Common Questions

Counselling tends to focus on a specific challenge — a difficult relationship, a life transition, an immediate stressor — and is often shorter-term. Psychotherapy usually goes deeper, exploring long-standing patterns, early experiences and the way they shape your life today. In practice the line blurs: many of our practitioners offer both, and what you actually need is shaped over the first few sessions together. If you're not sure, mention it at enquiry and we'll suggest a practitioner whose approach fits the kind of work you have in mind.

There's no single threshold. People come to therapy when something feels stuck, painful or repetitive — anxiety that won't quiet, low mood, grief, relationship strain, or simply the sense that life isn't fitting any more. You don't have to be in crisis. Many clients arrive curious rather than desperate, wanting to understand themselves better or make a considered decision about a change. If you've been thinking about it for a while, that's usually reason enough to book an introductory session and see how it feels.

It varies enormously. Some clients work briefly — six to twelve sessions on a specific issue — while others stay for a year or longer when the work is deeper or developmental. Bodywork and counselling are often shorter; psychotherapy tends to unfold over more time. After the first few sessions your therapist will usually share a sense of what they've noticed and how the work might be paced. Therapy is something you choose into, so length stays in your hands throughout.

The first session is mostly a conversation. Your practitioner will ask what's bringing you, and a little about your background, current life and what you're hoping for. You'll have time to ask anything you want — about their training, the way they work, fees and frequency. There's no obligation to commit to ongoing sessions. Many people use the first session to decide whether the practitioner feels right; we'd much rather you take the time to choose well than rush into work that doesn't fit.

Generally, no. Therapy is rarely about being given instructions. Instead, your practitioner helps you understand yourself, your patterns and your choices more clearly, so the decisions you make are genuinely yours. Some approaches — coaching, certain CBT-style interventions — do involve practical exercises and structured guidance. But even there, the work hinges on your own insight and pace. If you want a more directive style or a more exploratory one, say so at enquiry: it helps us match you well.

That depends on what you're bringing and how you like to work. Talking-led approaches such as psychodynamic, integrative and person-centred work suit people who want to explore meaning and patterns. CBT and short-term counselling suit clients with a clear, focused issue. Body-centred and somatic work helps when distress lives more in the body than in words. Couples or relational therapy works on the dynamic between people, not just inside one. Tell us what you're seeking and we'll suggest a practitioner whose approach is likely to fit.

Yes. Everything you share with your practitioner stays between the two of you, with very narrow exceptions: serious risk of harm to yourself or someone else, certain legal disclosures, and anonymised clinical supervision, which all qualified therapists are required to attend. Notes are kept securely by your therapist and managed under UK GDPR. headroom itself doesn't see your session content — your practitioner is independent. Your therapist will explain confidentiality and its limits in your first session and is always happy to answer questions about it later.

Decades of research show that therapy meaningfully helps with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulty and many other concerns. The biggest predictor of a good outcome isn't a particular method but the quality of the relationship between you and your therapist — feeling understood, safe and able to be honest. Just talking sells it short: skilled therapy attends to what's beneath the words, makes room for what's hard to face, and supports lasting change. That's why finding the right person matters more than picking the right approach.

Online sessions can be genuinely good — convenient, accessible from home, and a real fit for people with limited mobility, chaotic schedules or lives spread across cities. Some people find online easier to open up in; others find a physical room steadier and less distracting. Bodywork, of course, has to be in person. Most of our practitioners offer both and will discuss with you which mode fits the work. If you'd prefer in-person, our Forest Hill clinic is five minutes from the station.

Some of our practitioners work with couples and families specifically; others work only with individuals. If you'd like relational work, mention it at enquiry and we'll suggest someone trained for it. Bringing someone to one session of otherwise-individual therapy is sometimes possible, but it's a real shift in the work and your therapist will want to discuss it first. For ongoing couples or family work, both or all of you usually agree to attend together; the relationship itself becomes the focus.

Fees vary by practitioner, modality and session length, generally £70 to £120 for a fifty-minute session. Each practitioner sets their own fees and lists them on their profile. Some offer a reduced rate for trainees, students or low-income clients — we'll happily flag that at enquiry if it matters to you. There's no booking or admin fee on top: the price you see is the price you pay your practitioner directly. Initial sessions are usually charged at the same rate as ongoing ones unless stated otherwise.

