Orrow Bell

I work Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 

I’m a queer integrative therapist with particular experience working with queer and trans people. I welcome people from all backgrounds who want to understand themselves better, make sense of what they’re going through, or find different ways of living.

I aim to offer a warm, respectful and affirming space where you can be yourself. I draw on different ways of understanding people and am trained to adapt our work to you and what you bring to therapy. My work is informed by attachment, existential, humanistic and body psychotherapy approaches, alongside trauma-informed, queer and intersectional perspectives.

Together, we can explore what might feel difficult, confusing or stuck, as well as the experiences, relationships or questions you want to understand more deeply. We can look at the ways you have learned to cope and survive, what you might want to change, and what might help you grow and flourish. I won't tell you how you should feel or what you should do. I will work collaboratively with you to understand what is happening, consider different perspectives, explore your past, and think about what might be possible now.

My approach is relational, which means I pay attention to how you experience relationships and how they may have shaped your sense of yourself, other people and the world. The relationship we develop in therapy is part of this work. It can give us a chance to notice things as they happen and try something different. I take a non-pathologising approach to emotional distress, with an awareness of how social and political dynamics can affect our bodies, inner lives, identities, and relationships. I’m committed to anti-oppressive practices and work affirmatively with gender, sexuality and relationship diversity. 

As a member of BACP, my practice is guided by its Ethical Framework. I am committed to working in ways that promote your wellbeing and respect your dignity, with you and your experience at the heart of the work.

I offer individual therapy to adults, both in person and online. I have experience providing therapy in counselling, charity and NHS settings, working both short-term and longer-term.

Sessions are 50 minutes and take place at the same time each week for consistency and continuity. We can work for an agreed period of time or on an open-ended basis, depending on what feels appropriate for you and the work we are doing together. We can reflect as we go along on how the work is feeling, what is or isn’t helpful, and whether anything needs to change.

I am committed to making therapy accessible and to recognising and reducing barriers where I can. I welcome conversations about access needs and adjustments that may support our work together. Please note that my current face-to-face therapy room is on an upper floor and is only accessible by stairs, with no lift available. I offer a limited number of low-cost slots.

Before arranging a first session, I offer a free 15-minute phone or video call. This gives us a chance to briefly discuss what you are looking for from therapy, for you to ask any questions about how I work, and for me to consider whether I can offer the kind of support you are looking for. You can then decide whether you would like to arrange a first session.

A first session gives us more time to explore what has brought you to therapy and what you would like to gain from it. I will also spend some time learning about key experiences and relationships in your life. It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what you want to talk about or where to begin. We can start with what’s on your mind and go from there. There is no expectation that you need to tell me everything in a first session. We can go at your pace.

We’ll talk through some of the practicalities of working together, including the therapy agreement, confidentiality, boundaries and what you can expect from me. At the end, we can talk about whether you would like to continue and what the next steps might be. If we decide not to work together, I may be able to recommend another therapist.