Anne Lucas

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Psychotherapy & Counselling with Anne Lucas

There are many reasons why you might be seeking the help of a psychotherapist or counsellor, everyone’s challenges are unique. Here are some areas that clients frequently come to see me to explore and work through:

Anxiety/stress and burn-out: Are you anxious, stressed, or exhausted by the pressures and demands of work and life? Is your mind constantly racing and preventing you from resting?

Together, we can identify the reasons for your difficulties and find solutions and coping methods for you to feel lighter and empowered.

Relationships/self-esteem: Are you struggling with relationships, low self-esteem or finding emotions hard to manage? Are you longing to be seen, heard and understood? Do you sometimes feel like running away?

Exploring the patterns of relating to yourself and others can help you become more aware, regain your self-esteem and develop new ways of communicating that work for you.

Trauma: Is there something in your past that haunts you? Do you find it hard to let go of painful memories and the feelings they evoke? Do these events still govern your choices today?

Therapy can help you identify triggers originating in the past that affect you today to allow you to take back control of your actions and make new decisions based on your values.

Belonging/identity issues and cultural conflicts: Have you always felt alone? Have you been affected by discrimination or conflict? Do you live across different cultures and constantly struggle to find your place?

I will acknowledge your suffering and support you in implementing new practices that celebrate your uniqueness, promote self-acceptance and respect your differences/culture.

Significant life changes/transitions: Have you been made redundant or had a sudden change to your health? Have you become a parent, getting divorced or grieving a loved one?

Substantial life changes often feel deeply unfair. I can help you reframe your challenges as opportunities for self-discovery, transformation and growth to give your life a new direction.

Self-harm/addiction: Do you attempt to avoid uncomfortable feelings and situations by seeking solace in food, drugs, alcohol, work, shopping, intensive physical exercise, gambling, compulsive sex or self-harming?

By uncovering the emotional pain hidden behind the addiction and the mechanisms that fuel it, you can develop new skills to manage your vulnerability and recover progressively.

Loss of meaning and purpose/existential crisis: Have you achieved most of your goals and gained peer recognition for your achievements but are feeling apathetic and wondering whether this is all there is to life?

You may feel confused or hopeless as your old identity crumbles. I can help you see more clearly, make conscious decisions instead of reacting out of habit and get excited about life again.

Depression/suicidal ideation: Do you find it challenging to identify what is bothering you, knowing something is wrong and needs to change? Do you wonder what is the point of going on?

When suffering from depression, painful emotions get repressed. By listening to those and analysing the feelings and thoughts that accompany them, you can reconnect with yourself and others and learn to appreciate life again.

Eco-anxiety/global concerns: Are you concerned about global issues, the state of the planet, the future and what this could mean for humanity in general?

Constant exposure to depressing news makes us feel defeated. Tuning into and processing your emotional responses can help you build resilience, regain control and find accessible opportunities to make a difference.

Who I work with

I warmly welcome people with a wide variety of issues. However, due to my life journey, I am particularly interested in working with the following people:

People living between different cultures or/and economic backgrounds

I was born in France and grew up in a multicultural and economically disadvantaged suburb of Paris. From the age of nine, I attended school in the city Centre, surrounded by its wealth, culture and influence. Blossoming between these two opposing worlds was complicated; I struggled to find my place. These challenges have made me humble and empathetic to multiple human experiences. I remain open, curious and respectful of differences.

Expatriates

I used to work internationally as an architect. I lived in various countries, some affected by conflict, before settling in London in 2000. I came into contact with people of all ethnic, professional, socio-cultural, and religious backgrounds. As a result, I am sensitive to the needs and challenges my clients may face when living abroad.

Professionals/executives

My experience as a senior executive manager in high-pressure, fast-paced environments has enabled me to understand the corporate world and its demands. I can appreciate the problems we all face when we attempt to reconcile work, family, and friends.

People going through significant life changes/transitions

Having moved countries several times, experienced grief and layoffs, become a stepmum, then a mum and pursued a career before fully retraining and becoming a therapist; I believe in the resilience of the human spirit. If you are facing a drastic change in your life, I may support you in getting through the turmoil and back on your feet.

People affected by trauma

I went to see a psychotherapist to help me heal from past traumas. Since then, I have developed a personal and professional interest in trauma work. I keep abreast of new trauma-related therapeutic tools that could help my clients.

Sufferers from suicidal ideation

In addition to my private practice, I am a supervisor, assessor and auditor volunteer for The Listening Place, a charity providing face-to-face support to “those who feel that life is no longer worth living”. Walking alongside you, I will listen with empathy to help you find what you think is worth living for.

Therapy in French & English:

I am bilingual – fluent in French and English. I offer therapy in French for those who would prefer to express themselves in their mother tongue. I, of course, work and offer therapy in English too.

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My commitment to you

I will always:

• Welcome you as a unique individual, regardless of your background, age, beliefs, sexual orientation or the choices that you have made.
• Respect your decisions and support your future aspirations with empathy and without judgment.
• Put your interests first by systematically examining what might help or hinder our work together.
• Consider your growth potential and what will emerge from your difficulties and support you with flexibility.
• Encourage or challenge you if necessary to help you change and make decisions aligned with your values.
• Check in with you regularly for feedback to adjust the direction of our work to improve and support your progress.
• Protect your privacy and uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity.

My therapeutic approach

Personal and spiritual

My primary therapeutic model is Psychosynthesis: a branch of transpersonal psychotherapy. This means that it focuses on our experience both from a personal and spiritual perspective. It seeks to integrate our personality harmoniously to use it wisely and appropriately. Satisfying our need for wholeness, it also thrives to bring meaning and direction to our lives by recognising our interdependence and belonging to a greater whole.

