Leonie Graham

My training qualifies me to work with children, young people and adults. 

I work using an integrative model which means I draw from a number of approaches and techniques. However, I do favour the psychodynamic approach, and attachment-based theories strongly influence my way of working. This means I believe childhood experiences and relationships (not just parental) can have a profound effect on how we function as adults.

Other influences in my work include mindfulness, mentalisation-based therapy, systemic therapy and internal family systems therapy.

I believe a good therapeutic relationship is key to supporting you to make sustainable change in your life, and therefore building trust, in a safe, confidential place will form an important part of our time together. We will work at a pace directed by you and will only explore areas that you feel comfortable with.

I provide in-person and online sessions and I am happy to speak about long-term or short-term work. However, I find that longer term work with periodic reviews is more likely to result in lasting change.

I generally don’t like labelling specific areas I work in, as life feels more complex than that.  What may present as one thing may be revealed to be linked to something completely different. However, I do have experience of working with individuals presenting with low self-esteem, childhood trauma, emotional regulation, early separations and relationship difficulties.

In all our sessions the space is there for you to use as you choose. However, in the first session it can be useful to think about how you might like to use your sessions going forward, and how I might support you in any change you are wishing to make. 

Just as it is important to make sure a pair of shoes are a good fit and are comfortable before you take them for a stroll. It is also important to make sure that you will feel comfortable working with me and that I feel I can support you in your journey. Our first session will be about trying out this fit.