Find a counsellor - Counselling near me. Note that I use the words "counselling services London", "psychotherapy London", "psychotherapeutic counselling in London" & "talking therapy in London" and also "London counsellor", "counselling in Camden Town", "counselling Kings Cross", "London psychotherapist", "psychotherapeutic counsellor" & "talking therapist" interchangeably. I am accredited as a counsellor, psychotherapist & talking therapist and I am happy to discuss their differences with you.

Issues In Counselling, Issues In Psychotherapy London

Range Of Issues, Symptoms People May Bring To Psychotherapy & Counselling In London People come to counselling or psychotherapy for many important reasons - maybe going through a difficult period in life, having certain challenges, dilemmas, problems. We may be faced with what seems an insurmountable problem or situation and the counselling can help explore our options, choices and responses. Some counselling issues are specific, like relationship concerns, confidence and esteem, stress, fear, anxiety, procrastination, unhelpful habits or addictions, depression, bereavement, grief and others of a reflective, existential nature - many issues are connected to underlying considerations. The therapy focuses on you yourself, who and how you are, the issues you bring, viewing them also as symptoms, their impact, why they are a problem to you, what they might be saying and mean for you, including your perspective, future potential, emerging purpose, and if appropriate, how you can overcome, manage them, what your next steps might be. People come to counselling in London with a range of issues:

In This Section:

Reflective, Existential Concerns

General Counselling Issues

Relationship Counselling & Marriage Counselling

For full details see Relationship Counselling & Marriage Counselling

Sexual Fulfilment

For full details see Sexuality

Envy & Jealousy

For full details see Envy & Jealousy In The Relationship Or Marriage

Range Of Specific Feelings & Emotions

For details, see Feelings, Emotions, Emotional Health - Counselling London, Stress, Fear, Anxiety Counselling London, Unhealed Wounds - Counselling London, Aloneness, Loneliness, Emptiness, Alienation, Our Resilience, Hardiness & Protecting Our Personal Boundaries & Living To Our Full Potential

Specific Feelings

Little sense of worth
Stress (also work & office related), problems dealing with pressure, anxiety, dwelling on things, distress, agitation & feeling agitated, apprehension, nerves & feeling nervous, impatience, being impatient
Panic attacks
Trauma, traumatised by past events
Fearful or fear driven, scared, afraid or feeling like a frightened child
Specific personal fears & fears in our relationship, marriage
Disappointment & dissatisfaction - unsatisfied or rarely satisfied, disillusionment, despondency
Sore spots, resentments, bitterness, grievances, grudges
Frustration - feeling frustrated or unfulfilled
Resentful, sarcastic, cynical
Anger management
Anger at life's limitations
Dreading certain things
Sense of impending doom or threat
Overly cautious
Lost, stuck
Vulnerability
Boredom - being bored
Apathetic, heart not in life, heart closed
Discomfort or ambivalence
Exhausted, tired, lethargic
Hurt or pain, shutting pain down
Guilt & shame, feeling guilty, ashamed or not proud in certain aspects
Sense of ongoing suffering
Helplessness
Despair, depression at times, happiness, hopelessness, joy
Heartbreak
Feeling abandoned
Envy, jealousy
Sensitivity
Empathy
Intuition, instinct
Loss, grief

