My Therapy Approach | Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist London

My Therapeutic Approach

As an integrative child and adolescent psychotherapist, I provide a safe, reflective, and supportive therapeutic space for children, teenagers, parents, and families navigating emotional or psychological difficulties.

With over 20 years’ experience working within mental health, education, and family support settings, I understand how emotional challenges can affect not only the individual, but also relationships, confidence, behaviour, and family life.

My approach is thoughtful, collaborative, and tailored to the unique emotional needs of each person I work with.

Supporting Emotional Wellbeing in Children, Teenagers & Families

Childhood and adolescence can bring significant emotional changes and pressures.

Young people may experience:

  • anxiety and emotional overwhelm
  • low mood or withdrawal
  • friendship or relationship difficulties
  • behavioural changes
  • low self-esteem or identity struggles
  • school or exam-related stress
  • difficulties expressing emotions

Sometimes these difficulties are communicated through behaviour rather than words.

My role is to help children and young people feel emotionally safe enough to explore what may be happening beneath the surface, develop greater emotional understanding, and build healthier ways of coping and relating.

A Safe & Non-Judgemental Therapeutic Space

I believe therapy should feel emotionally containing, compassionate, and free from judgement.

I aim to create a therapeutic relationship where children, teenagers, and parents feel:

  • heard
  • understood
  • emotionally supported
  • accepted at their own pace

Building trust is central to the therapeutic process, particularly for young people who may feel anxious, withdrawn, or unsure about talking openly.

My Integrative Therapy Approach

I work in an integrative and holistic way, drawing from a range of evidence-informed therapeutic approaches to meet the individual needs of each client.

These approaches may include:

  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Humanistic Therapy
  • Gestalt Therapy
  • Psychoanalytic Thinking
  • Attachment-Based Approaches
  • Neuroscience-Informed Practice
  • Art & Play Therapy Techniques
  • Mindfulness Approaches
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
  • Solution Focused Therapy

An integrative approach allows therapy to be flexible, reflective, and responsive to each individual’s emotional experiences, developmental stage, and personal circumstances.

Professional Experience

Alongside private practice, I have worked across a range of mental health, education, and family support services throughout London, including:

  • CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services)
  • State schools across primary and secondary settings
  • Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)
  • Mind in Barnet
  • Family Lives
  • NHS mental health services in Harrow, Barnet, and Havering

I also currently work as:

  • a Clinical Supervisor
  • a Tutor for the Parent & Infant Observation module at Terapia

These roles continue to inform and deepen my clinical practice.

Ethical & Professional Practice

I am a member of the Child Psychotherapy Council (CPC) and a Full Clinical Member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

I work within professional ethical frameworks and legal guidelines governing child and adolescent psychotherapy practice.

This includes:

  • confidentiality
  • safeguarding
  • informed consent
  • maintaining professional boundaries
  • reflective and ethical practice

Creating a safe, respectful, and professionally held therapeutic environment is central to my work.

Therapy Tailored to the Individual

No two children, teenagers, parents, or families experience emotional difficulties in exactly the same way.

I believe therapy should never feel “one size fits all.” Instead, support is tailored carefully to the emotional needs, developmental stage, personality, and lived experiences of each individual.

The aim of therapy is not simply to reduce symptoms, but to support deeper understanding, emotional resilience, healthier relationships, and long-term wellbeing.

🌐 annapatelpsychotherapy.co.uk | 07469247675
📩 Enquiries welcome via website or direct message
📍 Online therapy currently available via Zoom