Holistic and trauma-informed

With psychosynthesis, my approach is integrative. I use tools and techniques from various schools of psychotherapeutic theory and research to meet the needs of my clients during each phase of therapy. Taking trauma into account, I also provide them with coping tools to help deal with the consequences of personal events and experiences.

Relational and experiential

The unique experience of the present moment in the therapist/client relationship is central to my work. I envisage the therapeutic space as sacred because it protects what happens during therapy from everyday life and the outside world. For this reason, I strive to create an environment that encourages exploration. This process is co-creative and can lead to healing but also profound and lasting change.

Inclusive, humanistic and tailor-made

My approach adapts to the uniqueness of each client. I consider their needs, objectives, character, life path, struggles and deepest aspirations. I offer the highest support without judgment, regardless of beliefs, actions or words.

To learn more about Psychosynthesis, please visit the Psychosynthesis and Education Trust website.

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Areas I work with

• Abuse, violence, neglect
• Addictions and impulsive behaviour
• Anger and rage – Anger issues and temperament difficulties
• Anxiety (intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, hypervigilance, dissociation, insomnia)
• Attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD)
• Belonging/identity issues and cultural conflicts
• Bereavement, grief, breakups
• Bullying and harassment
• Codependency
• Compulsive behaviour and OCD
• Depression (loss of motivation, low mood, sadness)
• Discrimination (racism, homophobia, bullying, intimidation, immigration, culture shock): Issues related to these
• Eco-anxiety, global concerns
• Existential preoccupations (loss of meaning and purpose, fear of death, suicidal thoughts)
• Family conflicts, parenting and step parenting support
• Fear of ageing and anxiety around getting old (FOGO)
• Insomnia and sleep issues
• Isolation – social and emotional
• Life changes / transitions, midlife crisis
• Relationship difficulties and relationship breakdown
• Self-esteem & self-confidence
• Self-harm, self-injury and associated disorders
• Serious / chronic illnesses
• Sexual / gender identity: Difficulties relating to your own or others
• Stress (intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, hypervigilance, dissociation, insomnia)
• Trauma – Developmental / relational / transgenerational
• Work and career related problems, burn-out

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How we work together

Empathic presence

I will invite you to talk about the aspects of your life that you find difficult or painful, but also about your resources, hopes and desires. Listening to you thoroughly, with curiosity and openness, I will pay attention to the experience of our relationship and everything that may come out of it. Thanks to this feedback, my expertise and life experience, I will support you throughout your journey at a pace that suits you and enhances the therapeutic process.

In-depth investigation

I will encourage you to describe your experience in the present moment through the prism of all your psychological functions (thoughts, feelings and emotions, physical sensations, desires and impulses, intuition and imagination) to give you a more holistic view. In so doing, you will become more self-aware and develop compassion for your limits. Although our sessions will be mainly conversational, I will sometimes use imagery, the empty chair technique, breathing and mindfulness exercises to enhance the therapeutic process.

Removing blockages

Through self-analysis and introspection, we will explore the barriers preventing you from connecting healthily with yourself and others. We will examine how you perceive the world and the behaviours you have developed during your life. We will question the beliefs about yourself and others you inherited. I will help you sort out and let go of what is no longer working for you.

New openings

As the healing process begins, your resilience and self-confidence will increase. You learn to listen to your intuition and believe in your abilities. You awaken your potential, your will and your courage. Then, you can learn to imagine, formulate and adopt rewarding behaviours and make choices leading to a more fulfilling life.

Lasting meaning and connections

Ultimately, by examining and reaffirming your values and aspirations for the future, you evolve and give more meaning to your life. As a result, you become open to the most diverse and rich experiences, connecting you deeply with yourself, others and the world.

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Professional qualifications and training

Qualifications

• Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Development and Psychosynthesis Counselling (PGDip) from Psychosynthesis and Education Trust in London, obtained with Merit.
• Certificate in Psychosynthesis Foundations
• Essentials of Psychosynthesis

Accreditations and registrations

• My diplomas are accredited by the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
• I am a professional member of the BACP (MBACP). I adhere to their professional practice and code of ethics.
• I am registered with the Information Commissioner Office (ICO) and comply with UK law and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• By the requirements of my profession, I undergo ongoing supervision by a highly experienced psychotherapist.

Further training

I regularly take part in continuous professional training in psychotherapy, mental health and emotional well-being, including: 

• Working with anger
• Self-harm and addiction
• Transgenerational trauma
• Developmental trauma and psychopathology
• Psychological disorders
• Identity issues related to sexuality and gender
• Suicidal ideation and suicide bereavement
• Neurosciences

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Contact:

Begin your therapeutic journey by reaching out!

• To ask a question, talk through concerns you may have about the therapeutic process or make an appointment for an initial consultation, please email me.
• I will respond as fast as I can and always within the next two working days.

Rates:

My current rates are £93 per 50-minute session, including the first consultation, payable by cash, bank transfer or PayPal. I occasionally have discounted places available. Contact me to check their availability.

Sessions & Locations:

Online sessions take place via the secure Microsoft Teams platform.

Sessions in person are at:

City Therapy Space
33 Furnival Street, London, EC4A 1JQ
Directions to City Therapy Space

Psychosynthesis and Education Trust
92-94 Tooley Street, London Bridge, London SE1 2TH
Directions to the Psychosynthesis Trust