FAQ & Practical Information

Short-term sessions are usually to learn some coping strategies (often using yoga, mindfulness, creativity, movement, etc.) Or a short piece of EMDR, usually around a single-incident trauma or stress. Short-term usually means around 10 weekly sessions.

Longer term sessions usually involve first, building the therapeutic relationship and finding practical ways to feel calm, present and grounded, before exploring ways to understand yourself and make changes. This can take a variable amount of time that is very individual.

Sessions for children aged under 14 are for 45 minutes, and 50 minutes for those aged over 14 (including adults).

This time difference does not affect the fee- the fee is the same. It is common for therapists charge more for work with younger children to allow for the increased expense for materials and for the time for clearing up after play therapy sessions etc. However, I reduce the time of sessions slightly as I find that making the sessions slightly shorter can be beneficial to the child’s capacity.

I do not offer fortnightly sessions to new clients unless we are focusing on a few sessions for resource building or yoga therapy.

For less than 48h notice (2 working days) to cancel an appointment the full usual fee will be charged for the missed session.

For less than 7 days notice of cancelling a session (but more than 48h), there is a cancellation charge of £12.

I don’t have a waiting list but list any available spaces on the website and social media.

The main reason I don’t offer a waiting list is because it can be very difficult to give a definite time that a space will be available. Sometimes clients book for 6 sessions and something changes in their life and they need to extend their sessions, or something changes in my life and the space is no longer available.

I feel that waiting can mean that you don’t find the therapy you need and it can feel frustrating and disappointing. Instead, I offer a list of organisations and other places to look for another therapist, and of course you are welcome to keep checking back if you haven’t yet found the right therapist for you.

If a space is listed here as being available, please be aware that in the time that you email me, there is a possibility that any space is already taken. I don't keep a waiting list, but you are very welcome to get back in touch in a few weeks to see if my availability has changed.

I will only offer initial consultations if a potential space is available. However, the initial consultation is not the start of therapy, it is to decide if we are a good fit. It may be that I suggest a referral to another therapist or service following our meeting.

All initial consultation sessions are online. Further sessions are in-person.

Initial consultation sessions are usually between 40 and 50 minutes long, but charged at a reduced price of £50, payable by Paypal before the session, I will send details of this when we arrange the meeting (refundable if you cancel within 48 hours).

Subsequent sessions are charged £55 -£80, see the sliding scale information below. Please find a private and quiet place for the session.

I currently only offer initial sessions when I have a potential suitable space available.

You will need a private space where you feel comfortable to talk and have good reception.

The initial consultation is not the start of therapy, it is to decide if we are a good fit. It may be that I suggest a referral to another therapist or service following our meeting, or that we decide the availability or suitability doesn't match. 

How the sliding scale works

Based on principles of economic justice, the fee clients pay is proportionate to what they have available. Those with more financial capacity support those with less capacity to access workshops. The scale takes into account variations in both income and financial outgoings (for example subsidised rent, such as housing benefit, would mean you had less outgoings than average; and unsubsidised medical expenses might mean you had more outgoings than average).

My sliding scale is based on the ‘Green Bottle’ sliding scale devised by Alexis Cunningfolk and the wording used by the RTN membership sliding scale.

• I work on a basis of trust and do not ask for proof of income. However, as this sliding scale is offered in a spirit of generosity, my request is that people use it honestly. There is an allocated number of slots available for each band. This allows me to offer accessible workshops whilst also ensuring the sustainability of my practice and appropriately valuing my time and professional abilities, as well as covering my professional overheads.

• There is routinely more demand for lower slots than higher. Whilst I encourage anyone who needs a lower price slot to take it, if you take up a slot at a lower rate that slot will not then be available to someone else who may not be able to afford to attend without it.

• If you can ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners, please consider using those personal resources before you use the resources of the sliding scale.

• If a third party, such as a parent, is paying for the workshop, the rate is based on the third party’s financial capacity.

Sliding Scale

Please read through the ‘Sliding Scale’ section below and decide a band that best matches your circumstances. This should be the category where you have a sense you fall, however, you do not need to agree with every statement. Differences between the bands are in italics.

Please be aware that I have limited concession spaces in order to make my practice sustainable.

A: The Band A price is the actual cost of the session. If you choose a price below this tier, you are receiving a discount.

• I am able to meet my basic needs* all the time.

• I am employed and/or have a regular income (such as a wage or benefits). Or don’t work by choice or between jobs, but have savings/ shared finances with partner/ benefits.

