Isabella Lopez-Smith

Availability on Saturdays, in-person and online, Thursday afternoon/evening. 

I offer therapy as a space of reflection, dialogue, and presence. My training is integrative, shaped by somatic, existential, and relational psychoanalytic traditions. This allows me to work responsively rather than applying a fixed method: each therapeutic relationship is different and my practice is tailored as such.

Much of my work involves paying attention to the ways people adapt to experiences that may feel overwhelming or unbearable, and the cost of those adaptations over time. Therapy is not about forcing change, but about creating the conditions in which new forms of experiencing, relating, and imagining may gradually become possible. Careful pacing, attention to the body, and a sense of safety guide the work.

I have particular experience supporting those who have experienced interpersonal adversity and trauma, including abuse, neglect and multiple, cumulative, and complex traumas, as well as those who experience psychosis, dissociation, derealisation, and depersonalisation. My practice is grounded in an anti-oppressive perspective that recognises how social, cultural, and structural forces shape experience and access to care. I also work with those who have faced discrimination or systemic barriers related to race, culture, gender, sexuality, age, and other aspects of identity and circumstance. Many of the people I work with are from neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ communities. In therapy, these layers of context and history matter alongside the immediacy of our encounter.

My background includes working in both community and organisational settings, with people experiencing severe mental distress as well as those navigating everyday life transitions. I work with people from all walks of life, and I welcome anyone who is curious about exploring therapy. Some people come with specific difficulties, such as anxiety, relationship challenges, or the impact of past experiences. Others seek therapy as a space for reflection, personal growth, and to have time that is fully their own.

An initial full 50-minute session to get a sense of what you're looking for together and how it feels to work together. 

I offer counselling as a space of reflection, dialogue, and presence. My training is integrative, shaped by somatic, existential, and relational psychoanalytic traditions. This allows me to work responsively rather than applying a fixed method: each therapeutic relationship is different and my practice is tailored as such.

Many of the people I work with are from neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ communities. I also have experience supporting those who have faced interpersonal abuse, discrimination, or systemic barriers related to race, culture, gender, sexuality, age, and any systemic barriers connected to someone’s background, relationships, or circumstances. In therapy, these layers of context and history matter alongside the immediacy of our encounter.

Much of my work involves paying attention to the ways people adapt to experiences that may feel overwhelming or unbearable, and the cost of those adaptations over time. Therapy is not about forcing change, but about creating the conditions in which new forms of experiencing, relating, and imagining may gradually become possible.

My background includes working in both community and organisational settings, with people experiencing severe mental distress as well as those navigating everyday life transitions. I work with people from all walks of life, and I welcome anyone who is curious about exploring therapy. Some people come with specific difficulties, such as anxiety, relationship challenges, or the impact of past experiences. Others seek therapy as a space for reflection, personal growth, and to have time that is fully their own.

Introductory Session

An initial 50-minute session provides an opportunity for us to connect and explore whether this therapeutic relationship feels right. During this session, you can share what you hope to gain from therapy, and we can discuss how we might work together to support your goals.