Laura Laken

I currently have no availability within my practice.

I am a BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist with 10 years experience. Separately, I am a Master’s-qualified Relationship Therapist, trained in systemic and psychodynamic approaches. I previously I worked with individuals and couples in Relate for 8 years. I am an experienced clinical supervisor and postgraduate trainer and an Advanced Practitioner in Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT).

My approach is integrative, collaborative and tailored to your individual needs. I draw on CBT, systemic, psychodynamic and interpersonal approaches to develop a shared understanding of what is happening and identify the most helpful way forward.

CBT focuses on the connections between thoughts, emotions, behaviours and physical responses. It provides a structured and collaborative way of understanding difficulties and developing practical strategies for change. Where appropriate, we may work with unhelpful thinking patterns, avoidance, behaviours and emotional responses, while also considering the experiences that have contributed to these patterns.

My systemic and psychodynamic training brings a deeper focus on relationships, recurring patterns and the influence of past experiences on how we understand ourselves and relate to others. This can be particularly valuable when difficulties involve relationships, conflict, attachment, communication or longstanding emotional patterns.

My DIT training adds a focused psychodynamic and interpersonal perspective. DIT is a structured, time-limited therapy that explores the links between depression, distress and patterns of relating, helping people understand and change difficulties within important relationships.

I believe effective therapy combines feeling understood with purposeful therapeutic work. I offer a warm, respectful and non-judgemental space, while also providing thoughtful challenge when this can help you move forward. Together, we can develop a clear understanding of your difficulties and work towards meaningful and sustainable change.

The first session is primarily a psychological assessment. It is an opportunity for us to understand what has brought you to therapy, what you are experiencing currently, and the difficulties you would like help with. We will also consider relevant personal history, relationships, previous experiences, coping strategies and any factors that may be contributing to or maintaining your difficulties.

Where appropriate, we will begin to develop a psychological formulation together. This is a shared understanding of how your difficulties may have developed, what may be maintaining them, and what might help to create change. A formulation is not a diagnosis; rather, it provides a framework for understanding your individual experience and guiding the therapeutic work.

An important aim of the assessment is to narrow down what type of therapy is likely to be most helpful for you. Depending on your needs, goals and the formulation we develop, this may lead to a primarily CBT approach, particularly where there are identifiable patterns of thoughts, emotions and behaviours that would benefit from structured, goal-focused intervention.

For some difficulties, particularly where mood is closely connected with interpersonal or relationship patterns, Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) may be more appropriate. This provides a focused, time-limited psychodynamic approach to understanding and changing patterns of relating that may be contributing to emotional distress.

For others, a more integrative approach may be helpful, drawing together CBT, psychodynamic, systemic and interpersonal perspectives. This can allow us to address both current difficulties and the underlying relational or emotional patterns that may be contributing to them.

The assessment is therefore not about fitting you into a particular model. It is about developing a clear, collaborative understanding of your needs and agreeing on an approach that is appropriate, focused and meaningful for you.