David Harford

Please note that my current practice hours are between 2pm and 9.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Reduced rates on individual and couples sessions are available for low income groups on request. All initial assessment appointments are free of charge.

- Certified Transactional Analyst (Psychotherapy)

- Diploma in TA Counselling (COSCA)

- Diploma in Supervision (COSCA)

Registered Psychotherapist with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy- UKCP

Registered Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy- BACP

Originally from West Yorkshire, Scotland has been my home for over 30 years. During that time, I’ve gathered over 20 years of experience in working with diverse groups of people from various backgrounds facing a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges.

After graduating from the University of Edinburgh in 1998 with an English Literature degree, I began my career in the social care sector; predominantly supporting adults with learning disabilities and providing independent advocacy for individuals under the care of NHS Lothian’s psychiatric and learning disability services.

My training in transactional analysis began in 2007 at the Counselling and Psychotherapy Training Institute (CPTI) in Edinburgh and I passed my examinations to become a Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) with a Psychotherapy specialism at the Institute of Transactional Analysis (ITA) UK Conference in Cheltenham during 2013. Following several years building my private practice in Leith, in 2015 I embarked on further training to become a clinical supervisor with Physis Training in Edinburgh and achieved my Diploma in Supervision in 2017. In the autumn of that year, I moved a short distance eastward to Musselburgh and also transferred my private practice to its present location in the Eskmills Business Hub.

Since 2012, I have worked in a dedicated space within Scottish Veterans Residences at Whitefoord House in Edinburgh providing long-term psychotherapy for armed forces veterans experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction issues and other psychological difficulties related to their military service. This trauma-focused work led to a two-year research study on the effectiveness of transactional analysis psychotherapy in treating PTSD, which was published in the International Journal of TA Research (IJTAR) in 2014.

Having made an initial enquiry, you’ll be invited to attend a free 45-minute assessment with the aim of providing an opportunity for you to:

- Outline a little of your history and your reasons for seeking help

- Ask me in detail about my background, my approach and the services I offer

- Experience a taste of what counselling and psychotherapy will involve

- Get an overall sense of whether you feel you could work with me

Hopefully, by the end of the assessment, you’ll be in a position to make an informed decision as to whether you wish to proceed with a series of 50-minute treatment sessions. These would usually be weekly, but we might also agree to meet less often based on your circumstances.

If you do decide to continue, then I take a £10 deposit off the cost of the first session so as to secure your booking and, also, cover my costs should you change your mind and need to cancel.