Ruth Holland

I have availability on Tuesdays (daytime and evening); Wednesdays (evening) and Thursdays (daytime and evening).

As a psychodynamic therapist, I help my clients to think about how their unconscious beliefs, feelings and past experiences impact their current behaviour and relationships.

Adverse experiences can cause us to develop coping strategies which, whilst helpful in the past, may have become unhelpful in the present. Psychodynamic psychotherapy can be a useful tool to explore these coping strategies and the reasons behind them. We may discuss unquestioned assumptions or repetitive behavioural patterns where change is desired.

Though goals may be discussed, I work with my clients’ free associations in each session and there is no set agenda.

My Approach

I believe that a strong therapeutic relationship is important to the process of psychotherapeutic work, though this can take time to develop. I aim to create a space of trust where any issues can be discussed without fear or shame. I welcome feedback and I believe that clients should be able to express their feelings about me and any aspect of our work as this can be a valuable part of the process.

About Me

​I trained at Oxford University and hold a postgraduate diploma in Psychodynamic Practice (Psychotherapy and Counselling.) I am undertaking research at Oxford University in sibling dynamics and only children. I work as a both private practitioner and within the NHS. I have also worked as a psychotherapeutic counsellor in a community women’s counselling service. I am registered with the BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) and as a recommended psychotherapeutic counsellor with the Miscarriage Association. 

I offer a twenty-minute phone call, free of charge, to help you make a decision about whether to proceed with therapy. In our first session, I will find out a little about what has brought you to therapy at this present time and what you would like to think about in our work together.