Kate Trench

I am currently taking referrals for psychotherapy or counselling, in person or online. 

I am a counsellor and psychotherapist with a well-established practice in Central London. My approach to people seeking counselling or psychotherapy is collaborative; each therapy is unique to the individual and I see my role as working alongside my clients to help them understand themselves, their feelings and their circumstances better. I have long experience of working with a range of different intersecting issues - psychological, social and emotional - affecting people's ability to live their lives to the full. Rather than giving advice I aim to foster a working relationship in which my client feels heard and understood, and gradually empowered to take more charge of aspects of their life which may have felt out of their control. 

I am trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy. This approach aims to help the individual understand their feelings, behaviour and relationships better. It is a relational approach in that it considers the client's relationship with their therapist as one of the key therapeutic agents of change. Psychodynamic therapy attends to aspects of individuals' mental life that may be affecting them and their relationships but remain outside their awareness. Childhood and growing up experiences, memories and dreams are also thought about in psychodynamic therapy with the aim of making sense of past experience which may have been traumatic, distressing or confusing. 

Your first session with me is an opportunity for you to get a feel for the way I work and ask any questions you may have about therapy. You will have time to fully explain what has brought you for therapy and what you are hoping for from working with a therapist. I will listen and may make the odd comment but I won't assume that you want to start therapy until we have agreed this explicitly. I will explain the terms and conditions I work to as well as the Ethical Code which I abide by. 

As a supervisor I bring psychoanalytic training and clinical experience over nearly twenty years. Having worked both in private practice and in organisations I also bring systemic thinking to how unconscious dynamics may play out both between therapist and client but also within the organisation they are in, with a view to illuminating the client's difficulties and supporting the therapist in their work. My approach as a supervisor is a collegiate one. I see supervision as an essential aid for every therapist and I am in my own supervision.