Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
in London

Me and the people around me in my life were of the opinion that therapy was a waste of money and that many of the regular intense feelings that I had every day (anger, doubt in myself, my choices and my relationships) and the overthinking/analysis that I performed in order to help “figure these things out” were just “part of the parcel of life” and that I should just calm down and get on with it.

Knowing therapy was always an option, I took the hard approach for over 10 years. My views were “I’m a mentally strong man and I will battle this every day and NEVER break like others around me” “I won’t show a chink in my armour or any sign of weakness in a million years” “I will outlast a weak minded society and continue being successful in life and on a pathway that I decide is best for me” “the world is wrong – the news, social media (professional and social) reports are jumping on the bandwagon and giving in to the “snowflake generation” by constantly mollycoddling society and simply ticking a box with their focus on mental health”

I thought that all I needed were close family and friends to talk to about what I was going through and that this would be enough to reassure myself that I was fine and that I was on the right path regardless. Whilst this approach was very helpful and probably a major reason why I didn’t end up in a terrible state, this only provided relief for short periods and I was always back to square one again very quickly. After all i was someone who often doubted myself and others.

Everything came on top at one particular point and fortunately I was able to recognise this along with the people who were close to me (through my openness with them they were able to spot this too). There was no “major event” that triggered this however I concluded that I had to take action if I was to prevent an entire lifetime fighting a constant and unsustainable mental battle every day.

I thoroughly researched therapists and decided that Judy was the most qualified person to help me. The descriptions / biographies on Klearminds allowed me to do this a lot easier than other websites and if you are reluctant to try therapy this process can be off putting but I urge you to persist.

I didn’t expect it but the first session was life altering in itself. This was simply the “getting to know the you” stage but saying the words out loud to Judy provided an overwhelming sense of release and resulted in a surprisingly emotional first session. This was the start of what was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

It’s now 1 month after I have completed therapy and I couldn’t recommend Judy more highly. The key points/takeaways for me were:

We set clear goals and achieved them which disproved my thoughts that therapy was a waste of money/I’d be strung along forever making marginal or temporary improvements.

You have to be completely honest so that Judy can help you (there is never judgement, just help)

I have a greater understanding of myself and my brain than ever before

In order to get the most out of these sessions you must be prepared to apply what you learn in real life.

The techniques and clarity that I have gained have ended the constant mental battle for all of the issues that I felt I had.

Be kind to yourself (for real)

​​Karen has helped me turn my life around. From a complete relationship knot and career uncertainty, Karen unlocked my thoughts and guided me through making decisions about my future. Even though I had open conversations with friends, it was Karen’s expertise and guidance that really made me see clearly the path ahead. She prepared me for what to expect and walked through what happened at each turn. I will be forever grateful for what Karen did for me and can recommend her without hesitation.

Had a very positive experience working with Kate and KlearMinds. Kate was very easy to talk to and gave me space to do sessions in the way that worked best for me and I came out of them feeling refreshed and motivated. I would definitely recommend Kate to anyone looking to work through things in therapy, she was kind, thoughtful and always reliable even when I was a bit awkward about finding times that suited my schedule.

Working with Amanda has been a really positive and transformative experience. She got what I needed straight away and through incisive but gentle questioning helped me change the way I think about so many things. If you are thinking about talking to a therapist, I would encourage you to go for it!

I have struggled with anxiety for my entire life and when I first met with Judy I thought she would help me manage it but I would never be able to overcome it. With Judy’s help I would no longer consider myself an anxious person. I do not experience anxiety on a daily basis like I used to when I first started therapy, and even more than that I now go months on end without even having the most minimal symptoms of anxiety. The way that I describe the effect that therapy has had on me is that it has allowed me to finally be myself, without anxiety preventing me from doing things or making me act in ways that I am ashamed of or regret afterwards. I am able to be fully present in my relationships and experiences, without worrying about the future or the past while talking to people or doing things.

For anyone who experiences anxiety on a day to day basis, or if anxiety is preventing you from working, attending social events, or just being able to be present in your own life, I could not recommend therapy with Judy more. Without her I would still be living under a cloud of worry, and I feel grateful that I was able to find Judy so early in my life, because I really feel I would not have been able to get to where I am now without her help. Therapy is much more than talking to someone – if you have anxiety it is a mental illness and you need a good doctor to help you through it. I am thankful to Judy for helping me through it, and could not recommend her more to anyone who is struggling with anxiety. It is not something that you have to live with!

Amanda Reynolds is a wonderful and patient therapist who helped me during my time Studying Abroad. From someone who never believed therapy could be of significant help, I would like to say that after my sessions with Amanda that perception has completely changed. Simply having someone that can provide an explanation and methods to overcome feelings one has never felt previously made a big difference during this time. I am beyond grateful to have met Amanda and would recommend her to anyone who is looking for an amazing professional therapist who, at the same time is caring and compassionate. Thank you for all your help!

