Gordon Knowles

As you read this profile, you are probably feeling ‘stuck’ in some way –maybe overwhelmed by grief, painful events, relationship breakdowns or difficult life choices. I believe this is when therapy can help. It gives you a safe, non-judgemental space to explore both the challenges you are facing and parts of yourself that even you might not feel very familiar with. From this, you can gain useful insights that will allow you to arrive at a point of clarity around your situation and the choices you may need to make to proceed in life.

A fundamental belief I hold is that, however challenging and hopeless life can feel, change is possible.

I am a fully qualified integrative relational psychotherapist based in North London, and an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP) and British Psychological Society (MBPsS). This means I adhere to these professional bodies’ codes of conduct and ethical frameworks.

After qualifying to work with individual clients, I undertook further specialist training in couple and relationship therapy, accredited by The College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (CORST) at level 5.

Alongside my private practice, I have worked - and continue to work - in organisational settings focussing on bereavement, breakdown of communication, life transitions, young people, and common mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Before qualifying as a psychotherapist, I worked at a senior level within a creative industry. The travel and personal experience this work gave me enabled me to meet and interact with people from various cultures and countries, and gives me a particular interest in working with clients from corporate and creative backgrounds.

I am also a tutor and lecturer in counselling training and experienced in working with students training to enter the counselling profession. 

In our sessions you will have the freedom to explore whatever is troubling you, at your own pace.

I have a core belief in the uniqueness of each individual and of the experiences and relationships that may have led you to seeking therapy. Being an integrative counsellor means that I draw on different approaches and techniques, depending on your own unique needs. My aim is to build a trusting relationship within a confidential framework that will help you to better understand what is going on for you, both in terms of your present circumstances and the patterns in your life. Our goal will be to create increased self-awareness and self-acceptance, which can aid positive life changes and personal growth.

Couples (sessions from £100):

Much of what I’ve written above around individual therapy will still hold true, but with perhaps a more specific focus on the dynamics between the couple and how these affect not only the wellbeing of each individual, but more specifically how they are affecting the relationship as an entity.

In line with this, there will be a greater emphasis on communication problems, sex and emotional intimacy, and conflict resolution between the clients, with a goal of developing healthier communication patterns and to understand each other’s perspectives.

Common types of relationship issues that might be addressed include affairs and betrayals, arguing and conflict and life transitions (starting a family/children leaving home/retirement).

I offer a free, non-binding telephone consultation where we can explore what is going on for you at the moment and what type of therapy might be best suited to helping you with the outcomes you want to achieve, and will help us decide if I am the right therapist for you. This call will typically be for around 30 minutes and will also provide a space to explore any questions or concerns you may have around the counselling process.

With couples, an important aspect of early sessions will be gaining an understanding from each person of the presenting problem (which might differ), including an understanding of how long this has been going on and how their decision to enter therapy has come about, and what their goals might be.