Helen Santa Maria: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, Reading, RG1

Helen Santa Maria

Psychoanalytic psychotherapist

Reading RG1

Verified

Has availability

About Me

Most people find themselves in emotional distress at some point in their lives, sometimes the distress doesn't pass and it leaves us feeling despairing and confused. You may be struggling with anxiety, depression, overwhelm, trauma, stress, anger, identity issues or maybe you can't put your struggles into words.

Perhaps you've been thinking about having counselling or psychotherapy for a while now and would like to find out if it's right for you.

I offer open ended or time limited psychoanalytic psychotherapy in a confidential, calm and comfortable setting in central Reading.

What can I expect from psychoanalytic psychotherapy?

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a mode of psychotherapy which takes into consideration a person’s unconscious as well as their conscious thoughts and feelings. Sometimes we simply don’t understand why we feel the way we feel or act the way we act. Having a therapist who works psychoanalytically can help you explore your feelings, thoughts and actions at a deeper level, it gives space for things that are unbearable to think or speak about. It is well suited to those who are not looking for a quick, “easy fix” but are interested in the detailed, and sometimes difficult, work of understanding themselves. Together we would work together to get a picture of your unconscious processes and think about how they might be playing out for you in unhelpful ways.

What would happen in the sessions?

I am interested in whatever is on your mind in any given session, no matter how seemingly small, trivial or odd it might seem to you. This can also include your dreams. Sessions are not structured and you will not be given "homework" to do in between sessions. In psychoanalytic psychotherapy, the relationship with your therapist is key to understanding your unconscious internal world. I would work with you in an interested, non-judgemental way to help uncover hidden, deep-rooted behaviour patterns, or defences, that you developed in your early years but are no longer serving you.

Locations

View practice address

First Practice

Address

More Info

The Practice Rooms
31 Castle St
Berkshire
Reading
RG1 7SB

Issues often worked with

Anxiety

Bereavement

Depression

Divorce

Emotional abuse

Interpersonal relationships

Self-harm

Suicidal thoughts

Trauma

Addiction

Anger

Finding meaning

Types of therapy

Psychoanalytic

Psychodynamic

Therapy offered

In person

Client groups

Adult

Fees

Contact me either by email, text or phone on 07815601718. We can then arrange a time for an initial consultation so that I can learn more about you and your difficulties and start to think about whether therapy with me is right for you. The consultation will last 2 hours. During the consultation we will also think about the suggested session frequency and length of treatment needed.

If we decide to go ahead with the therapy then we will arrange a time which we will both commit to for weekly session/s. This will become your regular session/s times and will not be offered to anyone else.

Sessions are between once and three times a week at The Practice Rooms, 31 Castle St in central Reading.

Fees are £50 per session.

An initial consultation requires 2 hours and costs £120.

*Low fee opportunity* From mid January 2025 I will have a low fee opening for someone who wishes to attend twice weekly therapy in Reading for a minimum commitment of eighteen months. The fee for this is £20 per session.

Missed sessions are charged for, though I try to rearrange sessions where possible.

Training and qualifications

I am a UKCP Training Member psychoanalytic psychotherapist with the Association of Individual and Group Psychotherapists (AGIP). I currently work in private practice and I have previously worked as a Psychodynamic Counsellor at South Bucks Counselling.