Lorraine McFadyen

Taking the first step

Choosing to begin therapy is an important and sometimes difficult step. To help you decide if we’re a good fit, I offer a free 15-minute introductory consultation. We can connect online or by phone.

My private practice runs three days a week but I aim to be flexible with scheduling because I understand how busy life can be.

I see clients in person at my practice room in Belmont, offer walk-and-talk sessions locally, and work online throughout the UK.

I'm a qualified, experienced integrative counsellor and psychotherapist based in Surrey and currently offering face-to-face, online and walk-and-talk sessions.

Grief is not only the loss of a person. Sometimes it is the loss of the life you knew and everything that came with it. Grief does not simply leave us, but with the right support we can learn to build a meaningful life around it.

I understand this from personal experience, following a significant loss of my own, I recognised that grief was overwhelming me and sought the support of a qualified counsellor. Working with a skilled therapist in a safe, trusting space helped to transform my life during a difficult period, and it shapes the way I work with every client today.

My path to psychotherapy began in professional services. For many years, I was the wellbeing lead for over 200 partners and staff in a global professional services organisation, where I introduced a range of wellbeing programmes and championed mental health across the organisation. I became the person colleagues turned to in their most difficult moments, and time and again I saw that the conversations that mattered most were the ones where someone felt safe enough to be honest.

That conviction led me to complete four years of rigorous psychotherapy and counselling training, combining in-depth clinical practice with extensive personal development.

I have also worked with women supported by women's refuge services, many of whom were rebuilding their lives after domestic abuse, trauma and profound upheaval. This work has given me a deep understanding of how fear, loss and survival shape a person, and of the courage it takes to begin again.

Today I work with adults facing grief, trauma, life transitions and the challenging chapters that can leave us feeling lost. I offer a calm, confidential and non-judgemental space where you can be heard, make sense of what you are carrying, and move forward at your own pace. 

What is integrative counselling?

Integrative counselling is a personalised approach to therapy, drawing on techniques and tools from different therapeutic methods to adapt to the needs of you, the individual.

As an integrative counsellor, I believe no single therapeutic approach works for every client or situation. Instead, I take a relational, purposeful approach focused on supporting healing. I will tailor our work together ensuring that counselling is shaped around you, your circumstances and goals.

How I Work

I believe that a trusting, non-judgemental relationship is key to meaningful change. I aim to be open, transparent and honest, and I'd like you to feel able to tell me when something isn't working.

In our sessions, I draw on three approaches, depending on what you need. Person-centred therapy offers a warm, accepting space where you can speak freely and be heard without judgement. A psychodynamic approach looks at how earlier experiences and long-standing patterns may still be shaping your life today. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers practical tools for the thoughts and habits that are holding you back.

The balance can shift as we go, and I’ll always be open about how I’m working.

Taking the first step

Life can feel overwhelming at times, whether it’s relationship challenges, trauma, dealing with grief or simply a sense of losing touch with yourself. Modern living rarely gives us space to pause and reflect.

Counselling offers that dedicated time to explore your experiences, understand how past events may be affecting you, and gain new perspectives that can help you move forward. Together, we’ll create a safe, supportive space where you can reflect at your own pace.

Choosing to begin therapy is an important and sometimes difficult step. To help you decide if we’re a good fit, I offer a free 15-minute introductory consultation. We can connect online or by phone.