Personal self-development

Sometimes people come to therapy not to address a particular problem, but to support their personal growth.

Being in ongoing counselling for self-development can be incredibly valuable. Without a specific problem to focus on, there is space to be curious about what makes you happy, how you get what you need in life, why you relate to others in the way you do, what you want for the future, and so on.

There are many ways to engage in self-development work on your own, such as reading self-help books or keeping a journal. These are very valuable, but there is something unique about counselling: the eyes of the therapist. 

As a trained professional, your therapist will notice things that may be blind spots to you. They will experience how you are in a relationship with them, and be able to reflect back any patterns they might spot to you.

Often when we work on ourselves, we lack compassion. We set unrealistic goals and then beat ourselves up or give up when we don’t meet them. Self-development counselling helps you to be more realistic and compassionate towards yourself, supporting you to make sustainable, long-term progress. 

How does self-development counselling help?

It is a wonderful feeling, to sense that you are growing and improving: learning new behaviours, seeing yourself more clearly, and dropping bad habits.

It can be scary too. When we have blind spots, they are blind for a reason! Self-development counselling can involve facing uncomfortable truths about yourself. But if you believe that knowing these things, so that you can choose what to do about them, is better than them remaining unconscious, self-development counselling could be for you.

Some people worry that, without a problem to focus on, they won’t know what to talk about and the sessions will be full of silence. That’s not the case. Your past experiences and your everyday life will provide you with plenty to discuss.

Our clients have reported great results!

Mr K
Read More
“I was attending sessions at One Therapy practice for about 1 1/2 years. I am very happy with the result, sessions there really helped me. I am really grateful to my therapist. Someone recommended him to me as a high professional and it proved right, thank you.”
Mrs M
Read More
“I can only provide positive comments on my sessions with (my therapist). This was my first experience with a therapist, and she managed to make me feel comfortable. And I must say that the sessions were helpful and efficient.”
Mrs E
Read More
“My therapist was extremely helpful, considerate and understanding. I felt she properly understood what the issues I had were, and their underlying causes, and I feel I benefited considerably from the sessions with her.”
Mrs N
Read More
“I immediately felt completely at ease as they were very professional while showing genuine care and interest in helping me. I was able to confront many issues which I had so far chosen to ignore despite their negative effects on my personal relationships and happiness. I would have no hesitation in recommending (One Therapy) to anyone looking to improve their relationships and self-esteem.”
Mrs L
Read More
“I learned a lot about myself and about the relationships I make with other people. I was able to see where I was going wrong and I now make better personal choices. Thank you, again.”
Mrs R
Read More
“I can’t thank you enough for the help and support I got from my appointments. I would highly recommend therapy to anyone now. Therapy helped me in more ways than I could have imagined. Please tell (my therapist) how grateful I am for her help.”

Taking the next step

If you are unsure whether self-development counselling is for you, book an initial consultation with one of our therapists to find out more. This is an opportunity to discuss what you are looking for and to assess whether the therapist will be able to help you. There is no obligation to continue if it doesn’t feel like the right fit for you.

Each person is unique and our therapists offer a number of different approaches to support you in the way that works best for you. If you know what type of therapy you prefer, you can find out which of our therapists offer it by reading their profiles. If you’re unsure, you may like to book an integrative therapist, as they use a range of different approaches, so can adapt to suit you. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

One of our counsellors would love to support your personal growth

Does talking help?

With text messages, online networking and email so easy, talking to another person may seem old-fashioned. These days, communication is abbreviated and electronic. A quick text message or a short email is usually enough to get our message across. But humans have been talking to each…

Read more

What is CBT and can it help?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a practical talking therapy that helps people with problems and issues by addressing and changing how they think and behave. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on the present problems that are happening now and the relationships between thoughts…

Read more

Counselling for individuals

Personal counselling can be about anything that is on your mind.

Read more

Couples counselling

Couples counselling provides space for couples to discuss problems in their relationship and find solutions.

Read more

Our therapists

We have over 30 qualified and experienced therapists to choose from.

Read more

One Therapy London

Counselling, psychotherapy, couples counselling in London since 2006

Therapist Paula Broome
Paula Broome

Paula is a popular integrative therapist who understands that the client-therapist alliance is paramount Providing a place of safety and empowerment, she supports clients living with anxiety and depression, and has extensive training in neurodivergence and disability, including supporting clients with long-term health conditions As well as her private practice, Paula...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Gregory Hamlin
Gregory Hamlin

Gregory is a psychodynamic therapist offering both short-term and long -term therapy to individuals He appreciates how difficult it can be to seek help and therefore places great importance on creating a warm, empathic and safe space for clients to explore whatever is on their minds Gregory helps individuals uncover and understand the underlying patterns that shape...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Aaron McGuinnes
Aaron McGuinness

Aaron offers a psychodynamic approach to psychotherapy which emphasises the unconscious mind and its influence on clients’ behaviour It often involves exploring past experiences and their impact on present-day thoughts and feelings Aaron creates a safe and supportive environment where clients can express themselves freely without fear of judgment Aaron is open to...

Oxford Circus

Kensington

Lara Vasey

Lara is an integrative therapist who offers short- and longer-term therapy to individuals Starting therapy can feel daunting, but Lara’s warm demeanour helps her clients feel more comfortable She creates a confidential and non-judgemental environment, which enables her clients to open up about their thoughts, feelings and experiences With empathy and curiosity, her...

Kensington

Therapist Jayne Levy
Jayne Levy

Jayne has a gentle and empathic approach, allowing clients to feel comfortable and relaxed as they begin therapy She offers a non-judgmental and confidential space where clients are safe to express their feelings and thoughts and explore some of the difficulties and challenges they may be experiencing As a humanistic integrative therapist, Jayne is guided by her...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Geraldine Lothian
Geraldine Lothian

Geraldine (she/her) is a psychodynamic psychotherapist who works with individuals Geraldine’s style of therapy is to work collaboratively with her clients and at each client’s pace  It is sometimes difficult to make the decision to start therapy but Geraldine works together with her clients to address any issues that may feel difficult to explore on their own ...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Yussef Ferguson
Yussef Ferguson

Yussef is a psychodynamic psychotherapist who offers both long and short term personal therapy to individuals He has experience of working with a diverse range of clients and can provide a warm, confidential space to explore and gain insight into any past or present personal difficulties and experiences Yussef works with issues such as anxiety, depression, loss,...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Andreea Gligore
Andreea Gligore

Andreea has a wonderful ability to put people at ease Her clients say they feel safe and relaxed with her Those who were anxious about coming to therapy often comment that she made it much more comfortable than they were expecting Her style is integrative-relational What that means is that she pays particular attention to relationships, as that is where most distress...

Oxford Circus

Kensington

Therapist Stamatia Lorentzou
Stamatia Lorentzou

A senior therapist, Stamatia has been with One Therapy London for many years She holds a doctorate in counselling psychology and is a registered psychotherapist Stamatia knows it can be difficult to understand or cope with the strong feelings that life’s experiences can sometimes bring Talking with an experienced therapist is a way of thinking things through and...

Bloomsbury

Therapist Ben Brackenbury
Ben Brackenbury

Ben believes that at times we all struggle with the challenges life has to offer and therapy provides a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space to explore this Ben works with individuals to make sense of who they are and how they respond to the world today, and to explore new ways of being Ben is also sensitive to how difficult it might be for a client to talk to a...

Oxford Circus