Melanie Michelson

I currently have availability on Friday mornings and afternoons for outdoor therapy sessions on Hampstead Heath.

Sessions will be moved online in the event of adverse weather conditions such as storms, high winds and heavy rain. 

I’m an experienced Person-Centred, trauma-informed therapist, passionate about creating the right conditions to explore life’s possibilities. I offer talking therapy blended with elements of creativity, parts work, movement, nature, and embodiment.

Do you have an affinity with being outdoors, in nature? Does the thought of a classical setting for therapy, sitting opposite your therapist feel a little restrictive? 

For the past 9 years I have been offering 1:1 outdoor therapy to clients on the wild and wonderful vast green space, Hampstead Heath. We will meet throughout the year - only moving online if there are storms, high winds or torrential rain forecast.

I believe everyone has the capacity for healing and growth when the right conditions are present. Within a therapeutic relationship grounded in empathy, acceptance, and understanding it is possible to explore past and present experiences with compassion and clarity.

My work is trauma-informed and draws on Attachment Theory and Internal Family Systems (IFS). This can help you explore how past experiences may still influence your present life, relationships and responses. Together, we can develop a more compassionate understanding of the different parts of yourself, including those that may have developed to protect you, and consider what you need now.

I offer one hour sessions which begin and end at the same location. I know the Heath well and have a few familiar routes to follow. Occasionally, I will invite you to choose a direction to wander in. There are paths if accessibility is a concern; otherwise, we can walk off the beaten track. We might choose to sit on a bench or a log, and I also pack a tarp for us to use if we wish to sit on the ground.

Outdoor work offers a different rhythm, where walking and being in natural surroundings can create space for insight and reflection linked to the changing landscape and seasons. 

At times, there may be interruptions, which often have a way of enhancing the session and offering valuable material that might not otherwise have emerged in the room. For example, you might be reconnecting with a memory from your childhood when a toddler comes running past. We might notice their aliveness, free-spiritedness and playfulness, and explore how these qualities felt unavailable to you. 

There is also so much metaphor to be found in nature and the changing seasons. The plants and non-human inhabitants of the woods can be valuable guides, particularly at times when you might be struggling to put words to, or find meaning in, your experience.

I can provide some creative materials such as Plasticine, pens/pencils and paper, to combine with the natural treasures we may collect on our walk, for creative explorations and expression to that which words cannot yet capture. 

Neurodivergent clients and those who have experienced trauma have shared how helpful they find the movement and pace of walking, alongside the freedom to choose which path to take. This can support their process, allowing experiences and feelings to emerge in ways that might be harder to access when sitting in a room.

After our initial complimentary 30 minute discovery session, via Zoom/WhatsApp, I will invite you to an introductory outdoor session.

The first session is an opportunity to meet, share what has brought you to therapy, and explore whether working together feels right. I can answer further questions you may have about my way of working. 

If you decide to continue, I will send further information about my practice, via email, along with a couple of forms to complete before our next session.

There is no obligation to continue after this first meeting.

I currently have availability on Friday mornings and afternoons for outdoor therapy sessions in Highgate wood. Sessions will be moved online in the event of adverse weather conditions such as storms, high winds and heavy rain. 

I’m an experienced Person-Centred, trauma-informed therapist, passionate about creating the right conditions to explore life’s possibilities. I offer talking therapy blended with elements of creativity, parts work, movement, nature, and embodiment.

Do you have an affinity with being outdoors, in nature? Does the thought of a classical setting for therapy, sitting opposite your therapist feel a little restrictive? 

For the past 9 years I have been offering 1:1 outdoor therapy to clients in the lovely leafy and ancient Highgate Wood. We will meet throughout the year - only moving online if there are storms, high winds or torrential rain forecast.

I believe everyone has the capacity for healing and growth when the right conditions are present. Within a therapeutic relationship grounded in empathy, acceptance, and understanding it is possible to explore past and present experiences with compassion and clarity.

My work is trauma-informed and draws on Attachment Theory and Internal Family Systems (IFS). This can help you explore how past experiences may still influence your present life, relationships and responses. Together, we can develop a more compassionate understanding of the different parts of yourself, including those that may have developed to protect you, and consider what you need now.

I offer one hour sessions which begin and end at the same location. I know the woods well and have a few familiar routes to follow. Occasionally, I will invite you to choose a direction to wander in. There are paths if accessibility is a concern; otherwise, we can walk off the beaten track. We might choose to sit on a bench or a log, and I also pack a tarp for us to use if we wish to sit on the ground.