Several of our practitioners hold a small number of reduced-fee places for clients who can't access therapy at the standard rate. Availability changes month to month. If cost is a barrier, please tell us at enquiry — we'd much rather match you with a practitioner whose pricing genuinely works for you than have you start and stop. We'll also point you to local low-cost services if we can't help directly.

You pay your practitioner directly, usually by bank transfer at the end of each session or before. A few practitioners use card terminals; some accept cash. There's no central account at headroom that processes fees. Your therapist will explain their preferred method and any cancellation policy in the first session, and will share invoices on request — useful if you're claiming via insurance, an employer scheme or a healthcare savings account. Any payment questions can also be raised at enquiry before booking.

Each practitioner sets their own cancellation policy, but most ask for at least forty-eight hours' notice. Inside that window the session is usually still chargeable, because the slot is reserved for you and can't easily be re-booked. Practitioners are generally understanding about emergencies and illness — if you need to cancel late, just let them know honestly. The policy will be explained in your first session and is there to protect the regularity that makes therapy work over time.

Most talking-therapy sessions run for fifty minutes — the long-standing therapeutic hour. Bodywork sessions tend to be sixty or ninety minutes depending on the practitioner. Couples sessions are sometimes longer, often seventy-five or ninety minutes, to give both partners space. Couples therapy and certain coaching sessions can run longer still. Each practitioner's profile lists the session length they offer, and the same length is usually held week to week so you can plan around it reliably.

Weekly sessions are the most common pattern for talking therapy — frequent enough to build momentum, spaced enough to give the work room to settle. Some clients move to fortnightly later on; others choose more intensive work, twice a week, where appropriate. Bodywork and shorter-term counselling are often less frequent. Your practitioner will discuss what they think will work best for you in the first session, and frequency is something you can revisit together as your needs change.

Many UK employers now offer wellbeing or healthcare benefits that cover counselling and therapy — some via private medical insurance, others via Employee Assistance Programmes or healthcare savings accounts. Coverage is set by the employer, so check what your scheme allows before booking. We're happy to provide receipts and, where relevant, a brief practitioner registration summary so you can submit a claim. Tell us at enquiry if you're claiming and we'll match you with a practitioner whose registration fits your scheme.

Use the contact form on our website, or email info@headroom.org.uk. Tell us a little about what you're looking for — talking therapy, bodywork, couples work, anything specific — and any constraints around timing or budget. We aim to respond within forty-eight hours, but is generally much quicker. From there you'll arrange your first session directly with your practitioner. There's no pressure to commit to ongoing work; many clients use the first session as a try-out.

Just yourself. There's no paperwork to bring and no preparation needed. Some people like to jot down a few things they want to make sure they mention; that's helpful but not required. Wear something comfortable, especially if you've booked a bodywork session. Allow a few extra minutes the first time so you can find the room without rushing. Your practitioner will introduce themselves, explain how they work and answer any questions before the session begins.

We're at 33 Dartmouth Place, Forest Hill, London SE23 3AU — a quiet residential street just off Dartmouth Road, five minutes' walk from Forest Hill station (Overground and National Rail). The clinic is set back from the road with a calm, welcoming entrance. Buses 122, 176, 185, 197 and P4 stop nearby. Once inside you'll find a small waiting area.

Forest Hill is residential, there is unrestricted on-street parking on Dartmouth place, Clyde Terrace and Clyde Place, but it can be busy. Thorpewood Avenue is a 4 minute walk away and has unrestricted parking. There is a small NCP close by and the station has a small car park. If parking is a concern, public transport is an easy option: Forest Hill Overground and National Rail is five minutes' walk and several bus routes serve Dartmouth Road.

Our ground-floor consulting rooms are wheelchair accessible, with step-free entry from the street. Some of the upper rooms are reached by stairs and aren't suitable if you can't manage steps. If accessibility matters to you — wheelchair, mobility aid, hearing loop, anything else — please mention it at enquiry. We'll make sure your sessions are booked into a room that genuinely works for you and let you know about lift access, accessible toilets and step-free routes in the building.

