Laura McCarthy

Certified Transational Analyst, Psychotherapist, Counsellor & Specialist Mentor

Are you feeling anxious, angry, depressed?

Or are you having issues in your relationship?

If right now life’s events seem overwhelming, having a place to be heard, supported and understood may help. Or perhaps you’re unable to put your finger on what is wrong but just feel that something is, then you may find delving into therapy can help to make sense of an issue.

Perhaps you’re having issues in your relationship or marriage and struggling to communicate effectively with your partner, and need a safe place in which to listen, talk and be heard.

How can I help?

I offer confidential, non-judgmental therapy in a non-discriminatory practice for both individuals and couples aged 18 and over.

How to get started

I suggest an initial session, at my standard fee, in which we can meet and talk. This session will allow us both to ask any questions before we decide if we want to proceed.

More details on what to expect at the initial session can be found here and for couples.

At the end of this session, if you feel unable to commit to working weekly or that counselling is not for you, you are not obliged to book any further sessions.

Laura McCarthy

MSc (Psych), CTA, Dip., UKCP, MBACP

Individual Counselling

Research has shown that therapy has the most positive outcomes when there is a good therapeutic alliance between a therapist and client. Therefore a good therapeutic fit is paramount, and I believe it is important that my clients feel happy to work with me, and equally, I feel I have the right skill set to ensure a client gets the best results and value for money out of the work.

This fit is something we can jointly determine in an initial session.

Initial Session

The initial individual session will be 50 minutes long.

In this initial session, I will ask some administration questions to ensure I have all the background information to continue working together. I will then ask you about what brings you to therapy and what is currently on your mind.

Towards the end of the session, we will agree together if we are happy to work together, what outcome of the therapy we will concentrate on, and if the work should be short-term (ten sessions), long-term (six months to one year), or open-ended.

To secure an initial session it must be paid for in advance and I will provide payment details at the point the session is confirmed, all subsequent payments for future sessions can be made on the day online or in cash.

To avoid interrupting others, please arrive promptly at your session at the start time and not earlier. I do not have a reception or waiting area to accommodate you if you arrive early.

The session will begin from the start of the session time (if you arrive late, unfortunately, I will not be able to run over).

Weekly Sessions

After we have agreed to work together, our weekly sessions will be held at the same time and date each week and will be 50 minutes long. Therapy is a joint process, and your commitment to attending weekly sessions, on the same day each week is an important part of the way I work. Without this level of commitment and an agreement to take time to reflect on the sessions between the time we meet, I cannot guarantee the therapy will work.

Missing or Re-scheduling Sessions

If a session cannot be attended one week’s notice is required. Sessions not attended without one week’s notice will be charged at my usual fee.

I will always try to find an alternative appointment time if you are unable to give one week’s notice, however re-scheduled appointments in the same week are not always possible.

Breaks in Work

In long term work, it is usual to expect 6-8 weeks a year when we are unable to meet because of holidays. Holidays should be agreed in advance as early as possible to allow us to discuss breaks in the work with plenty of time.

Couples Counselling

Sometimes relationships get stuck, or someone gets hurt and it becomes hard to talk without fighting. When working with couples, I offer a safe, impartial space to help couples to work through issues, to talk, hear and be heard.

Couples counselling is not about taking sides, making judgements or attributing blame. Instead, I make myself available to facilitate conversation and offer both parties equal opportunity to discuss what is wrong, what brought you to this place, what you will do differently if you decide to move forward and stay together.

Initial Session

With this style of counselling you will learn to understand and communicate your feelings and needs more clearly, without ending up in arguments. You will learn to listen to your partner and hear how they feel and what they need from you to make the relationship better.

I offer couples the option of on-going counselling in 60 minute weekly sessions (usually six to twelve sessions are required) or an intense 2-hour recovery session to get to the heart of the issue and kick start change.

There is no one size fits all, if you may prefer to methodically through your relationship issues then weekly sessions may suit you best (one 60-minute session is not enough time to do the work required).

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the issues you are facing, then an intense recovery session might be best, followed by some ongoing hourly sessions, although for some the intense recovery session is enough.