Issues Around Our Feelings

Struggling to trust our intuition
Distress
Fight, flight, freeze reaction
Intensity of our (or others) emotions & tendency to absorb others' emotions, overly sensitive, feeling porous
Easily overwhelmed by feelings
Tearful
Difficult feelings
Uncomfortable feelings
So called negative feelings, negative emotions, uncomfortable, negative, overwhelming, unwanted, painful or "bad" feelings
Familiar feelings we may no longer want
Oversharing our feelings
Being like a doormat, feeling like a victim
Opening up & protecting ourselves when we need to
Overly defended or defensive, closed down at times
Moodiness, emotional mood swings, mood changes, low moods
Feeling isolated, helpless, worthless, struggling to feel our core painful feelings
The one who feels they don't belong
Brushing our feelings under the carpet
Bypassing, internalising our feelings, withdrawing, withholding, problem identifying feelings when we experience them, unexplained, uncomfortable feelings, general unease, drifting off, remoteness or being up in the clouds, watching ourself from afar
Meandering along in the world - "getting by" where survival is no longer enough, lost, stuck, blocked, closed, cut off, numb, paralysed, shut down, in a daze, lethargy - numbing feelings or bottling things up, keeping things inside - locked, buried or trapped
Going cold
The pain of living a life unlived. Like an outsider or observing the world, yet struggling to fully participate in it.
Excessively needy, clingy or denying our needs, neediness
Shaping our response by how others convey their feelings
Sense of being out of control, seeking self-control. Unsettled, not sure where things are going.
Easily invaded by others or the world
Need to be more anchored, solid or grounded
Wanting to feel more secure
Wanting to be more open, risk vulnerability
Wanting to make peace with ourself or others, wanting to be more relaxed, at ease, worry less, have peace of mind
Seeking ways to soothe ourself
Accessing our feelings, healthily expressing feelings, fully feeling our feelings - allowing our emotions to flow
Elevated moods
Intrinsic feelings
Primary & secondary feelings
Integrating all our feelings

Issues Around Our Emotions

Emotional neglect
Troubled by certain emotions, wanting to overcome emotional problems
Feeling unemotional or over-emotional, overwhelmed, emotional wellbeing, making sense of emotions,emotional self-awareness
Fearing the "floodgates will open" if we get in touch with our emotions, or let them out, contrasting & contradictory feelings, torn between conflicting emotions, feeling unbalanced or overwhelmed
Managing, regulating our emotions, overwhelmed by feelings
Emotional pain
Emotionally blocked, emotional freedom
Emotional abandonment
Taking charge of our emotional security
Emotional security
Emotional health
Emotional resilience
Emotional intelligence

Lost, stuck
Acting as if on automatic pilot or sleepwalking in life
Sense of life stagnating, as if feeling abandoned
Being miserable, not upbeat, "down in the dumps"
Out of touch or in a rut
Struggling with engaging in the world
Closed down in certain aspects
Nothing seems to matter - apathetic
Exhausted, tired, lethargic
Existing as if in a bubble or shell
The pain of living a life unlived
Existential grief
Lost personal meaning, purpose & direction
Feeling low or flat
Sadness (sad) & sorrow, unhappiness (unhappy)
The impact of eco-anxiety, climate grief, collective trauma

Disappointment

For full details see Disappointment - Counselling London & Relationship Expectations, Assumptions & Disappointments

Aloneness, Loneliness

For full details see Aloneness, Loneliness, Emptiness, Alienation

Esteem, Confidence

For full details see Self-Esteem, Confidence, Criticism, Insecurity & Assertiveness & Confidence, Esteem, Insecurity, Anxiety & Fear In Relationship Or Marriage

Social Situations

For details see Social Anxiety Or Social Phobia & Life Re-Appraisal - Our Internal Resources

Effects of bullying, in the past or now, at school, home or workplace
Loneliness, feeling as if we don't belong
Lack of social interaction, community involvement
Difficulties connecting or "fitting in" with others
Socialising well yet struggling to relate, relating with others, developing empathy
Conflict avoidance
Easily feeling disconnected, disrespected, controlled or abandoned (see also Our Sensitivities - Pushing Each Other's Buttons, Counselling London)
Shyness concerns, socially shy
Fear of relationships, love

Self-Acceptance

For details, see Self-Esteem, Confidence, Criticism, Insecurity & Assertiveness & Self-Acceptance, Loving Ourselves Unconditionally

