Richard Askew

My working hours are:

Monday to Thursday - 9:30am - 8:00pm

Friday - 9:30am - 5:00pm

Saturday - 9:30am - 1:00pm

I practice from an integrative or pluralistic perspective - and at the heart of my approach lies a deep belief in your innate capacity for growth, healing, and self-actualisation. Drawing on the core humanistic principles of empathy, acceptance and authenticity, I offer a non-judgmental space where you鈥檙e free to explore your experience, voice your truth, and express yourself with greater ease and freedom.

I also recognise that no single therapeutic approach can fully meet every person鈥檚 needs. That鈥檚 why I integrate elements from different modalities 鈥� including humanistic therapy, narrative and existential approaches, and Buddhist psychology - and adapt our work flexibly to respond to what you need, when you need it. This pluralistic stance ensures that therapy is not only collaborative, but tailored precisely to you.

Together, we鈥檒l build a therapeutic relationship where you鈥檙e the expert on your own life. As you鈥檇 expect, I bring knowledge, tools, and interventions鈥攂ut only when they feel right for you. Your goals, values, and emerging needs shape the direction of our work. Whether you want to understand past patterns, develop new capabilities, or simply make sense of what鈥檚 happening now, I鈥檒l walk beside you, offering support, challenge, and insight as appropriate.

My aim is to help you move toward greater self-awareness, cultivate your personal agency so as to have a deeper sense of empowerment, and to foster a richer feeling of fulfilment. We do this by helping you to access your own inner strengths, discover fresh perspectives, and live more closely aligned with your own values, wants and needs.

In my therapy practice, I welcome adults (18+) who are navigating a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges: anxiety, low self-esteem, trauma, life transitions, self-confidence, relational difficulties, loss, and more. I also support clients who are simply seeking self-growth, clarity, or a stronger sense of purpose.

I operate both in person - in a comfortable, confidential clinic - and online, giving you flexibility to choose what feels most accessible. I maintain professional standards, engaging in regular clinical supervision, and I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, abiding by our ethical framework to ensure your safety and wellbeing.

My therapeutic approach is rooted in pluralism 鈥� an approach that grows from humanistic traditions but goes beyond them. Pluralism recognises that while person-centred therapy (rooted in Carl Rogers) offers powerful foundations, other modalities bring complementary perspectives and techniques. For instance, I might draw on Buddhist psychology to explore patterns of emotional reactivity or lean into existential approaches to explore how we engage in living. This allows for a versatile, responsive approach: our sessions can shift to focus on understanding, insight, or action, depending on what supports you best.

I don鈥檛 impose rigid agendas or pre-defined interventions. Instead, we collaborate: each session is shaped by you鈥攜our concerns, your pace, and your evolving needs. I honour your autonomy and treat you as a whole person, not a set of problems. Therapy with me is a journey of discovery, self-compassion, and growth. My role is to hold space, guide when needed, and empower you to find your own answers.

Our first meeting affords us the opportunity to meet and begin building a foundation of trust, to understand what has brought you to counselling, and to explore what you hope to achieve.

> Introductions & Safety: We start by introducing ourselves and talking through the practicalities鈥攃onfidentiality, boundaries, session frequency, cancellations. I explain how I work, so you know what to expect, and invite any questions.

> Your Story: I鈥檒l invite you to share whatever feels important: what has brought you here, how things are for you right now, what feels most pressing. You decide where to begin鈥攖here鈥檚 no fixed agenda.

> Exploring Goals: We鈥檒l talk about what you hope to get from counselling. These might be long-term aims or more immediate goals, and we鈥檒l shape these collaboratively, so we鈥檙e aligned.

> Your Strengths & Resources: I鈥檒l ask about what鈥檚 already working in your life鈥攜our supports, resilience, values. Drawing on your strengths is a key part of my humanistic-integrative work, so identifying them early can help ground our process.

> Therapeutic Partnership: I describe how we might work together: a flexible, evolving process where I bring interventions when helpful, but you lead in terms of what feels right. We鈥檒l also discuss how we check in on progress, revisit goals, and adapt as needed.

> Next Steps: By the end of session one, we decide on the best frequency of sessions for you, how you want us to track your progress, and what to do if you feel stuck or want to change direction. I may suggest a 鈥渢herapeutic contract鈥� to clarify our working agreement, or simply set clear expectations for the next few sessions.

Throughout, I strive to be warm, genuine, and present 鈥� offering empathy, curiosity, and respect. My hope is that by the end of our first meeting, you feel heard, understood, and hopeful about what counselling can offer.