• If work part-time, it is by choice (e.g. chosen to be a student or chosen to work part-time)

• I have access to some financial savings or assets and/or I am able to ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners.

• I have some disposable income. E.g. I could eat at a cafe weekly, or go out for coffee, or could weekly pay for activities, such as yoga class or the cinema, or could monthly buy new clothes/ books.

• I can afford an annual holiday or to take time off

B: (concession/ reduced fee)

• I may stress about meeting my basic needs, and sometimes don't achieve them

• I do not have access to financial savings and/or I am unable to ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners in times of need.

• I have a little expendable income. E.g. in a month, I could eat at a cafe, or go out for coffee, or could monthly pay to go to an activity, such as yoga class or the cinema.

• I am sometimes able to buy some new items & I thrift others

• I could afford to take a holiday every few years

C: (concession/ reduced fee)

• I frequently stress about meeting basic needs & don’t always achieve them

• I am unemployed or underemployed and have a very unstable income (I do not receive a regular wage or benefits; not by choice, including not chosen to be a student or not chosen to work part-time)

• I have no access to any savings and/or I am unable to ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners.

• I have no or very limited expendable income.

  E.g. in a month, I could rarely go out for coffee, or could rarely pay to go to events or activities, such as yoga class or the cinema.

• I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them

• I cannot afford a holiday/ do not have the financial ability to take time off every few years

Not necessarily. I work with people from all walks of life with different financial experiences.

Some are working single parents who were left with huge outgoings of debt from a previous spouse and could not afford to go out for a coffee once a month; some are seeking asylum and not allowed work and have incredibly limited benefits and struggle to pay for food; some are working part time but inherited money that means they can go on holiday every year; some are students who are able to access support from parents or from a bursary and are able to go out every Saturday night; some are on long-term benefits that cover their rent and bills with some to spare for regular day trips or yoga classes.

The sliding scale is based on financial availability and gives a variety of examples for each band. Please consider it fairly for you, for others and for me.

The usual session fee is £75

If you fit the requirements for a concession fee (please check the Sliding Scale below), please check to see if I have a concession space available.
Concession spaces are limited. This allows me to offer accessible therapy whilst also ensuring the sustainability of my practice and appropriately valuing my time and professional abilities, as well as covering my professional overheads.
Concession fees:
Band B: £65
Band C: £55

In an ideal world I would be able to offer unlimited concession spaces, however this work needs to be financially sustainable for me. If my fee doesn’t fit your budget, you will find organisations who receive funding and are able to offer low-fee and free therapy here.

I offer yoga therapy and eco-therapy sessions for climate, animal liberation, LGBTQ+, anti-racism/anti-fascism direct action activists who are also experiencing financial hardship (see below) at £30 for an hour session. I offer this on a trust basis- you do not need ‘proof’ of activism. These can be particularly useful for activists experiencing, or at risk of, burnout. This session could be in-person or online.

I reserve one slot per month and currently have one slot available for this.

In the future, I hope to offer this for psychotherapy too. Other organisations do offer this, please see here for info. The Green and Black Cross also offer resources and information.

Financial Hardship (if you resonate most strongly with all of the following statements you are likely to be experiencing financial hardship):

• I often stress about meeting my basic needs* and don't always achieve them and

• I am unemployed or underemployed or on a low wage or I qualify for benefits (UK) and

• I have no financial savings or expendable income

*basic needs include food, housing, clothing, and transportation.

Therapy might seem risky to an activist and I am very happy to chat about any concerns you may have about this. Some info that might be good to know:

• Therapy is confidential. There are legal limits to confidentiality which we will go through in the consultation.

• You do not have to use your real name if you don’t want to

• You do not need to name others involved in your affinity group, actions etc.

• It’s okay, in fact encouraged, to generalise about actions etc. When working with trauma it is not usually useful to go into any detail, but rather to stick to ‘titles’, until we have worked together and both decided speaking in any detail would be useful at all. So it is not at all unusual to not talk about any details of actions or events. Similarly, you don’t need to give details of future actions.

It can seem expensive but my hourly rate isn’t just to cover my salary. It also needs to cover:

• Training and CPD;

• Professional registrations, including membership and regulatory bodies;

• Insurance, ICO registration and DBS certificates;

• Equipment, art materials, therapeutic tools, furniture, tea;

• Room and Zoom costs;

• Minimum of monthly clinical supervision for each modality;

• Admin and marketing;

• Holiday and sick pay.

  On my links page, I suggest some organisations and charities who offer low-cost therapy and are able to do so because they receive funding. It is important that you find the right therapy for you.