Lack of or low confidence or self-esteem, negative self talk, overly dependent on others or external factors, self-pity - sorry for ourself
Feeling insecure (insecurity), inadequate, not good enough, unsure
Self-doubt, low self-worth, not feeling worthwhile, feeling inferior (inferiority complex)
Feeling unlovable, unloved
Self-comparison - "I'm not as good as others", over-reliant on what people think
Excessively needing validation, approval, affirmation, reassurance, confirmation, permission, recognition, appreciation, praise, attention, adoration, admiration, adulation, acceptance
Striving relentlessly to prove we can make it in the world
Self-criticism, self-judgement, self-blame, self-hatred, self-loathing; not liking ourself; overly sensitive to criticism
Poor self-image, uncomfortable gap between who we are, our image or how others see us, identity crisis
Feeling like two different people sometimes - out of contact with "the real me", feeling like a fake, fraud or "pseudo self", unable to take off our "mask" or showing one face to the world, yet experiencing difficulty being real with anyone (e.g. wanting to be authentic rather than what we "should be")
Believing, that we are "supposed" to have one feeling, yet having another - often the opposite (e.g. supposed to be happy, yet feel sad)
Surprised or shocked that we are not the person we thought we were
Lack of self-acceptance, self-appreciation
Being self-absorbed & self-centred
Seeking a safe, secure place in the world & in our relationship
Wanting to be at ease, content & at peace with who we are
Problems taking responsibility in some aspects of life, self-neglect

Range Of Specific Behaviours

For details see Our different parts (discovered & yet to be discovered), identities, personal roles, dominant personalities, How We Behave - Counselling London, Our different parts (discovered & yet to be discovered), identities, personal roles, dominant personalities, Self-Sabotage, Destruction, Perfectionism, Control, Being Over-Demanding, Competitiveness, Uncertainty, Self-Esteem, Confidence, Criticism, Insecurity & Assertiveness & Our Resilience, Hardiness & Protecting Our Personal Boundaries

Specific Behaviours

Keeping busy without giving time to us
Procrastinating
Passivity, withdrawing, withholding, sulking, shutting down, closing off, putting up a wall, "the silent treatment", passive aggression
Assertiveness issues, being unassertive, struggling to take initiative or say "No"
Unwanted impulsive, compulsive behaviour, habits or addictions
Stuck in codependent behaviour
Excessively needy, clingy or denying our needs, neediness
People pleasing or fixing things, overly compliant, always keeping people happy, or making it better for everyone
Control issues, Being controlling, blaming or controlled, blamed
Out of control aggressive behaviour
Attacking, throwing verbal insults, blaming, criticising
Overly competitive, e.g. win at all costs
Cynicism, being cynical, inner cynic, meanness, unkindness
Altruism

Issues Around Our Behaviours

Unhelpful character changes, e.g. when driving, drinking or in intimate moments
Behaving in ways as if to compensate how we feel inside
Trying very hard, yet not seem to be getting anywhere
Perfectionism, being over-demanding, overly competitive, needing to win at all costs, paying attention to detail, fear of making mistakes, getting things wrong, fear of failure or not knowing, excessively goal orientated, over-demanding of us or others
Excessively goal orientated, over-demanding of us or others
The effects of our actions on both us & others
Impulsively, compulsively acting on our triggers
Masochistic behaviour - punishing or rewarding ourself in unhelpful ways
Shaping our response to how others convey their feelings
Superficiality
Seeing ourselves acting or "putting on an act", feeling a fraud, yet seem unable to stop
Stuck in old roles, fixed identifications
Self-absorbed
Rationalising our behaviour, yet not quite believing our rationalisations (see also Protective Patterns, Over-Defensiveness)
Doing things against our better nature
Acting in problematic ways which become stressful
In a hole, yet unable to stop digging
Wondering why we behave the way we do (see also Unhealed Wounds - Counselling London)
Going around in circles
Unhelpful maintaining cycles - what we keep doing to ourselves, falling back to old ways or patterns, wanting to change negative cycles
Playing out old familiar scenarios (see also Our different parts (discovered & yet to be discovered), identities, personal roles, dominant personalities)
Uncomfortable gap between how we behave & who we are inside (see Self-Identity & Personality - Counselling London)
Wanting to change unhelpful behaviour
Tendency to self-sabotage, impulsive acts or being self-destructive, digging a hole, yet unable to stop digging
Creating unnecessary dramas & excitement (see also As If We Are In A Drama)
Blowing things out of proportion
Repetition compulsion
Struggling to impact on the world (for details see Procrastination Cure? - Mobilising Our Resources To Act)
Having too loose or too tight rules or boundaries
Losing control at times
Taking things so seriously
Person of extremes - all or nothing
Surrounding ourself with so much stimulus & choices, that we feel overwhelmed
Problems with authority
Disempowering us or others
Always or never apologising & saying sorry, forgiveness issues
Not asking for our needs to be met
Avoiding certain things, e.g. hating confrontation, conflict, arguments, rows
Our head "up in the clouds"
Being defensive when we no longer need to

