What We Offer

Help in finding a therapist
It can be very confusing trying to work out what kind of therapy and which therapist would be most helpful. The Independent Psychology Service takes the process of helping you find a therapist very seriously. There are over 60 therapists in the IPS network, who have training and expertise in a wide range of problems and approaches.

We can help you find an experienced, specialist practitioner; whom you feel able to work with; using an approach to therapy that is appropriate for you and your problems; at a time and place that fits in with your life and without waiting lists.

The Initial Consultation
We offer an initial assessment to think together about you and your problems. This may be carried out either by telephone or face-to-face and is not usually held with the person who will be recommended as your therapist. A telephone consultation lasts about 25 minutes, whilst a face-to-face consultation lasts 50 minutes. This forms the basis on which we recommend a therapist.

To whom do we offer help?
We see adults, children, couples, families.

Therapies we offer:
There are many talking therapies. Some approaches are better suited to particular problems and appeal more to certain people. We can help you think about an approach likely to suit you and your problems. There are no magical solutions, but good therapy with a skilled therapist may be a life-changing experience. IPS therapists offer the following therapies, which have been researched and are evidence-based:

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
CAT is 16 session approach that explores patterns that repeat themselves in a person’s perceptions of themselves and relationships with others, causing unhappiness or conflict, and considers alternative ways of responding.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT explores the way in which distorted interpretations of events might lead to symptoms such as anxiety or depression. Therapist and client explore chains of negative, ‘automatic’ thoughts that kick in as a response to emotionally charged experiences, and identify and challenge irrational, over-inclusive beliefs.

Counselling
Counsellors offer a supportive relationship for exploring problems in life and relationships.

Couple Psychotherapy
Talking with a therapist in a neutral environment helps couples to understand the things each partner brings that might be affecting their relationship negatively and can be a powerful way of improving communication, or overcoming sexual tensions. Sometimes therapy might be about helping couples to separate in ways that reduce some of the pain and hostility.

Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT)
DIT is a 16 session approach to psychodynamic psychotherapy for anxiety or low mood that centres on identifying and working on a core area of internal conflict.

Eye Movement De-sensitization and Re-processing (EMDR)
After experiencing a trauma, the mind’s capacities for coping may be overwhelmed, leading to anxiety, depression and possibly flashbacks or nightmares. EMDR uses techniques that help the brain to emotionally process feelings that have been stirred up.

Group Psychotherapy
Coming together to share experiences can help you realise that you are not alone in the difficulties and feelings you face. Groups also offer a chance to learn from others’ experiences.

Our 'Facing Parenthood Service offers groups and workshops to help individuals and couples prepare for the challenges of parenthood; for new mothers and fathers; and for women who have experienced traumatic births.

Integrative Therapy
Psychologists are trained in a range of different therapeutic approaches and may draw on a number of these to help you.

Internal Language Enhancement (ILE)
A 20 session, neuro-psychological approach to the treatment of eating disorders that helps build brain pathways to allow difficult emotions to be dealt with through thinking rather than being converted into concerns about food and the body. Developed by an IPS therapist, with 25 years of experience treating eating disorders. Clinical research trials are currently underway.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
IPT focusses on the relationship contexts in which problems such as depression are experienced. It may be offered as a brief treatment of 8 sessions, or over the longer term.

Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT)
This approach has been designed to help people develop their capacity to make sense of their own and other people’s minds, feelings and behaviour.

Mindfulness
CBT therapists have drawn on principles of Buddhist meditation to help people who are prone to depression or anxiety to become more calmly centred on their feelings and bodily experiences in the here-and-now, and free themselves from more catastrophic thinking about the past or future.

Psychiatric Consultation
A Psychiatric Consultation may be helpful to advise on medication or a psychiatric diagnosis. If there is serious concern about a person's mental state, we will advise a psychiatric assessment.

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Therapist and client work together to uncover the thoughts, feelings and memories that shape relationships to oneself and others in unhelpful ways, often outside of conscious awareness, and so make them open to reflection and change, within the context of a supportive therapeutic relationship.

Psychoanalysis
An intensive approach, involving 3-5 sessions per week, often over several years. The aim is to bring conscious understanding to beliefs and conflicts that affect feelings, thoughts, behaviours and relationships, often outside awareness and that may have their origins in early experiences, and to foster change through the therapeutic relationship.

Systemic Family Therapy
Systemic Family Therapy aims to understand an individual’s or family’s problems by exploring the patterns of communication, dynamics and the structure of family relationships that may be creating or maintaining difficulties and helping to change these.

Telephone Consultations
If you live outside London or have limited mobility, some therapists offer therapy sessions on the telephone. There is research evidence that telephone consultations can be very effective.

Psychological Assessments
IPS Psychologists and Psychiatrists are also able to offer:

Educational Psychology Assessments:
To identify: specific learning problems such as dyslexia or dyspraxia; developmental delay; emotional problems that may be affecting learning; to help consider appropriate schooling. Particular educational or therapeutic intervention may be recommended and the Educational Psychologist may be able to liaise with the school.

Neuro-psychological Assessments:
These can be helpful in identifying changes in intellectual functioning, for example following head injury, or in assessing memory loss in older age. Such assessments may indicate helpful interventions.

Expert Witness Reports
The IPS has Psychologists and Psychiatrists who specialise as Expert Witnesses. They carry out assessments and prepare reports to present to lawyers, insurance companies or the courts. These reports may be required if you are seeking compensation after an accident or in child custody or work disputes.