Absolutely. The therapeutic relationship is the most important ingredient and a mismatch isn't anyone's fault — sometimes it's simply not the right pairing. If something doesn't feel right, we encourage you to say so, either to your practitioner directly or quietly to us at info@headroom.org.uk. We'll happily suggest other practitioners who might suit you better. There's no awkwardness or fee involved in moving; the goal is for you to find work that genuinely helps.

Wear something comfortable that you can move in easily. For most bodywork — holistic massage, somatic sessions, certain therapeutic touch work — your practitioner will explain their setup beforehand: some work over clothing, some ask you to undress to your comfort level under a towel, with full privacy to change. You'll never be asked to do anything that doesn't feel right. If you have particular concerns about clothing or modesty, mention them at enquiry and we'll match you with a practitioner whose approach fits.

Headroom was co-founded by Dr Karan Lund, a London GP, and Dr Karen Denise Gonzalez, an integrative psychotherapist. They built the clinic around the conviction that mental and physical health are inseparable, and that the space therapy happens in matters as much as the conversation. Both practise — Karan in primary care, Karen as a psychotherapist at headroom — and they remain closely involved in the day-to-day running of the clinic and in choosing the practitioners who work here.

Yes. Every practitioner at headroom is qualified in their modality and registered with a recognised professional body — typically BACP, UKCP, BABCP, BPS, HCPC or CNHC, depending on their discipline. Each profile on our site lists their training, registrations and any relevant verification links. Registered practitioners are bound by an ethical code, hold professional insurance and attend ongoing supervision. We don't host unregistered or unsupervised practitioners — it's a core part of what makes headroom feel safe to walk into.

Three things: the space, the standard and the breadth. The rooms are designed by a GP and a psychotherapist for the work that happens inside them — calm, sound insulated, generously lit. The standard is non-negotiable: every practitioner is qualified, registered and personally chosen. And the breadth means clients can find talking therapy, bodywork, hypnobirthing and more under one roof, with practitioners who collaborate when it helps. We're independent, founder-led and small enough to know everyone working here.

Selection is hands-on. We meet every prospective practitioner, see the rooms they'd work in and review their qualifications, registrations, and insurance before offering a chair. Beyond the paperwork, we look for clinical maturity, an ethical orientation and a way of holding clients that fits the wider tone of the clinic. We deliberately stay small. We'd rather have a careful mix of experienced practitioners across modalities than a long roster.

No. Each practitioner is an independent professional who hires room-time at headroom and runs their own private practice from here. Your therapeutic relationship is with them directly — they set their fees, hold their own insurance, manage their bookings and are responsible for clinical decisions. Headroom provides the space, the front door and the quality bar. This independent model is the same one most established UK therapy clinics use, and it means each practitioner stays accountable to their own professional body.

Space to be is the line we built the clinic around. It points to two things at once: the physical space — quiet, sound insulated, designed to feel held rather than clinical — and the inner space therapy makes possible, where you can think, feel and notice without performing. Across all our practitioners and modalities, that's the consistent invitation: a place where you can take a breath and meet yourself, with skilled, ethical company. Everything from the room layouts to how we match clients flows from it.

We genuinely want to hear from you. For everyday feedback — about the rooms, the booking process, anything practical — email info@headroom.org.uk. For concerns about your therapy itself, the first step is usually to raise it with your practitioner; if that feels difficult or doesn't resolve things, contact us directly and we'll help. Each practitioner is also accountable to their own professional body (BACP, UKCP, etc.) and you have the right to complain there. We treat all feedback seriously and confidentially.

Yes — anxiety is one of the most common reasons people come to headroom. Several of our therapists work specifically with generalised anxiety, panic, social anxiety and health anxiety, drawing on CBT, integrative, psychodynamic and somatic approaches. We are able to match you with a practitioner whose method fits how your anxiety presents and what you've already tried. Some clients want practical tools to settle the body; others want to understand why anxiety keeps returning. Both are possible here, and many clients work on both at once.

Yes. Depression — low mood, loss of motivation, hopelessness, the sense of being heavily flat — is something every one of our talking therapists has experience with. Approaches range from short-term, structured CBT to longer-term psychodynamic and integrative work that explores what's underneath the depression. If your symptoms are severe, or you're having thoughts of harm, please also consider speaking to your GP or call NHS 111; therapy works best alongside appropriate medical support, not instead of it. We'll always discuss this in your first session.

