Apratim Barua

I work mainly in the evening but I am happy to be flexible and accommodate your needs.

I am a registered and accredited senior psychotherapist with nearly two decades of experience of working in the NHS. My approach is psychodynamic: this entails longer term work that seeks to get to the root of the problem rather than focus on surface symptoms. My work in the NHS involves working with acutely unwell people. However, I also have extensive experience of working with people who have been referred for counselling by GPs. I am also trained in MBT and EMDR for people with trauma and BPD diagnosis.

Prior to training as a psychotherapist, I was a qualified teacher and part of my NHS work has been in an Acute Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit. My area of special interest is working with young adults. In particular, I am interested in helping those who are struggling to cope with life pressures and the pressures of GCSEs, A levels, and University. Many of my patients come to me for help with Depression and Anxiety, Issues related to their sexuality and identity, Issues around eating, as well as Self-harm and suicidality. 

My consulting rooms are in a North Finchley. It is a short walk from the bus station and within a 10 minute walk from Woodside Park tube station on the Norther Line. There is wheelchair access.

I work mainly with adults and young people. I usually start with a phone call to understand your needs. I then follow this up with a face-to-face/in person session to have a more in-depth understanding of the difficulties that you are experiencing and how this has emerged. This is also an opportunity for you to determine whether you feel safe and understood by me. After these early preliminary sessions we decide together whether ongoing sessions would be helpful and accordingly we agree to meet for weekly sessions.

The first session is really your space: I will invite you to tell me about your current situation and about what has brought you to seek therapy. I may ask you questions but will seek your permission first and you are perfectly within your rights to decline to answer. At this stage it is important to proceed at your pace. 

I will be trying to understand whether I can offer you something that would be useful and effective based on my understanding, training and experience.

While for you it is about trying to ascertain whether you feel safe, understood and in control.