Nathalie Vallaeys

I currently have some availability during the week.

I work within a psychodynamic framework in the tradition of the British Object Relations theory. In this approach, early relationships with care givers give shape to internal "objects" which colour how we all interact with others externally.

My practice spans many years working in NHS Secondary care psychotherapy settings including at the award-winning Tavistock Trauma Service where I currently work.

Together we will try to understand how past and present experiences have influenced and defined you, and whether we can identify pattern of behaviours or tendencies which may help us to get at a deeper understanding and foster growth.

I work in a trauma-informed way where what matters most is understanding what happened to you, taking into account aspects of your various identities in relation to where you live today.

I consider body and mind forming a holistic entity. I am interested in thinking about what gets lodged in the body which the mind at times cannot process and similarly whether the body may be usurped by the intellect.

I offer a safe, open and confidential space where you are invited to bring whatever comes to mind by free-associating, bringing dream fragments or paying attention to the mundane, ordinary everyday facts and details.

I offer a free 15mn phone conversation where we can introduce ourselves, think about how we may start to work and agree on a 1st consultation.

Please feel free to contact me for a first contact:

natval.therapy@gmail.com 

I trained at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust as a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist where I have worked for several years within the Adult Complex Needs Services.

I have undertaken some further studies at the Institute of Psychoanalysis through a 2-year long Post Foundation Course.

I keep my practice updated and alive through engaging in a range of varied CPD on psychoanalytic themes and conferences, trauma and the body themes and peer supervisions.

I am a full member of the Tavistock Society of Psychotherapists (TSP), the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) and the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). 

I offer a free 15mn phone conversation in which we briefly discuss what brought you to therapy and agree on a first consultation.

The first consultation can last up to 1hour and 30mn - it is an opportunity to listen to what might have brought you here and whether I can be of any help. 

All subsequent sessions will be 50mn sessions and we will agree on a fee and a consistent day and time where we will meet every week.

We usually allow between 1 and 4 initial consultations / sessions to decide whether this type of therapy is best suited to you. You will have an idea of how working together might feel.

If we agree to work together, there will be regular breaks throughout the year. We may decide on a time-limited or open-ended framework and we will think about the frequency of your sessions (typically weekly but it can be adjusted to your needs ).