About

My name is Julie Ziesmann. I am a Chartered Counselling Psychologist in London registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). I currently offer face-to-face sessions in Maida Vale and online sessions via Zoom.

I work with people therapeutically to help them understand more about themselves. When we feel low or anxious, we often don’t know what it is we are struggling with or the thing we are struggling with feels disproportionate to how we are feeling. By learning more about ourselves and our unconscious processes, we can develop and improve our self-awareness and become more active participants in our lives. This helps us feel less like we are being led by our emotions.

I welcome clients from all walks of life, no matter their ethnicity, culture, sexuality, gender or disability.

Areas of specialty

I have many years of experience working in different settings across primary and secondary care NHS services, as well as the private and community sector. In my most recent positions, I worked as a Highly Specialist Counselling Psychologist in an NHS community mental health team and as an Associate Psychologist in a private psychology clinic in West London.

I have particular experience in working with people who struggle with

  • feeling depressed or anxious

  • relationship problems, relationship loss, family issues and loneliness

  • traumatic experiences

  • physical health

  • stress, burn-out, work-related issues and career direction

  • creativity and creative processes.

Further training

Further to my doctoral training in person-centred, psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural therapy, I have completed a variety of trainings since. These include further training in Couple’s therapy, Psychoanalysis, Dialectical-Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). These approaches further inform my work.

Couples therapy

Very commonly in relationships, we circle around the same topics and arguments over and over again seemingly unable to resolve the issue at hand. In couple’s therapy, we get to what it is that is driving the conflict and identify what is needed to move beyond the argument. Initially, we will meet for an assessment to understand more about what brings you to couples therapy and to establish an initial understanding of the patterns of your relationship. If we agree to work together, we will work on further understanding these, the conscious and unconscious factors keeping this dynamic going and how this can be overcome.

The work tends to be focussed on understanding more about

  • what may contribute to your dynamic and difficulties

  • ways in which unconscious processes shape your relationship

  • communication and ways in which this may be improved.

My approach

I offer a non-judgemental space where we can explore what it is that brings you to therapy. I believe that the relationship between therapist and client is central to therapeutic work. My work is based on relational psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theory, which aims to understand more about unconscious processes and relational patterns. These are understood to be formed in early life. This work is exploratory and insight-oriented.

I also base my work on humanistic values and approaches, which highlight the uniqueness and potential of each individual. I believe that there is no one size that fits all and focus on understanding each individual and what they need at a particular moment in time.

I am also influenced by behavioural approaches, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy and mindfulness practice. These approaches are more change-oriented usually with a particular focus in mind. Together we will think about your needs and a shared focus. We can also discuss any questions you may have when we speak at your initial consultation appointment.

I offer long-term, open-ended therapy, where different focus points emerge along the way, as well as brief therapy, which tends to be more focused and structured.

Fees

Fee transparency

Fees for psychological therapy cover much more than the actual session. Fees also cover the therapist’s professional registration, insurance, professional development, office-related costs and more.

Individual therapy

I operate a sliding scale fee structure dependent on income.

Initial consultation: £125 per session
On-going sessions: £105-£145 per session

I have a limited number of concessionary places available for students and those with low-income, please contact me to discuss.

Couple’s therapy

Initial consultation: £150 per session
On-going sessions: £150 per session

I have a limited number of concessionary places available, please contact me to discuss.

Private medical insurance

I am registered with Aviva, AXA, Bupa, Cigna, Vitality and WPA. I will ask you for your full name, date of birth, address, insurance membership number and authorisation code to set up invoicing through your insurance.