Diana Collins

Monday mornings in person at The Open Door, other days of the week on Zoom.  Wednesdays in London.

I am a practicing psychotherapist supporting adults of all ages and all walks of life.  Therapy is often a last resort when nothing else has 鈥榳orked鈥� and talking with friends and loved ones also doesn鈥檛 quite seem to get to the heart of the matter.  Whatever your concerns may be, however big or small, they do matter.  I offer a safe, confidential space for you to bring your anxiety, sadness, loss, grief, lack of self esteem, relationship issues, or perhaps you just feel stuck and cannot move forward.  

From time to time the narratives we tell ourselves need editing and updating.  I will listen to your story with empathy and respect and together we will seek to unravel the complexities of your situation and ease your burdens.

Before training as a psychotherapist I had experience of living and working with people in other cultures; as a speech and language therapist I have worked in the NHS with adults and children with a range of communication impairments.  I have also worked in the voluntary sector notably The Caravan Drop In Counselling Service at St James鈥檚 Church Piccadilly and HELP Counselling Service, both in London.

I have a particular interest in life鈥檚 transitional phases and how we leave bits of ourselves behind as we adapt to new circumstances.  A search for answers and meaning in my own life has brought me to where I am today.  It is a persistent curiosity and gratitude which sustains my love for this work.

I work integratively and relationally.  The key to a good outcome in therapy is a good working relationship which is based on trust and confidentiality.  When you feel comfortable in the therapy space your system can begin to heal itself.  Talking to a neutral listener can feel reassuring and uplifting.  Some people comment that 鈥渁t last things are beginning to make sense鈥�.  This realisation often comes as a great relief, a sort of 鈥淎ha moment鈥�.

If you choose to embark on this journey of discovery I hope you will experience a little bit of that too.

Why Therapy ?

Therapy is about enquiry and healing.  These two go hand in hand and step by step.  it is important to work at the right pace for you.  Whether you come for just a few sessions to address one particular topic, or whether you are looking for a deeper experience, you are welcome.

For enquiry and seeking to understand ourselves better I draw on four main perspectives in my work which are:

Psychodynamic principles for early childhood issues (adverse childhood experiences), Humanistic ideas for relationship dynamics and connection, Existential thinking which looks to the meaning and purpose of life and Transpersonal soul work which considers 鈥渁m I living the life of the person I was born to be?鈥�.

I am also influenced by the work of Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) and Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems -  IFS).

Therapy helps us to become more aware of our feelings, for example fear, guilt, sadness, anger, jealousy and shame.  They are what make us human and they help us to understand others.  Whilst these are normal universal emotions, how they play out in our own life when they become distorted is individual and personal.

Deep healing takes place in the body, the mind and at the level of the soul.  I follow developments in the field of neuroscience which tells us that it is possible to create new neural pathways which bypass old ones.  This is called neuroplasticity and we can re-wire our nervous systems by re-writing our stories and giving them more relevant and realistic outcomes.

Ways of doing this might include journaling, creative pursuits such as music, artwork, outdoor activities; bringing greater awareness to how our body speaks to us through gesture, breathing and sensations; calming our inner critic; mindfulness, spiritual practice; re-connecting with younger parts of ourselves; dream work and others which will be specific and unique to you.  

Therapy can be thought of as a journey of discovery and it is an opportunity for change.

Our first session is very much about getting to know each other.  I will ask you to tell me what is bringing you to therapy and what you are hoping to gain from the experience. 

Whether this is your first experience of therapy or if you are a 鈥瀝eturner鈥� you are likely to be feeling apprehensive about our first meeting.  I aim to offer an informal, relaxed space where you will feel unhurried and at ease.

You may quickly get a sense of whether you would like us to work together or you may prefer to go away and think about it.  If you decide to embark on this journey I usually recommend an initial 6 sessions after which we can review the situation and continue or not, as you wish.

I offer therapy on a weekly basis, preferably the same day and time each week, either in person or online

I look forward to hearing from you.

