Psychotherapy London - Chris Elcombe

MSc (Psych), CTA

Psychotherapy and counselling in

Sydenham (SE26), south-east London

About me

Hello and welcome to my site.

I am a fully qualified psychotherapist and counsellor, offering therapy for individuals, both indoors and outdoors (see below for more on my outdoor work).

When life is challenging, we can feel stuck, lost, disconnected or in pain. I can work with you to make sense of difficult experiences, deepen self-understanding and feel more comfortable in your own skin.

Reconnecting to parts of ourselves we’ve lost touch with or had to hide can be transformative; building healthy connections with others and with the world around us is, I believe, more important than ever in the uncertain and challenging times we live in.

I welcome people of all identities, cultures, sexualities and faiths, and am committed to holding a confidential and non-judgmental space.

I am a member of UKCP and abide by their ethical code.

Contact me at chris.elcombe@outlook.com, and please do read on for more about what therapy with me might look like, and the kinds of issues I can work with you on.

A serene landscape with mountains, a lake, and vibrant greenery under a clear blue sky.

About my approach

Everyone is different and I tailor my approach to you. However, I’m interested in working relationally - a way of paying attention to repeating, often troubling patterns we hold onto from our early life.

So I'll ask about your life today and in the past, particularly perhaps your childhood, and together we'll start to make sense of things. I'll pay attention to what you're saying, how you're saying it, and what you might be communicating in ways other than words. We'll talk, but also make space to notice what might be happening in your mind and body. Through exploring whatever feelings, thoughts, and beliefs arise, we'll open up space in which new possibilities might emerge.

Coming to therapy can feel like a big step. It can be a complex and challenging process, and I’m always up for discussing how it’s going, and how we’re working together.

Please see below for more on the kinds of issues I can work on with you.

How it works

For information about fees, session details and more please scroll down or click on 'find out more'. If you have any other questions about what therapy entails or what I offer, please don't hesitate to contact me: chris.elcombe@outlook.com

Find out more

Outdoor therapy

I offer outdoor therapy as an alternative to my indoor practice.

The benefits of being outdoors are well researched. Therapy in an outside space can also, for some people, open things up in a different way from talking face-to-face in a room.

I have trained in an ecological practice that can include exploration of our relationship with the environment we are in, moment to moment, as well as reflecting on what might be happening inside us, or between therapist and client, as we might in a more ‘traditional’ setting.

Ecotherapy can enliven and deepen our understanding of ourselves, of how we connect to others (including but not exclusively people!), and of our relationship with the world we are moving among. It can feel vital, and vital-ising, to spend time tending to any or all of these relationships.

I work in a woodland area local to me, in which during a session we might walk and talk, but also allow space for pauses and quiet reflection, sitting or standing: how we spend the time is something we can shape together, in contact with what might arise as we go.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the where/how/when etc, please feel free to contact me via email: chris.elcombe@outlook.com

Is therapy for me?

Perhaps you’re going through a time in your life, as many of us do, where you’re having thoughts, feelings or experiences that are hard to bear.

Or maybe you’re noticing the same thing playing out over and over in relationships or at work, but you’re not sure why it’s happening, or how to change things.

Using labels to define and describe our experiences can be useful, but not for everyone. I have included some below as a way of indicating some of the areas I can work with you, but these are not exhaustive.

- depression

- anxiety and panic attacks

- relationship issues

- sexuality and identity

- troubling thoughts, feelings or behaviours

- lack of self-esteem

- post-traumatic stress (including PTSD)

- abuse

- addictions

- bereavement

- self-harm or suicidal feelings

Alternatively, maybe you have a sense that something is wrong but can't put your finger on what the problem is. This is very common too, and something we can explore together.

How it works

Find out more

Further information

Sessions

Confidentiality and safety

Fees and cancellation

I offer both short- and long-term therapy, meeting for 50 minutes, face-to-face, at the same time on a weekly basis.

I don't prescribe the number of sessions - everyone has different needs. It is your choice, and something we can discuss together at the beginning, and review as necessary as the therapy progresses. However, I would suggest (though it is not compulsory) that a minimum of 6 sessions is advisable in order to gain any benefit from the work.

Please contact me if you have any questions about this.

Fees and cancellation

Confidentiality and safety

Fees and cancellation

My standard fee is £70 per session.

I have limited space at a lower rate, for people on reduced income or out of work. Payment by bank transfer is preferred.

Sessions cancelled with 7 days' notice will not be charged.

Confidentiality and safety

Confidentiality and safety are crucial in therapy. I uphold these principles in accordance with the UKCP code of ethics, maintaining complete confidentiality with the following exceptions: I am required to discuss my work (using the client's first name only) with a qualified supervising psychotherapist, which is also a confidential relationship; and where there is a risk of harm to self or others.

Ethics

Data protection

Confidentiality and safety

As a psychotherapist, I am required to be in regular supervision with a qualified UKCP supervising psychotherapist. I abide by the professional and ethical codes of UKCP and Metanoia Institute.

Data protection

I am required by law to adhere to GDPR regulations and be registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. My reference number is ZA486962.

I can share more details about my digital policy on request.

Contact

Data protection

Email: chris.elcombe@outlook.com

Phone: 07812 543 383

I offer an initial, free, 20-minute phone consultation to discuss what you might be looking for and to see whether we would like to work with each other.

My qualifications

I am a Certified Transactional Analyst and have an MSc (Psych) and a Clinical Diploma in Transactional Analysis Therapy from the Metanoia Institute.

Accessibility

My qualifications

There are a small number of steps (up and down) on the way into my therapy space.

I work in a garden office and there is no access to a toilet at these premises. I am near a high street with several cafes and am happy to advise on alternative local facilities if necessary.

Please let me know if you have any other access needs - I am open to discussing ways in which I can reasonably accommodate these.