Elizabeth Barnes

I'm Liz, an experienced psychotherapist specialising in supporting people affected by trauma or mental health difficulties, and those stuck in painful patterms, such as addictions or family and relationship problems.

Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed and alone with difficult emotions. You might be anxious, depressed, grieving, or finding it hard to hold things together in work and relationships. 

I provide an accepting, thoughtful space for you to understand painful or confusing feelings. My clients have told me I make them feel like they matter, which has helped them make important changes.

About me

I have over 20 years' experience working in mental health and addiction services, including in the NHS. I hold a masters degree in psychodynamic psychotherapy.

I have extensive experience of working with people who have mental health and addiction problems, often due to trauma, loss or difficulties in childhood relationships.

I bring both clinical experience and compassion to this work, with a belief that therapy can help people feel more understood, more secure in themselves, and better able to cope with life's challenges.

My Approach

My training in psychodynamic therapy, means I can help you explore how past experiences and relationships may be shaping how you think and feel in the present.

Making these connections brings deeper understanding and opens new possibilities for lasting change, helping to break repeating patterns in relationships or behaviours.

Therapy with me is collaborative, reflective, and grounded in building a trusting relationship. 

I work in a trauma-informed way, which means I pay close attention to helping you feel safe.

Get in touch

I offer a free initial phone consultation, which gives us a chance to talk about what has brought you to therapy, and answer any questions you may have.

If you want to learn more or book a session, you can call or text me on 07480 067887, email lizbarnestherapy@gmail.com, or get in touch via this site.

I have over 20 years experience working in mental health and addiction services, including in the NHS. I am trained as a social worker, as well as a therapist.

I have a Masters degree in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from Birkbeck University, and I work as a therapist at a mental health charity alongside my private practice.

I have additional training in:

Mentalisation Based Therapy

Addiction Recovery

Motivational Interviewing

Trauma

DBT skills

Practicalities

I offer weekly 50-minute sessions on an open-ended or short-term basis. Sessions are available online and in person in Archway/Tufnell Park, N19.

Areas I help with

Mental health difficulties, including anxiety and depression 

Trauma and abuse

Family and relationship issues 

Addiction

Baby loss and fertility struggles

Low confidence and self-worth

How therapy with me can help

Often early experiences in families don’t set us up to navigate life's challenges, or they may have created unhelpful patterns. I will support you to make links between painful or confusing experiences and the ways you've found to cope, reducing shame and self-blame.

Therapy with me is collaborative, reflective, and grounded in building a trusting relationship. Exploring your difficulties in a safe environment can help them feel more manageable, giving you greater confidence and security.

Therapy can also help you to break repeating unhelpful patterns in relationships and behaviours, such as addiction or self-harm.

It's important to find a therapist who's the right fit for you.

Please contact me by text or email if you would like to arrange an initial free call to talk through ways of working.

The first session will be an assessment which gives us a chance to talk about what has brought you to therapy, and see whether working together feels like the right fit.

You will have a chance to ask any questions you might have about therapy and the way we will work.

I will ask some questions so I can understand your background and this will help inform the work going forward.

We can talk about what you'd like to get from therapy, and any goals you might have.