Makiko Ohhara

I am available for new clients. Please feel free to contact me.

Hello, I’m Maki, a BACP accredited psychodynamic counsellor offering sessions in English and Japanese, in person in Epsom, Surrey, and online.

Many people come to counselling when something feels stuck: a relationship that keeps going the same way, anxiety that won’t ease, a sense of low confidence or loss that’s hard to put into words. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Counselling can be a place to begin making sense of it.

Sometimes the difficulties we face as adults are linked to earlier experiences and relationships, shaping how we see ourselves, relate to others and make decisions, often without our realising. In psychodynamic counselling, we explore these connections together, at your pace, so you can understand your patterns and feel more able to change them.

I work with adults experiencing relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, bereavement and life transitions. I also have an interest in the lasting impact of childhood experiences, attachment and trauma.Taking the first step can feel daunting. My aim is to offer a calm, non-judgemental space where you feel heard and understood.

I’m fluent in English and Japanese. For some people, expressing feelings in their first language makes it easier to reach what they really mean, and I’m happy to work in whichever language feels most natural to you, or to move between them.

If you’d like to know more, please get in touch. I offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation where you can ask questions and see whether we feel like a good fit.

日本語でのカウンセリング

英国での生活の中で、孤独や不安、文化や言葉の違いによる生きづらさを感じていらっしゃいませんか。人間関係やご家族のこと、ご自身の気持ちについて、母語で安心してお話しいただける場をご用意しています。

初回のご相談前に、15分間の無料電話相談も承っております。お気軽にご連絡ください。

Psychodynamic counselling looks at how past experiences and relationships shape the way you feel and act today, often without you realising. Together we notice patterns that keep repeating, in relationships, self-image or reactions to stress, and explore where they come from. Once a pattern is understood, it often loosens its hold and you have more choice in how you respond. There is no set agenda or homework: you talk about whatever is on your mind and we make sense of it together.

Relationship difficulties

Do the same situations keep happening in your relationships? We look at what you bring to them and how earlier relationships may be influencing you now, so you can relate in new ways.

Anxiety

Anxiety often has roots we haven’t fully noticed. We explore what lies beneath the worry, including how past experiences may be feeding it.

Depression

When you feel low, flat or cut off from others, it can be hard to know why. Counselling gives you time to put words to what you feel and make sense of it.

Low self-esteem

Harsh self-criticism and self-doubt usually have a history. We explore where these beliefs came from, so you can begin to see yourself more fairly.

Childhood experiences and attachment

The way we learned to connect with others as children often carries into adult life. We explore how these patterns show up now and what you might want to change.

Trauma and difficult life experiences

Difficult experiences can affect your sense of safety, trust and wellbeing. We go at a pace that feels manageable, with no pressure to talk before you are ready.

Loss and bereavement

Grief is personal and has no timetable. You can talk about who or what you have lost, whatever you feel, and reflect on how it has changed your life.

Life transitions

Changes in relationships, family, work, identity or moving between cultures can be unsettling. We explore what the change means for you and how to find your footing.

Our first meeting is a chance to talk about what has brought you to counselling and what you’d like from it. There’s no need to prepare anything or to know exactly what you want to say. You can share as much or as little as feels comfortable, and we’ll go at your pace.

It’s also an opportunity for you to get a sense of me and how I work, and to ask any questions about the sessions, such as how often we’d meet, what to expect, or how psychodynamic counselling differs from other approaches. Finding the right fit matters, and there is no obligation to continue if it doesn’t feel right for you.