Debra Gilbert

Life can feel overwhelming when you’re navigating challenges such as trauma, relationship difficulties, or major life transitions. You may feel stuck, disconnected, or burdened by emotions and patterns that seem impossible to shift. Taking the first step towards change can feel daunting, but you don’t have to face it alone. My role is to provide a safe, compassionate space where you can explore your experiences, process your emotions, and begin your journey towards healing and growth.

I work with both individuals and couples, tailoring my approach to meet your unique needs. For individuals, our work might focus on understanding and processing trauma, rebuilding self-confidence, or developing resilience to navigate life’s demands. For couples, I provide a supportive space to improve communication, rebuild trust, and foster deeper emotional connection. Together, we’ll identify your goals and create a path forward that feels meaningful and achievable.

What makes my approach distinctive is its flexibility and depth. I draw on a variety of therapeutic modalities, including EMDR, experiential therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, IMAGO relationship therapy, and expressive arts. This integrative framework allows me to adapt our work to best support your needs, whether you’re addressing past wounds, navigating complex emotions, or rebuilding purpose and connection in your life.

Qualifications and Training

I bring extensive professional training and experience to my practice:

BA (Hons) in Humanistic Counselling – University of Chichester (Â鶹ԭ´´-accredited with a Gold Star).

Diploma in Clinical Supervision.

Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counselling.

Diploma in Hypnotherapy.

Certificate in Working with Couples.

EMDR Part 1, 2 & 3 (EMDR Europe Association accredited training)

Foundation in Bereavement – Cruse Bereavement.

Enhanced DBS Certificate – Safeguarding verified.

I offer a welcoming, inclusive space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with empathy and without judgment. My practice is grounded in the belief that everyone has the capacity for healing and growth, and I am here to support you on that journey.

For individuals, therapy often focuses on gaining insight into unhelpful patterns, processing past trauma, or building emotional resilience. For couples, I offer a collaborative and neutral environment to address challenges, improve communication, and nurture emotional intimacy. My aim is to empower you to navigate life’s complexities with greater confidence and connection.

Using an integrative approach, I draw on evidence-based techniques such as Emotion-Focused Therapy, IMAGO relationship therapy, EMDR, and expressive arts. These methods allow me to personalise our work together, whether you’re focused on trauma recovery, strengthening relationships, or exploring self-identity.

I offer both short-term, goal-oriented support and longer-term exploration, depending on your needs. Sessions are available in-person or through my secure GDPR-compliant online therapy room, offering flexibility to suit your lifestyle. My practice is designed to help you feel supported, understood, and empowered as you work towards meaningful change.

Together, we’ll work towards your goals—whether creating healthier relationships, overcoming barriers, or rediscovering yourself. With warmth and understanding, I’ll walk alongside you as you create meaningful and lasting change.

Research highlights the importance of a strong therapist-client relationship in achieving successful therapy outcomes. To ensure we’re a good fit, I offer an initial consultation in person, over the phone, or via my secure GDPR-compliant online therapy room. This session is an opportunity to discuss your hopes for therapy, explore how I work, and address any questions you may have.

During this first session, we’ll talk about what’s brought you to therapy, what you can expect from the process, and confidentiality. For individuals, this might involve identifying patterns or challenges you wish to explore. For couples, we’ll begin outlining shared goals and addressing the dynamics that brought you to therapy. We’ll also discuss practicalities such as session frequency to ensure the arrangement fits your needs.

My priority is to create a welcoming and supportive space where you feel comfortable and confident taking this important first step. Whether meeting in person or online, you can expect a professional, confidential, and empathetic approach as we start your journey towards meaningful and lasting change.

I am a Â鶹ԭ´´ Accredited Humanistic Experiential Psychotherapist and hold a Diploma in Supervision.

As a supervisor, I aim to offer a supportive and engaging space where presence, attunement, and ethical responsibility sit alongside flexibility and structure. I hold supervision as a collaborative dialogue rather than a prescriptive process, creating an environment where supervisees feel both safe and encouraged to stretch into new areas of growth. For me, this balance reflects the essence of therapy itself—the meeting point of safety and challenge where genuine development can take place.

My approach is grounded in a humanistic, pluralistic philosophy and shaped by an experiential, relational framework. I value clarity and openness in contracting, emotional connection, and an awareness of parallel process, while weaving together theory and immediacy. In my therapeutic work, I draw on a range of approaches including Person-Centred, Somatic therapy, Expressive Arts, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Gestalt, attachment therapy, and EMDR. Together, these influences allow me to create a reflective and growth-oriented space that nurtures the supervisee’s confidence, safeguards clients, and supports the ongoing professional journey.

My specialisms include childhood trauma, anxiety, relationships, acculturation, family conflict, and depression. I also have a particular interest in supporting therapists as they move into private practice—considering the practical, developmental, and psychological aspects of this transition.

Qualifications and Training

I bring extensive professional training and experience to my practice:

BA (Hons) in Humanistic Counselling – University of Chichester (Â鶹ԭ´´-accredited with a Gold Star).

Diploma in Clinical Supervision 

Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counselling.

Diploma in Hypnotherapy.

Certificate in Working with Couples.

EMDR Part 1, 2 & 3 (EMDR Europe Association accredited training).

Foundation in Bereavement – Cruse Bereavement.

Enhanced DBS Certificate – Safeguarding verified.

I offer 60-minute or 90-minute supervision sessions at £60/£90 per session.

Please get in touch to arrange a free initial 20-minute discussion, either online or in person. My practice is located in Hove, just off Palmeira Square. I also see therapists online.