Weekly Sessions

After we have agreed to work together, our weekly or fortnightly sessions will be held at the same time and date each week/fortnight and will be 60 minutes long.

Missing or Re-scheduling Sessions

If a session cannot be attended one week’s notice is required. Regular sessions missed without one week’s notice will be charged at my usual fee. I will always try to find an alternative appointment time if you are unable to give one week’s notice but please note, re-scheduled appointments in the same week are not always possible.

Issues Worked With

Abusive Relationships

Bereavement

Bullying

Couples

DID

Financial Issues

Lack of Confidence

Heartbreak

OCD

Passive Aggression

Redundancy

Trauma

Separation & Divorce

Affairs / Betrayal

Body Dysmorphia

Bulima Nervosa

C-PTSD

Domestic Violence

GAD

Loss of Direction

Identity Issues

Paranoia

Physical Abuse

Relationship Issues

Work Addiction

Sexual Abuse

Anxiety (GAD)

Borderline PD

Childhood Trauma/Abuse

Depression

Eating Disorders

Money Issues

Gambling

Infidelity

Panic Attacks

Pre-Marriage Counselling

Social Media Anxiety

Sadness

Anger

Bi – Polar PD

Career Issues

Dissociation

Emotional Abuse

Narcissistic Abuse

Hearing Voices

Low Self-Esteem

Panic Disorder

PTSD

Suicidal Thoughts

Self-Harm

My Fees

Individual (50mins)

£ 75

Per Session

Couple (60mins)

£ 85

Per Session

Couples (120mins)

£ 150

Per 2 hr Recovery Session

Ramsgate, Kent

(Sun-Wed 1-8pm)

Individual (50mins)

£ 125

Per Session

Couples (60mins)

£ 150

Per Session

Couples (120mins)

£ 250

Per 2hr Recovery Session

Harley Street, London

(Sat 9am-12pm)

My Qualifications

Training & Qualifications

Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) (EATA).
MSc. in Psychotherapy (Middlesex University).
Clinical Diploma in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy (Metanoia Institute).
Diploma in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Metanoia Institute).
Extensive specialist training in C-PTSD and DID.
Diploma in Life Coaching (New Skills Academy).

Clinical Experience

Over three years experience in private practice.
Two years experience as an Associate Counsellor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, counselling undergraduate music and dance students.
Two years specialist mentor experience for undergraduate university music students with mental health issues.

Complex Mental Health Experience

I have long-term experience of complex work including the following personality disorders:

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
Dissociative identity disorder (DID)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).

Leadership Experience

In addition to my psychotherapy work, I have 20 years of business experience at board level within high-profile, high-pressured, corporate music companies and entertainment venues.

Through my leadership experience, I have developed the skills necessary to support all kinds of people to thrive in stressful situations and the ability to successfully mentor and coach them into fulfilling their potential in both academia and business.

Memberships

To demonstrate my competence I am a member of several organisations, each of which requires the fulfilment of particular standards of training and knowledge by its associates.

Full clinical member of the UK Council of Psychotherapy (UKCP)
Registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Member of Metanoia Institute.
Member of the International Association of Relational Transactional Analysis (IARTA)
Member of European Association of Transactional Analysis (EATA).

As a reflection of my work with child abuse survivors, I have been accepted as a member of:

Ritual Abuse Information Network and Support (RAINS)
Positive Outcomes for Dissociative Survivors (PODS)
European Society for Trauma and Dissociation (ESTD)
First Person Plural (FPP)

Ethical Principles

I am deeply committed to, practice and abide by the principles and ethics of EATA.

Supervision

To ensure I continue to work ethically and in my clients’, best interests, I am fully supervised by two Training and Supervising Transactional Analysts and a Transpersonal Supervisor specialising in DID.

My Ramsgate practice is a 1 minute walk from both Waitrose and the seafront. Being 1 mile away from Ramsgate Train Station, I am within easy reach of Margate, Broadstairs, Dumpton, Birchington, Westgate, Pegwell, Sandwich, Deal, Dover, Whitstable and Herne Bay.

My London practice is in Harley Street W1G, making it within easy reach of North London, Islington, Euston, Camden and Central London. – Please note: hours at my London practice are currently very limited.