Outdoor work offers a different rhythm, where walking and being in natural surroundings can create space for insight and reflection linked to the changing landscape and seasons. 

At times, there may be interruptions, which often have a way of enhancing the session and offering valuable material that might not otherwise have emerged in the room. For example, you might be reconnecting with a memory from your childhood when a toddler comes running past. We might notice their aliveness, free-spiritedness and playfulness, and explore how these qualities felt unavailable to you. 

There is also so much metaphor to be found in nature and the changing seasons. The plants and non-human inhabitants of the woods can be valuable guides, particularly at times when you might be struggling to put words to, or find meaning in, your experience.

I can provide some creative materials such as Plasticine, pens/pencils and paper, to combine with the natural treasures we may collect on our walk, for creative explorations and expression to that which words cannot yet capture. 

Neurodivergent clients and those who have experienced trauma have shared how helpful they find the movement and pace of walking, alongside the freedom to choose which path to take. This can support their process, allowing experiences and feelings to emerge in ways that might be harder to access when sitting in a room.

After our initial complimentary 30 minute discovery session, via Zoom/WhatsApp, I will invite you to an introductory outdoor session.

The first session is an opportunity to meet, share what has brought you to therapy, and explore whether working together feels right. I can answer further questions you may have about my way of working. 

If you decide to continue, I will send further information about my practice, via email, along with a couple of forms to complete before our next session.

There is no obligation to continue after this first meeting.

Online therapy availability:

Monday evening 

Wednesday evening 

Thursday morning, afternoon and evening 

Friday morning and afternoon

Saturday morning (limited availability)

In person session availability:

Thursday morning, afternoon and evening. 

Friday morning and afternoon (outdoor 1:1 sessions only).

Fees: 

Individuals £70 - £90

Couples £100 - £120

If you are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected or unsure how to move forward, I offer a compassionate and non-judgemental space where you can feel heard, accepted and able to explore what is happening for you at your own pace.

I work one-to-one with adults and offer flexible options: sessions in a private therapy room, outdoors in nature, or remotely online or telephone. 

My work is trauma-informed and draws on Attachment Theory and Internal Family Systems (IFS). This can help you explore how past experiences may still influence your present life, relationships and responses. Together, we can develop a more compassionate understanding of the different parts of yourself, including those that may have developed to protect you, and consider what you need now.

I also work with couples who may be experiencing conflict, emotional distance, repeated patterns, a rupture in trust or difficulty communicating. Together, we can explore what is happening between you, understand your individual needs and differences, and find more open and compassionate ways of relating. 

We might consider how you each give and receive love, including the idea of different love languages, and how these can sometimes be misunderstood. I draw on Nonviolent Communication, the work of John and Julie Gottman, and Esther Perel’s relational perspectives, including her exploration of the tension between deep connection and erotic separateness. This work may help you repair ruptures, rebuild trust, communicate more openly and find a balance between security, intimacy, individuality and desire.

Alongside talking therapy, I may invite you to notice what is happening in your body and explore your felt sense - the physical sensations that can offer insight into your emotions and experiences. Creative materials may also be available if you find it easier to express or explore something in a way that does not rely solely on words.

I believe everyone has the capacity for healing and growth when the right conditions are present. Within a therapeutic relationship grounded in empathy, acceptance, and understanding it is possible to explore past and present experiences with compassion and clarity.

Alongside my traditional, room based sessions I also offer year-round outdoor therapy on Hampstead Heath (NW3/NW5) and in Highgate Wood (N10). If sitting in a traditional therapy room does not feel right for you, walking or working outdoors may offer a greater sense of space, grounding and freedom. Outdoor therapy may be particularly supportive if you are neurodivergent or have experienced childhood or relational trauma, offering an alternative way to engage with the therapeutic process. Please reach out for more information.

I recognise that choosing a therapist and reaching out for the first time can feel like a significant step. Taking time to find someone you feel comfortable with is an important part of the process which is why I offer a complimentary 30 min discovery call. 

After our complimentary 30 minute discovery call, I will invite you to an initial session in my practice room or online via Zoom. 

The first session is an opportunity to meet, share what has brought you to therapy, and explore whether working together feels right.

If you decide to continue, I will send further information about my practice via email along with a couple of forms to complete before our next session.

There is no obligation to continue after this first meeting.