Ian Newman

Contact me to find out about my current availability at The Gestalt Centre or online.

I’m Ian Newman, a Gestalt counsellor with over 10 years of experience. I provide a safe, affirming space specifically for clients, blending professional expertise with lived understanding. My Gestalt approach focuses on the ‘here and now,’ helping you navigate identity, relationships, and personal growth with authentic awareness. I invite you to explore your unique journey in an environment where you are fully seen, heard, and understood.

I understand that the therapeutic relationship is the heart of change, and I am committed to making that connection accessible whether we meet in my consulting room or via a screen.

* In-Person: We share a physical space, allowing for a traditional therapeutic environment where we can use the room and creative experiments to explore your feelings. I work from my private practice in Kings Hill, Kent and also at the Gestalt Centre in London.

* Online: I have extensive experience translating the counselling experience to online work. Many clients find that working from the comfort of their own home allows them to open up in different and profound ways.

Regardless of the format, my goal is to offer you a non-judgmental, affirmative space where you can bring your whole self—fears, joys, and complexities included.

My approach is grounded in Gestalt Therapy, which is fundamentally about awareness. Rather than getting lost in the past or worrying about the future, we focus on the "here and now"—what you are thinking, feeling, and sensing in the present moment. By becoming fully aware of how you relate to yourself and the world around you, you gain the freedom to make new, healthier choices.

Over my 10 years of practice, I have found that true healing requires a flexible toolkit. Therefore, I weave in elements from three other powerful approaches:

* Mindfulness: This supports our Gestalt work by helping you slow down and tune into your body. It provides a grounding anchor, reducing anxiety and helping you observe your thoughts without getting swept away by them.

* Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT): Many of us, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community, struggle with an inner critic or deep-seated shame. CFT helps us retrain our brains to respond to suffering with kindness rather than judgment, building a sense of safety and self-soothing.

* Internal Family Systems (IFS): You might feel like "part of you" wants one thing, while another part wants something else. I use IFS to help you understand these different internal "parts"—protective or vulnerable—allowing you to integrate them so you feel more whole and less conflicted.

If you want to find out more and meet for an initial consultation, I  offer this at a cheaper rate than regular counselling sessions.  The initial consultation is a good way to find out more about what working with me would be like.  You are welcome to share what you are seeking counselling for.  You can ask questions about how I work and it is the chance to see if we would be a good fit for working together.  Please contact me if you would like to arrange a consultation. 

I have good daytime availability on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Contact me for more information or to enquire about evening availability. 

I’m Ian Newman, a Gestalt counsellor with over 10 years of experience. I provide a safe, affirming space for clients, blending professional expertise with lived understanding. My Gestalt approach focuses on the ‘here and now,’ helping you navigate identity, relationships, and personal growth with authentic awareness. I invite you to explore your unique journey in an environment where you are fully seen, heard, and understood.

I understand that the therapeutic relationship is the heart of change, and I am committed to making that connection accessible whether we meet in my consulting room or via a screen.

* In-Person: We share a physical space, allowing for a traditional therapeutic environment where we can use the room and creative experiments to explore your feelings. I work from my private practice in Kings Hill, Kent and also at the Gestalt Centre in London.

* Online: I have extensive experience translating the counselling experience to online work. Many clients find that working from the comfort of their own home allows them to open up in different and profound ways.

Regardless of the format, my goal is to offer you a non-judgmental, affirmative space where you can bring your whole self—fears, joys, and complexities included.

My approach is grounded in Gestalt Therapy, which is fundamentally about awareness. Rather than getting lost in the past or worrying about the future, we focus on the "here and now"—what you are thinking, feeling, and sensing in the present moment. By becoming fully aware of how you relate to yourself and the world around you, you gain the freedom to make new, healthier choices.

Over my 10 years of practice, I have found that true healing requires a flexible toolkit. Therefore, I weave in elements from three other powerful approaches:

* Mindfulness: This supports our Gestalt work by helping you slow down and tune into your body. It provides a grounding anchor, reducing anxiety and helping you observe your thoughts without getting swept away by them.

* Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT): Many of us struggle with an inner critic or feelings of shame. CFT helps us retrain our brains to respond to suffering with kindness rather than judgment, building a sense of safety and self-soothing.

* Internal Family Systems (IFS): You might feel like "part of you" wants one thing, while another part wants something else. I use IFS to help you understand these different internal "parts"—protective or vulnerable—allowing you to integrate them so you feel more whole and less conflicted.

The first session, which is a consultation session, is offered free of charge to enable you and I to talk about what you are seeking counselling for.  I will ask you to share what you wish to explore and achieve by coming to counselling.  It is also your opportunity to ask questions about counselling and find out what working with me will be like.  This is also where we can discuss how frequently you wish to have counselling and also where any concessions for the session rate can be discussed.  We then decide if we feel we could work together and find a regular weekly or fortnightly time to meet.