I work on Wednesdays in person at the CCPE building in Little Venice.  At other times in the week I offer sessions on Zoom.  Please contact me for availability.

I am a practicing psychotherapist supporting adults of all ages and all walks of life. Therapy is often a last resort when nothing else has 鈥榳orked鈥� and talking with friends and loved ones also doesn鈥檛 quite seem to get to the heart of the matter. Whatever your concerns may be, however big or small, they do matter. I offer a safe, confidential space for you to bring your anxiety, sadness, loss, grief, lack of self esteem, relationship issues, or perhaps you Are just feeling stuck and cannot move forward.

From time to time the narratives we tell ourselves need editing and updating. I will listen to your story with empathy and respect and together we will seek to unravel the complexities of your situation and ease your burdens.

Before training as a psychotherapist I had experience of living and working with people in other cultures; as a speech and therapist I have worked in the NHS with adults and children with a range of communication impairments. I have also worked in the voluntary sector notably The Caravan Drop In Counselling at St James鈥檚 Church Piccadilly and HELP Counselling Service, both in London.

I have a particular interest in life鈥檚 transitional phases and how we leave bits of ourselves behind as we adapt to new circumstances. A search for answers and meaning in my own life has brought me to where I am today. It is a persistent curiosity and gratitude which sustains my love for this work.

I work integratively and relationally. The key to a good outcome in therapy is a good working relationship which is based on trust and confidentiality. When you feel comfortable in the therapy space your system can begin to heal itself. Talking to a neutral listener can feel reassuring and uplifting. Some people comment that 鈥渁t last things are beginning to make sense鈥�. This realisation often comes as a great relief, a sort of 鈥淎ha moment鈥�.

If you choose to embark on this journey of discovery I hope you will experience a little bit of that too.

Why Therapy ?

Therapy is about enquiry and healing. These two go hand in hand and step by step. it is important to work at the right pace for you. Whether you come for just a few sessions to address one particular topic, or whether you are looking for a deeper experience, you are welcome.

For enquiry and seeking to understand ourselves better I draw on four main perspectives in my work which are:

Psychodynamic principles for early childhood issues (adverse childhood experiences), Humanistic ideas for relationship dynamics and connection, Existential thinking which looks to the meaning and purpose of life and Transpersonal soul work which considers 鈥渁m I living the life of the person I was born to be?鈥�.

I am also influenced by the work of Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) and Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems - IFS).

Therapy helps us to become more aware of our feelings, for example fear, guilt, sadness, anger, jealousy and shame. They are what make us human and they help us to understand others. Whilst these are normal universal emotions, how they play out in our own life when they become distorted is individual and personal.

Deep healing takes place in the body, the mind and at the level of the soul. I follow developments in the field of neuroscience which tells us that it is possible to create new neural pathways which bypass old ones. This is called neuroplasticity and we can re-wire our nervous systems by re-writing our stories and giving them more relevant and realistic outcomes.

Ways of doing this might include journaling, creative pursuits such as music, artwork, outdoor activities; bringing greater awareness to how our body speaks to us through gesture, breathing and sensations; calming our inner critic; mindfulness, spiritual practice; re-connecting with younger parts of ourselves; dream work and others which will be specific and unique to you.

Therapy can be thought of as a journey of discovery and it is an opportunity for change.

Our first session is very much about getting to know each other. I will ask you to tell me what is bringing you to therapy and what you are hoping to gain from the experience.

Whether this is your first experience of therapy or if you are a 鈥瀝eturner鈥� you are likely to be feeling apprehensive about our first meeting. I aim to offer an informal, relaxed space where you will feel unhurried and at ease.

You may quickly get a sense of whether you would like us to work together or you may prefer to go away and think about it. If you decide to embark on this journey I usually recommend an initial 6 sessions after which we can review the situation and continue or not, as you wish.

I offer therapy on a weekly basis, preferably the same day and time each week, either in person or online

I look forward to hearing from you.