Julian Richards

Often, the appearance we present to the world contrasts starkly with how we are feeling inside. Even those of us who seem to have it all can be struggling with emotional stress. Sometimes, we reach a point where we know we need help.

The promise of every therapeutic encounter is hope.

There can be all sorts of reasons – some less obvious than others – why you may be feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, sad, confused, or simply out of sync. Working together in a relationship of trust, therapy can be profound and transformative.

Given the confidentiality and space to reflect freely on your life, you can start to explore what has been going wrong, and which feelings and experiences have been preventing you from moving forward. You can begin the journey of change. 

My approach to counselling

I am an integrative therapist, which means that I use the most helpful elements of several therapeutic approaches. I have specialist training in trauma-informed therapy and considerable experience of bereavement counselling.

In therapy you get a rare experience: time and attention dedicated entirely to you. You will find me calm, curious, empathic, and supportive. Without judgement, I will take you as you are. This is collaborative work – and a good relationship is the most important factor in its success.

About me

I was born and raised in Liverpool.

My life experience includes several years winning internationally in sport, coming to terms with failed artistic ambitions, and a successful career in journalism that spanned over three decades – from photojournalism in West Africa to senior management positions at two of the UK’s most respected publications.

My decision to retrain as a therapist was the result of a life-long fascination with the workings of the mind, coupled with my own pivotal experience of being in therapy in my thirties.

Apart from periods living and working in Greece, Ivory Coast, Mali, and South Africa, I have been in London, a city I love, for over three decades. 

I offer clients one-to-one talking therapy in 50-minute sessions.

Longer-term work is open-ended and can range widely across the terrain of your life. I also offer short-term therapy, which can be useful for clients seeking to address a specific issue over eight to twelve sessions.

I enjoy working with a broad range of people and will welcome you as you are, whatever your sexuality, gender, ethnicity, class, religion, or cultural background.

If you want to work online only, I charge £60 a session.

In our first 50-minute session, we’ll talk about what has brought you here. I’ll ask about your past, your present, and the future you want. You’ll find out what it’s like to work with me, and we can decide whether to start regular weekly sessions.

Subsequent sessions

Often I’ll begin by asking you what’s been most on your mind, so that you can get things off your chest if you need to. Often, however, those conversations take unexpected turns as we explore fresh perspectives. Sometimes I’ll remind you of things we have discussed before, to keep focus on what matters most to you in the long term. If you’re finding it hard to talk about difficult things that have happened in your life, I’ll teach you calming techniques that will enable you to reflect steadily on those events. At other times, we’ll sit quietly while you find within yourself what it is you want to say.

How therapy progresses

This work takes time. It won’t all happen in the first session! And you needn’t worry that you’ll have to bare your soul straight away – I won’t rush you or interrogate you. We’ll go at a pace and to a depth that is comfortable for you.

If you want only a limited number of sessions – perhaps to deal with a pressing problem or a looming event – we can still make a big difference. We’ll talk about your goals at the start and keep steering towards them.

Some things, however, will take longer. Maybe you won’t really know what your goals are at the start. In longer-term work, we’ll regularly review how our sessions are helping you and what you now want for the future. And I’ll always keep an eye on when and how our work together should end – I don’t expect clients to stay with me forever! Ultimately, I will always want you to go on from our work with a sense of accomplishment, stronger and better able to face challenges, and to have the kind of life you want.

Often, the appearance we present to the world contrasts starkly with how we are feeling inside. Even those of us who seem to have it all can be struggling with emotional stress. Sometimes, we reach a point where we know we need help.

The promise of every therapeutic encounter is hope.

There can be all sorts of reasons – some less obvious than others – why you may be feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, sad, confused, or simply out of sync. Working together in a relationship of trust, therapy can be profound and transformative.

Given the confidentiality and space to reflect freely on your life, you can start to explore what has been going wrong, and which feelings and experiences have been preventing you from moving forward. You can begin the journey of change. 

My approach to counselling

I am an integrative therapist, which means that I use the most helpful elements of several therapeutic approaches. I have specialist training in trauma-informed therapy and considerable experience of bereavement counselling.

In therapy you get a rare experience: time and attention dedicated entirely to you. You will find me calm, curious, empathic, and supportive. Without judgement, I will take you as you are. This is collaborative work – and a good relationship is the most important factor in its success.

About me

I was born and raised in Liverpool.

My life experience includes several years winning internationally in sport, coming to terms with failed artistic ambitions, and a successful career in journalism that spanned over three decades – from photojournalism in West Africa to senior management positions at two of the UK’s most respected publications.

My decision to retrain as a therapist was the result of a life-long fascination with the workings of the mind, coupled with my own pivotal experience of being in therapy in my thirties.

Apart from periods living and working in Greece, Ivory Coast, Mali, and South Africa, I have been in London, a city I love, for over three decades. 

I offer clients one-to-one talking therapy in 50-minute sessions.

Longer-term work is open-ended and can range widely across the terrain of your life. I also offer short-term therapy, which can be useful for clients seeking to address a specific issue over eight to twelve sessions.