I contacted Maggie after I felt my reactions to small irritations were getting out of hand, particularly in my relationship with my partner. I was anxious, angry and upset a lot of the time which was unlike anything I’d experienced before. I saw Maggie for a few months once a week and began to understand why I was reacting the way I was. This understanding was half the battle, and was incredibly revealing. I learned not to let my hurt feelings turn to anger and frustration, and deal with them in a different way. I feel like my old self again now, more in control of my emotions, confident and happy in my relationship. She was sympathetic, caring, open and I think genuinely happy for me to have made such progress. Highly recommended.

Amanda was able to help me think through a lot of thoughts that made me feel extremely stuck and hopeless at the time. It’s not a quick fix but with the will to put in mechanisms that Amanda gave me and realisations that I was able to have through therapy, I am doing much better and am able to cope with my anxiety and OCD a lot better. 

I believe the whole experience was a process but one that I will continue with confidence. Amanda was extremely understanding throughout and approached my issues in a way that made me feel heard as she understood the mechanics of my thought process. I will definitely contact KlearMinds again in the future if I feel I need to reach out again. Thank you.

I first came to see Maggie when every area of my life seemed to be going wrong, and I felt I wanted to take control and turn things around. Maggie helped me to do that. She helped me to realise that its all about the way you react to something, and that you can change your thought processes.

I now realise that you have options, and that it is within your own power to change things around. I am very grateful to Maggie for helping me to see things a different way, and giving me the tools to be a better, calmer, more confident version of myself. I can honestly say I now feel happy the majority of the time and if I don’t, I know how to deal with it.

Thanks again Maggie for everything!

I had a problem with anger made more difficult by lockdown – after a number of excellent sessions with Maggie, I had an understanding of my triggers and what to do to try and manage them. A really great help – I cannot recommend her more strongly.

This very busy, professional couple wanted to stop arguments which were occurring with increasing frequency. They were really concerned their relationship would break up. They wanted to improve their communication skills so they could trust each other and save their relationship. After 4 double sessions with Maggie, here’s what they have to say:

We found Maggie to be a huge help in our request for improving our communication skills. Maggie will teach you how to think about your behaviour and what it is linked to so you understand you a whole lot better. This is an invaluable technique, not just for you as a couple, but for you and all your relationships. She is also warm and fun which really helps!:)

We now communicate better and understand one another… invaluable and life changing. Many thanks again.

I found my time in therapy with Judy a very positive experience. I had therapy with Judy for about a year and a half. I suffer from generalised anxiety, social anxiety, depression and porn addiction. I tried therapy about ten years ago and it helped me considerably, but I had fallen back into old thinking patterns and forgotten many of the tools I learned.

I tried other therapists a couple of times for several months which didn’t help, but I could tell in the first session Judy was likely to be able to help me. It’s important to find the right therapist for you.

The things I found most helpful about therapy with Judy were:

I felt comfortable talking about very personal things without feeling judged. Talking about my thoughts made me more conscious of them and enabled me to figure out why I felt anxious and/or depressed. With Judy’s help and a different perspective, I was able to challenge negative thoughts and break down problems or issues I faced and come up with a wide range of possible solutions. This process made me feel like a weight was lifted, helped me make much better life decisions and gave me more confidence to go through with things I wanted to do instead of being too scared.

I learned many techniques I could draw upon if I started to feel down or anxious. Having these tools made my emotions feel more manageable. I started to feel more in control and self-sufficient when dealing with negative thoughts and emotions, though this took time and practice.
Learning about the nervous system and how anxiety works helped me understand how I could interrupt the vicious cycle of anxiety. The extra support therapy gave me helped me to feel less isolated and alone with my problems.

The changes I’ve made in my life since starting therapy have made me feel more aligned with myself and significantly increased my levels of happiness. In addition to therapy, I’ve tried medication (sertraline) which I think has made a big difference too. The combination of these two approaches has worked well for me.

It’s not that everything is amazing all the time, I still have anxiety issues but nowhere near as intensely and when I do experience anxiety, it doesn’t bother me as much. I also don’t get the catastrophic lows that I frequently used to experience. I’m happier, more positive and optimistic, I have closer relationships with my family, my feelings of loneliness have almost gone entirely and I’m pursuing a career I feel passionate about. I’m able to look forward to things again and enjoy social situations with good friends. For these reasons, I would recommend therapy with Judy.

I’m still a work in progress but I’ve noticed a big improvement in my life and how I feel.