Kate Kingsford

Psychotherapy offers a space to slow down, explore the patterns that shape our lives, and move from surviving to flourishing.

I work with people experiencing anxiety, grief, low mood, relationship issues – and anyone who's going through difficult life changes or feeling stuck. You don't need to have a clearly defined problem or know exactly what you want from therapy. Sometimes having a space to think and talk openly is the first step towards finding a way forward.

I came to psychotherapy through an interest in existential philosophy, meditation, and Eastern contemplative traditions, alongside my own experiences of loss and transformation.

In my earlier career as an ethnographer and journalist, living in countries as diverse as Yemen, Tanzania, and the Netherlands, I learned to listen to stories told by people from all walks of life. I bring this open-minded empathy into my therapy practice, helping you find the deeper meaning behind your own story.

I offer both one-to-one therapy and couples counselling.

One-to-one therapy

As an integrative relational therapist, I draw on Transactional Analysis, Internal Family Systems (IFS), existential therapy, and psychodynamic thinking. Rather than following a single method, I seek to understand your particular experience and tailor our work to suit your needs.

Together, we can explore recurring relationship patterns, make sense of difficult emotions, understand different parts of yourself, or navigate questions of identity, purpose, and meaning.

I work with all kinds of issues, and believe that meaningful, authentic conversations can be transformative. I have a particular interest in:

• Life transitions and existential issues. Navigating life's crossroads, such as separation or divorce, career change, or the changes that come with getting older.
• Grief and loss. Processing bereavement, the loss of a relationship, or the echoes of childhood abandonment.
• Sex and Relationships. Understanding how you relate to intimacy and connection. I welcome gender, sexual, and relationship diversity.
• Transcultural experiences. Exploring cultural identity, belonging, displacement and living between different worlds.
• Boarding School. Unpacking the institutional "survival personality" to help you live more fully and authentically.

Couples therapy

I work with couples in monogamous and non-monogamous relationships to navigate challenges with kindness. Common focus areas include:

• improving communication, exploring attachment styles, and deepening your understanding of each other
• reconnecting if you feel you're drifting apart or stuck in unhelpful patterns
• addressing issues in your sex life
• moving forward after infidelity
• navigating non-monogamy
• negotiating separation and ending a relationship with kindness

If you’d like a quick chat before booking an initial appointment, please get in touch and we can arrange a free 15-minute phone call to help you decide if I’m the right therapist for you.

Our first session together—whether it’s face-to-face or online—will give you the chance to ask any further questions you may have, and to tell me something about yourself and what brings you to therapy. You set the pace, and there’s no commitment; this is an opportunity for me to get to know you, and for you to decide how you feel about working with me.