Richard Masters

I work with clients on Tuesday afternoons, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please get in touch to ask about current availability. 

I work face to face at my home outside Billingshurst, as well as online. 

Congratulations, by searching for a therapist you have begun the journey of addressing the issues that are causing you distress. This is not always an easy step to make, and searching for a therapist can seem daunting, especially when previous attempts have not gone as well as you hoped. 

I offer an integrative form of psychotherapy that draws on psychodynamic, person-centred, and existential approaches. This means that our work together is tailored to you; your experiences, your ways of thinking and feeling, and what matters most in your life.

The psychodynamic element of my work helps you to understand the influence of past experiences, often from early life, on your current thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Much of this influence operates beneath conscious awareness, in the unconscious. By gently bringing these hidden patterns into the light, you can begin to see how old ways of coping may be holding you back. With new insight, it becomes possible to respond rather than react, opening the way for lasting change in how you relate to yourself and others.

The person-centred approach places you at the heart of the process. You are the expert on your life, and my role is to provide a safe, accepting and empathic space where you can explore your thoughts and emotions freely. 

The existential perspective helps us to explore deeper questions about meaning, purpose, freedom, and the challenges of being human. Together, we can look at how you relate to yourself, others, and the world,  and how you might live more fully and authentically.

When we understand what drives our emotions and behaviours, including those outside our awareness, we gain freedom to choose different paths. Clients often find that this leads to improved relationships, greater emotional balance, and a stronger sense of satisfaction and self-acceptance.

The single greatest factor in successful therapeutic outcomes is the quality of the relationship between you and your therapist. As a result, it is crucial that you are comfortable with who you are talking to, and make changes if it is not working out for you. 

My promise you:

• I will listen to you very carefully.
• I will not judge you, no matter the stories you bring.
• I will work with integrity and in an ethical way that makes you feel safe and respected.
• I will endeavour to empower you so that you feel equal to me in the relationship.
• I will be supportive and empathetic, but I may challenge you from time to time. 
• I will admit when I am wrong and work hard to repair ruptures, if they happen.
• I will tell you if you are better off seeing a different therapist if I feel my skills are not well matched with the issues you come to me with. 
• I will maintain the necessary relationship boundaries that keep us both safe and comfortable, and I will ask the same of you. 
• I will regularly review with you the work we are doing together so that you have the opportunity to reflect and feedback what is and is not working for you. 
• I will always try to hear your story from your perspective, no matter your culture, race, sex, identity, sexual preference or faith, and I will be receptive to being made aware of my blind spots. 
• I will maintain strict confidentiality, according to the BACP code of ethics. (https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions)  

So that we can get to know each other, I provide a free 30 minute meeting, preferably face to face, but also by video or telephone  call if preferred. During the meeting I will carry out a brief assessment of your situation, the troubles you are facing, and what you hope to achieve from therapy.