Procrastination

For full details see Procrastination Counselling, Indecisiveness & Lateness & Procrastination In The Relationship Or Marriage

Excessive Habits, Drives, Feeling Out Of Control, Compulsions & Addictions

For full details see Range Of Unhelpful Habits, Distractions, Addictions Counselling London

How We Think

For full details see What We Do With Our Thoughts & Beliefs, Our Reasoning & The Weighting We Put On Things

Perfectionism Counselling London

For full details see Perfectionism, Control, Being Over-Demanding, Competitiveness, Uncertainty, Work Obsession Counselling - Control & Perfectionism & Imperfections

Motivation & Will

For details see Counselling For Motivation & Will Power, Life's Journey, Initiations - Connecting To Our Own Inner Journey, Direction & Creating Our Own Destiny & Changes & Transitions - Counselling London

Settling for whatever happens, going along with things
Procrastination Counselling, Indecisiveness & Lateness; putting things off; time wasting; indecisiveness, delaying, postponing or hesitating over important decisions & putting our ideas into action; lacking a driving force; seeing things through; starting with enthusiasm, yet unable to finish things
Difficulties determining what we really want
Knowing what we want but finding it hard to act
Blurred future
Lost, stuck, floating around in life
Lacking goals
Risk taking
Seeking the courage to change, wanting to step out onto new roads
Wanting to be more resilient

Life Transitions, Changes

For details, see Changes & Transitions - Counselling London & Living To Our Full Potential

Struggling to cope with modern life
Adjusting to change or a new phase, e.g. post university blues, new surroundings, being in London, relationships, new marriage, parenthood, retirement, etc. coping with new role at work or home (e.g. as a partner, mother or father, working from home)
Relationship stages
Lost, isolated or seeking meaning, deeper sense of self
Life has come to a head & now seeking change or future direction
Seeking new ways, because old patterns are no longer working, needing a different structure or strategy, wanting to live differently
Needing to change course, or move forward which can be exciting, yet scary
Life crises
Personal growth, development & creativity
Midlife concerns
Older life concerns, retirement, ageing

Identity & Roles

For full details, see Our different parts (discovered & yet to be discovered), identities, personal roles, dominant personalities & Self-Identity & Personality - Counselling London

Men's & Women's Issues

Our identity as a man or woman, being male or female
Men's problems, masculinity, being a father, dad
Women's problems, femininity, being a mother, mum
Sexuality, sexual issues, concerns
Effects of pregnancy termination or miscarriage on men & women

Culture

The effects of adjusting to and being in a different country or culture - feeling like a "foreigner" or "outsider", integrating into being in London
Impact of culture, cultural issues - discrimination, oppression, exploitation, being from a different culture, religion than our partner, Family problems, rifts, estrangement, multi-cultural issues, being a different religion

Health Concerns

For details see Unwell, Physical Pain, Chronic Pain, Physical ill Health

Our Body

For details see Our Body - Counselling London

Body size, shape, condition, image, acceptance
Our body identity
Attraction (see also Elusive Love? - Struggling To Make Lasting Relationships)
Valuing, respecting & looking after our body
Somatic reactions, fight, flight, freeze
Exhausted, tired, lethargic, body vitality
Relationship between our body, feelings, mind, sexuality & spirituality
Being anchored, centred, grounded in our body

Our Sleep

For full details see Sleep Problems, Insomnia

Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD

For full details see Dyslexia Counselling London - How We Best Learn

Our Sensitivities

For full details see Our Sensitivities - Pushing Each Other's Buttons, Counselling London

