in 2009, I trained and worked for several years in NHS Psychotherapy Services, and then later, at the Tavistock Clinic in London, part of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, where I completed a further rigorous professional clinical psychotherapy training which specialised in working in a modern, multi-cultural context. For the past 5 years I have worked in private practice in Brighton.

I understand it takes considerable courage to reach out and entrust your inner difficulties with someone. I offer a 15-minute free introductory call so we can think together about what brings you to therapy and what psychodynamic psychotherapy entails before you commit to a more formal initial consultation. Please do get in touch to see how I can help.  

Our early relationships and environments can often lead us to over identify with, and internalise the projections, expectations, and demands of others. Therapy offers a space and time for you to get to know and become reacquainted with your internal world. Over time, the therapeutic process may not only illuminate your conscious, but your unconscious beliefs, emotions, and narratives which may be contributing to your inner conflict and difficulties. It can give you a deeper understanding and connection with a more authentic sense of who you are, in the here and now, and how you relate to the world.

I will endeavour to be a warm, empathic and non-judgemental witness to your process. I will sit beside you and provide the containment, safety and support, so you can explore your past and present experiences, thoughts, feelings, narratives and patterns of relating. It may not only alleviate the symptoms that are troubling you, but it may also help you to make deep seated changes to your sense of agency, personality, and development.

I have worked with a diverse range of adults, and am committed to providing a Service that is tolerant and respectful of difference, irrespective of race and ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, sexuality, age and disability. 

I have a particular interest in early relational, attachment, complex, developmental, and trans-generational trauma. I keep up to date with current thinking and therapeutic advancements in the treatment of trauma.

After an initial conversation we will go on to meet for an initial consultation so we can think together about what it is that brings you to therapy in more detail. Sometimes it may be necessary to meet for further discussions so we can get to know each other and consider whether psychotherapy is right for you. We can consider other possibilities if we decide that it isn't suitable for you at this time. I allow 50 minutes for the initial consultation and charge the same as my session fee.

To enable a strong therapeutic relationship to develop, consistency and continuity are very important. We would aim to meet at the same time for 50 minutes, at a minimum frequency of once a week.

It can often be helpful to increase the frequency of your weekly sessions which allows more time and a deeper exploration to take place. I tend to work on a long term, open ended basis. However, I am also able to offer shorter term therapy at a length we can decide together. I can also offer psychodynamic counselling sessions of a minimum of 12 or more sessions.