I enjoy working with a broad range of people and will welcome you as you are, whatever your sexuality, gender, ethnicity, class, religion, or cultural background.

In our first 50-minute session, we’ll talk about what has brought you here. I’ll ask about your past, your present, and the future you want. You’ll find out what it’s like to work with me, and we can decide whether to start regular weekly sessions.

Subsequent sessions

Often I’ll begin by asking you what’s been most on your mind, so that you can get things off your chest if you need to. Often, however, those conversations take unexpected turns as we explore fresh perspectives. Sometimes I’ll remind you of things we have discussed before, to keep focus on what matters most to you in the long term. If you’re finding it hard to talk about difficult things that have happened in your life, I’ll teach you calming techniques that will enable you to reflect steadily on those events. At other times, we’ll sit quietly while you find within yourself what it is you want to say.

How therapy progresses

This work takes time. It won’t all happen in the first session! And you needn’t worry that you’ll have to bare your soul straight away – I won’t rush you or interrogate you. We’ll go at a pace and to a depth that is comfortable for you.

If you want only a limited number of sessions – perhaps to deal with a pressing problem or a looming event – we can still make a big difference. We’ll talk about your goals at the start and keep steering towards them.

Some things, however, will take longer. Maybe you won’t really know what your goals are at the start. In longer-term work, we’ll regularly review how our sessions are helping you and what you now want for the future. And I’ll always keep an eye on when and how our work together should end – I don’t expect clients to stay with me forever! Ultimately, I will always want you to go on from our work with a sense of accomplishment, stronger and better able to face challenges, and to have the kind of life you want.

Often, the appearance we present to the world contrasts starkly with how we are feeling inside. Even those of us who seem to have it all can be struggling with emotional stress. Sometimes, we reach a point where we know we need help.

The promise of every therapeutic encounter is hope.

There can be all sorts of reasons – some less obvious than others – why you may be feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, sad, confused, or simply out of sync. Working together in a relationship of trust, therapy can be profound and transformative.

Given the confidentiality and space to reflect freely on your life, you can start to explore what has been going wrong, and which feelings and experiences have been preventing you from moving forward. You can begin the journey of change. 

My approach to counselling

I am an integrative therapist, which means that I use the most helpful elements of several therapeutic approaches. I have specialist training in trauma-informed therapy and considerable experience of bereavement counselling.

In therapy you get a rare experience: time and attention dedicated entirely to you. You will find me calm, curious, empathic, and supportive. Without judgement, I will take you as you are. This is collaborative work – and a good relationship is the most important factor in its success.

About me

I was born and raised in Liverpool.

My life experience includes several years winning internationally in sport, coming to terms with failed artistic ambitions, and a successful career in journalism that spanned over three decades – from photojournalism in West Africa to senior management positions at two of the UK’s most respected publications.

My decision to retrain as a therapist was the result of a life-long fascination with the workings of the mind, coupled with my own pivotal experience of being in therapy in my thirties.

Apart from periods living and working in Greece, Ivory Coast, Mali, and South Africa, I have been in London, a city I love, for over three decades. 

I offer clients one-to-one talking therapy in 50-minute sessions.

Longer-term work is open-ended and can range widely across the terrain of your life. I also offer short-term therapy, which can be useful for clients seeking to address a specific issue over eight to twelve sessions.

I enjoy working with a broad range of people and will welcome you as you are, whatever your sexuality, gender, ethnicity, class, religion, or cultural background.

If you want to work online only, I charge £60 a session.

In our first 50-minute session, we’ll talk about what has brought you here. I’ll ask about your past, your present, and the future you want. You’ll find out what it’s like to work with me, and we can decide whether to start regular weekly sessions.

Subsequent sessions

Often I’ll begin by asking you what’s been most on your mind, so that you can get things off your chest if you need to. Often, however, those conversations take unexpected turns as we explore fresh perspectives. Sometimes I’ll remind you of things we have discussed before, to keep focus on what matters most to you in the long term. If you’re finding it hard to talk about difficult things that have happened in your life, I’ll teach you calming techniques that will enable you to reflect steadily on those events. At other times, we’ll sit quietly while you find within yourself what it is you want to say.

How therapy progresses

This work takes time. It won’t all happen in the first session! And you needn’t worry that you’ll have to bare your soul straight away – I won’t rush you or interrogate you. We’ll go at a pace and to a depth that is comfortable for you.

If you want only a limited number of sessions – perhaps to deal with a pressing problem or a looming event – we can still make a big difference. We’ll talk about your goals at the start and keep steering towards them.

Some things, however, will take longer. Maybe you won’t really know what your goals are at the start. In longer-term work, we’ll regularly review how our sessions are helping you and what you now want for the future. And I’ll always keep an eye on when and how our work together should end – I don’t expect clients to stay with me forever! Ultimately, I will always want you to go on from our work with a sense of accomplishment, stronger and better able to face challenges, and to have the kind of life you want.