Integrating Work Into The Rest Of Our Life

For details, see Work Stress Counselling, Burnout Counselling London & Workplace Counselling In London - Counselling At Work

Work-Life integration, e.g. "married to work", overworking, "workaholism", being a "workaholic"
Doing unfulfilling work
Employment, job difficulties
Career dilemmas
Redundancy
Burnout concerns

Impact Of Our Past

For details, see Impact Of Our Past, Unhealed Wounds - Counselling London & Releasing Ourselves & Letting Go

Memories, circumstances & events over time, that hold us back
Problems recovering from life's disruptions
Impact of early or recent trauma
Abuse - child, childhood, emotional, physical, sexual

Ageing, Elders & Maturity - Counselling London

For details, see Ageing, Elders & Maturity - Counselling London, Living To Our Full Potential, Existential Therapy London & Releasing Ourselves & Letting Go

Entering into a later phase
Revisiting our perspectives & values
Retirement
Coping with illness
Life reflection
Unfinished business, healing relationships, finding peace

Grief, Bereavement

For details, see Grief & Bereavement Counselling London, Releasing Ourselves & Letting Go & Living To Our Full Potential

Bereavement or grief about a loved one
Mourning
Effects of pregnancy termination or miscarriage

Loss, Letting Go

For details, see Releasing Ourselves & Letting Go

Effects of what was once, is no longer
Loss of power, control
Loss of our identity
Grieving a friendship or relationship
Loss of love
Loss of interests
Endings, beginnings, transitions

Reflective, Existential Concerns

For details, see Existential Therapy London

Grieving

Grieving that nothing seems to matter any more
Tearful & moved, yet not depressed
Midlife crisis (mid-life crisis), existential grief
Grieving aspects of our life, loss, grief or letting go of a stage of life - what was or what might have been
Wishing we have done, or are doing more
The effects of the world around us reducing, e.g. friends, socialising, etc.
Other issues of middle or older life

Feeling Lost, Stuck

For details, see Lost Or Stuck

Life rewarding, yet unfulfilling - seeking inner fulfillment
Disillusioned, dissatisfied or disappointed - what's the point?
Questioning our life & achievements
Doing lots of things, yet not being fully engaged
Loss of focus or life purpose
Overwhelmed or confused
Depressed at times

Something Amiss

Sensing a gap in life
Sense of pointlessness, aimlessness or alienation
Sense of life passing by - drifting in the world
Sense of emptiness or loneliness
Existential angst, grief

Stirring, Longing

Needing a different role in life
Desiring a different life impetus
Seeking our inner direction
Seeking our home truths
Stirred by life's mysteries
Yearning or longing for deeper connection, inspiration or significance
Wanting to live to full potential

Meaning in Life

For details, see Seeking Deeper Meaning

Searching for a deeper sense of identity
A need to belong

Life Direction

For details, see Life's Journey, Initiations - Connecting To Our Own Inner Journey, Direction & Creating Our Own Destiny

Experiencing that it is not us, who is driving our life
Life or work direction - reaching a "what now?" stage
At some sort of crossroads, threshold or turning point

Freedom & Responsibility

For details, see Personal Freedom, Individual Freedom & Our Responsibility - Counselling London

Our free will, choice
Struggles with our morals & values
Limitations of life

Dreams

For details, see Interpreting Dreams - Meaning Of Dreams

Dreaming & the dreams we dream
Dream interpretation, wondering what our dreams might mean

Our Mortality

For details, see Reflecting Upon Our Mortality

Death anxiety - facing our own mortality, fear of death, dying
Coming to terms with our own fragile earthly existence

Spirituality & Religion

For details, see Feeling Spiritual, Honouring Spirituality, Choosing A Spiritual Path, Spiritual Qualities, Spiritual Direction

Challenges to our creative or spiritual life
Reactions to spiritual awakening
Religious matters

Counselling & Psychotherapy Central London, Camden, Kings Cross, London NW1 Glen Gibson - Dip. Counselling, MA Psychotherapy, Dip. Psychotherapy UKCP & mBACP Accredited Male Therapist, Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Issues People Bring To Counselling & Psychotherapy London