Oksana Leitane

You may be feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stuck, or uncertain about how to cope with what you are experiencing. Perhaps a difficult or traumatic experience continues to affect you, or anxiety, fear, phobias or low self-esteem are making everyday life harder.

I offer a warm, thoughtful and collaborative space where you can feel heard, understood and supported. My approach is integrative, drawing on person-centred and psychodynamic therapy alongside EMDR. This allows me to tailor therapy to your individual needs and work at a pace that feels manageable for you.

EMDR can be particularly helpful when distressing experiences continue to affect you in the present, including through intrusive memories, anxiety, fear, avoidance or strong emotional and physical responses. I work with adults experiencing trauma, anxiety, phobias, low self-esteem and other difficult or overwhelming life experiences.

Free Initial Meeting

I offer a free online introductory meeting where you can ask questions, tell me a little about what brings you to therapy and explore whether working together feels right for you.

How long does therapy last?

I offer focused short-term counselling as well as longer-term therapy for deeper exploration and lasting personal growth. EMDR can also be incorporated where appropriate. You do not need to decide on the number of sessions upfront; we can review the work together and adapt it as your needs develop.

Fees

Fees vary depending on the type and length of therapy. I offer short-term counselling packages, longer-term therapy and EMDR, with a limited number of concessionary spaces available for those experiencing financial pressure.

Private Health Insurance

I hold professional recognition with Vitality Health Insurance, Aviva, Aetna, AXA PPP Healthcare and Bupa. I welcome enquiries from clients using private health insurance and can explore registration requirements with your insurer where appropriate.

Starting therapy can feel difficult, particularly if you are unsure where to begin or worried about being judged. I offer a calm, respectful space where you can talk openly about what is happening, at your own pace. You do not need to have everything worked out before we start.

Understanding What Is Happening

Together, we can explore what may be underneath your current difficulties. This might include understanding patterns in your thoughts, emotions, relationships or ways of coping, and how past experiences may still be influencing how you feel today. I will help you make sense of these experiences without reducing you to a diagnosis or label.

Working at Your Pace

Therapy does not need to be rushed. If you have experienced trauma or feel easily overwhelmed, we can focus first on developing a stronger sense of safety and emotional stability. When you feel ready, we can gradually move towards deeper exploration or processing.

Practical Support and Meaningful Change

Depending on what you need, our work may include developing practical ways to manage anxiety, difficult emotions, stress or unhelpful patterns. We can also explore self-esteem, boundaries, relationships and the ways you respond when life feels challenging. The aim is to help you develop greater choice in how you respond, rather than simply trying to cope from one day to the next.

A Collaborative Process

I will not tell you what you should think, feel or do. We will work together to understand what is most important to you and what kind of change you are looking for. We can regularly review our work and adapt the focus as your needs develop.

Beyond the Therapy Room

Ultimately, therapy is about helping you feel more able to understand yourself, respond to difficulties with greater flexibility and move towards a life that feels more manageable and meaningful. My aim is for the work we do together to become something you can draw on in your life beyond our sessions.

Commitment

I am committed to maintaining high professional and ethical standards throughout my practice. I undertake regular clinical supervision and ongoing continuing professional development (CPD), keeping my knowledge and skills current and continuing to develop my clinical practice. I value reflective practice, professional accountability and working within the BACP Ethical Framework.

Specialisations

I have particular experience supporting adults with:

• Anxiety, excessive worry and panic

• Depression and persistent low mood

• Trauma and the psychological impact of difficult life experiences

• Phobias and fears

• Low self-esteem and difficulties with confidence

• ADHD-related difficulties, including organisation, emotional regulation and managing everyday demands

• Stress and adjustment difficulties

I understand that these difficulties can overlap and may present differently for each person. For example, anxiety may be connected with past experiences, low self-worth, relationship difficulties or challenges with emotional regulation.

Experience

I have been training and working in psychological settings since 2008, with experience across NHS clinical services, GP practice and schools in London and Edinburgh.

My previous work has involved providing psychological and psychoeducational interventions to both children and adults, individually and in groups, across a broad range of emotional and mental health difficulties. This has included working with people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma-related difficulties, low self-esteem, stress and challenges affecting everyday functioning.

Working across different psychological settings has given me experience of supporting people at different stages of difficulty and with varying levels of need. This background continues to inform my private practice and my understanding of the wider factors that can influence psychological wellbeing

Starting Therapy

The first session is an opportunity to talk about what has brought you to therapy, what you would like support with and what you hope to change. We will begin to understand your current circumstances and identify the areas you would like to focus on.

Understanding Your Needs

We will discuss what you need from therapy, how we might work together, and what type and frequency of sessions may be appropriate. If EMDR may be helpful, we can explore whether it is suitable for you and discuss the next steps.

No Preparation Needed

You do not need to prepare anything specific before your first session. Simply come as you are and share as much or as little as feels comfortable. We can take time to establish what feels important to you.

Choosing What Comes Next

There is no obligation to commit to ongoing therapy after your first session. You can take time to reflect on how the session felt and decide at your own pace whether you would like to continue.