Getting in touch
The first step is an email: hugh.spti@gmail.com. You don't need to explain very much, just that you're looking for therapy and roughly what's going on. I'll reply to arrange a time for us to talk.
Our first session
The first session is mostly about getting a sense of each other. You'll have a chance to say what's brought you and what you're hoping for, and I'll ask some questions about your history and circumstances. It's also your opportunity to see how it feels to sit with me in the room, which matters more than any credential on a page.
Getting to know someone properly takes longer than an hour, so this isn't a single assessment session followed by a verdict. The early sessions do that work gradually, and we'll keep talking about whether this feels right as we go.
There's no obligation to continue. If it doesn't feel like the right fit, that's useful information rather than a failure, and I'd rather help you find someone better suited than have you persevere out of politeness.
How the work continues
We meet weekly, at the same time each week, for 50 minutes. Having a reliable, predictable space matters more than it might sound, it's part of what makes the work possible.
The work is open-ended. There's no fixed number of sessions and no set end date, because how long people need varies enormously. Some people leave therapy after a few months, others stay for years. We'll review how things are going periodically, so you always have a clear opportunity to talk about whether this is still useful and what might need to change.
Where we meet
I work in person in Milton Keynes, and that's how I prefer to work. A shared room does something that a screen doesn't quite manage.
I also keep a small number of online sessions available for people for whom travelling isn't realistic. If that's your situation, do say so when you get in touch.
Who I work with
I work with adults (18+), one-to-one. My approach is relational, which means I'm interested in how your difficulties show up in relationships, including the one between us.
Everyone's situation is different, but there are themes that come up again and again, and one of them may be what's brought you here.
Your relationships with other people.
Partners, family, friends, colleagues. Difficulty trusting people, finding yourself in the same argument with different people, feeling alone even when you're not, or stuck in a role you never chose.
How you feel about yourself.
Harsh self-criticism, shame, low self-worth, or a sense that you're getting away with something and will eventually be found out.
Something that's happened.
A bereavement, a relationship ending, a diagnosis, a change you didn't ask for, or something from much longer ago that still has a hold on you.
A sense that something isn't right.
No obvious crisis, nothing you can point to, but a feeling of going through the motions, or of not knowing what any of it is for.
You don't need a diagnosis or a clear explanation of what's wrong to start.
As part of practising within UKCP's Code of Ethics, I'm committed to working within the limits of my competence. If at any point I think you'd be better served by someone with different training or a more specialised service, I'll say so and help you find them. I work with adults only, and I'm not currently qualified to work with children or young people.
I'm not a crisis service. If you need urgent support, your GP, NHS 111, and the Samaritans on 116 123 are the right places to turn. In an emergency, call 999.