Yes. Grief takes many forms — recent loss, anniversary grief, anticipatory grief while caring for someone, grief tangled with complicated relationships. Several of our therapists have particular experience with bereavement and end-of-life work. There's no expected timeline; therapy can offer a space where the loss can be felt and held without you having to manage anyone else's reaction. If you're newly bereaved, an introductory session can be a low-stakes way to see whether it's the right time and the right person.

Yes. We have who practitioners work with adults exploring or living with ADHD, autism and other forms of neurodivergence. We don't offer formal diagnostic assessment ourselves yet, but therapy here can support you alongside (or while waiting for) assessment elsewhere — helping with self-understanding, work and relationships, executive function strategies, processing late diagnosis, and unpicking how lifelong masking has shaped you. Tell us at enquiry what you're hoping for and we'll match you with a practitioner whose approach genuinely fits.

Yes. We have practitioners trained in couples and relational therapy who work with partners on communication, conflict, intimacy, parenting, infidelity, life transitions and considered separation. Couples sessions are usually longer than individual ones — often seventy-five or ninety minutes — and both partners are expected to attend. We also see plenty of clients who work on their relationships in individual therapy, examining patterns from the inside. Both routes can be effective; what fits depends on what you and (where relevant) your partner want from the work.

Yes. We let our six bespoke therapy rooms by the hour, half-day or full day to qualified, registered practitioners building or running their private practice. Hire is contracted on a flexible block-bookings basis rather than a fixed lease, so you can scale up or down as your practice changes. To enquire, visit our For Practitioners page, fill in the contact form, or email info@headroom.org.uk with a little about your modality, registration and the kind of slots you're after.

Every room comes furnished and ready to work in: comfortable seating, soft lighting, a small table or desk, and acoustic insulation throughout. Bodywork rooms include a treatment couch, and storage. There's a calm shared waiting area, secure WiFi, kitchenette access and a bookable cleaning rhythm between users. You don't need to bring anything beyond your own clinical materials. If your modality has specific equipment needs, mention them at enquiry — we can usually accommodate, or talk you through what's possible.

Once you're contracted, you book rooms via our shared online calendar — usually choosing a regular weekly slot (for example Tuesday afternoons) with the option to add ad-hoc sessions when you need them. Block bookings give you priority and pricing certainty; ad-hoc availability is opened up to other practitioners. We deliberately keep the calendar transparent so you can plan client work confidently. Cancellation and rescheduling rules are explained in your hire agreement and designed to be fair to both sides.

Yes. Every consulting room at headroom is treated for acoustic privacy — that's been a non-negotiable from the start. Walls are insulated, doors are heavy, gasketed, with door drop down seals, and underfloor insulation dampen footfall. Clients in adjoining rooms can speak normally without being overheard, and the waiting area is positioned so conversations don't carry. We have ambient music in the waiting area to help.

The clinic is open from early morning to evening, seven days a week, with practitioners holding regular slots across that whole window. Standard hours run roughly 7:00 to 22:00. When you contract a regular slot it's yours, undisturbed, week to week — that consistency tends to matter for both practitioner and client. We'll talk through availability in your enquiry call so you can plan around the slots that suit your practice.

Yes. Practitioners contracted to use our rooms are invited to publish a profile on the headroom website — bio, photograph, modalities, fees, registration and contact details. Profiles drive a meaningful share of new client enquiries, especially for newer practitioners building a caseload. We help with the wording if useful and update profiles whenever you ask. We aim to make you visible in the internet.

Yes. Every practitioner working from headroom must hold their own current professional indemnity and public liability insurance, as well as registration with their professional body. We'll ask to see proof of these before your first booking and at renewal. Headroom carries its own buildings insurance for the premises, but your clinical practice is yours to insure. If you're newly qualified and getting set up, your professional body or modality's trade association can usually point you to suitable cover.

The simplest route is to email info@headroom.org.uk with a short note about your modality, qualifications, registration and the kind of hire you're looking for, and we'll arrange a conversation — usually a phone call first, then a visit to the rooms. We are personally involved in every practitioner conversation; we'd rather take the time to get the fit right than fill rooms. We aim to reply to enquiries within forty-eight hours.