James O'Riordan

I am currently taking on new clients. I work mornings, afternoons and evenings. I work in person and online or a hybrid of both. I work from NG4. I seek to work with all people and respect their world view.

Hello. I know approaching a counsellor for help is an important step and investment. It might help you if I tell you a bit about myself.

I am 63 and a white, London-Irish male. I have been married for 30 years to Catherine (also a psychotherapist) and we have two now grown-up children, a son and a daughter. I have had many jobs, mostly to do with education, politics and coaching. I still work part time as a tutor, mostly primary aged children. I have always worked in a way that celebrates each person and respects their culture, beliefs and values. Perhaps this is why many people from non-UK backgrounds seem to have sought me out. I am also familiar with the different ways being neurodiverse shapes life. Perhaps because of my Hypnotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) background I have worked with many people with sleep, eating and health problems, including ‘functional disorders’ and Long Covid. I fully embrace working in a way that embraces difference and diversity as difference is what makes life interesting.

Whatever your challenge I am committed to confidentiality and to working with you in a way that helps you explore what is holding you back in life and discover ways to help you move forwards, whatever that means to you. As a counsellor I am trained as a Gestalt therapist which means in our work together, I will encourage you to be curious and find new ways of tackling problems and the frustrations that go with trying to grow. I will pay complete attention to all that you share, both in terms of what you say but also in how you speak and how your body speaks. Together we will investigate ways for you to develop a better internal dialogue and I may invite you to try some creative ways of speaking to yourself. I will provide a supportive relationship for you to better understand yourself, your relationships and life in general. Counselling can be a positive enjoyable experience even though we might lean into some uncomfortable stuff along the way.

Most clients look to engage in weekly sessions. I work from my office at home in NG4 and my therapy room is on the ground floor with ground floor WC access. Each appointment lasts 50 minutes. I offer appointments in person, online and hybrid. Sessions can be open-ended or time limited. We will start working together by exploring your expectations of therapy and what it is you want help with, and we will review our work frequently. I work with people 18 and over.

When you first come for a therapy appointment I will look to make you feel comfortable with me so that it is easier for you to explain what has been going on. I may take some notes at this point and we will speak through the contract before making future appointments. I will be committed to supporting you to explore what you need to explore to get your life into a better place. What you share with me will be treated with upmost respect and confidentiality. I will ask you about your life both now and how it was for you growing up. This way I can get a sense of the many different experiences that have made you the unique person you are today. I look for feedback and will ask you regularly how the sessions are going for you. Together we will notice the difference counselling is making for your health and well being and celebrate these milestones together.

I charge £55 for all sessions. I will ask you for contact details and details of your GP, relevant medical history including medication, your past experiences of being helped and most importantly what it is you are coming for therapy for help with. You will be made to feel welcome.