About Me
Dr. Charlotte Airey
CPsychol, DPsych, MSc, MSc, BSc
I am a London-based Chartered Counselling Psychologist who works with adolescents and adults with various mental health conditions and emotional wellbeing support needs, from diverse backgrounds.
I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS). I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology, Masters degrees in Evolutionary Psychology and Counselling Psychology and a practitioner Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.
I am trained in various different therapeutic modalities, including; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered approaches, Psychodynamic therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). This means that I am able to suggest the most appropriate form of support, based on your individual needs and experiences.
I have also had further specific training, through my continuing professional development, in the following areas; A Child’s Grief – working with bereaved children, Sudden and Traumatic Loss, Survivors of Suicide, PTSD and Mental Health and Major Incident Response to natural disaster or terrorism. I hold additional qualifications in infant loss (I am an accredited member of the Foundation for Infant Loss), in psychometric testing (I am on the BPS Register of Qualifications in Test Use, RQTU) and in cognitive assessment (WAIS-IV certification).
Person-Centered Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy is a humanistic approach that sees all individuals as having an innate ability to move towards their full potential, but that sometimes this can become blocked or smothered by certain life events. This approach can help you to reconnect with your inner values and sense of self-worth and foster self-belief and self-compassion. This process facilitates self-understanding, self-acceptance, healing and positive growth. This approach can very particularly useful for those experiencing difficulties related to anxiety, low mood, bereavement, stress or abuse.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a more structured approach that explores negative thinking patterns and can help you recognise links between your thoughts, emotions and actions. By learning to understand these links and to be mindful of your emotions, this approach aims to foster a sense of control over your difficulties. Once identified, challenging these unhelpful thinking patterns can enable us to change the behaviour that may be maintaining the problem. This approach can be particularly useful for managing anxiety, depression, addiction and eating issues.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
This is a form of CBT and therefore also explores thinking patterns. The aim of ACT is to learn to embrace your thoughts and feelings, rather than avoiding, denying or feeling guilty for them. Through exploring a client’s individual values, this approach can allow you to move forward by making choices in line with those values and enhance wellbeing. This approach can be effective for those going through a period of adjustment, managing long term health conditions or disability and anxiety.
My Approach
I mostly offer an integrative approach therapy, drawing on aspects of many therapeutic models. Integrative therapy acknowledges that no two people are the same and that therapy must be tailored to suit the needs of each individual client. Research has consistently shown that the therapeutic relationship, between the client and the therapist, is the most important aspect of effective therapy. I therefore work very collaboratively with clients, being congruent, transparent and respectful. I believe that, while the therapist has the theoretical knowledge, the client is the expert of themselves and that through a positive therapeutic relationship, the client has the capacity to change and grow.
My Experience
I work mostly with adults and young people, in many areas of emotional well-being and mental health and I have experience in a wide range of client presentations and histories. I am also experienced in working with couples. In addition to my private work, I have worked within the NHS and charitable sector for several years in a variety of services, including supporting people who have sustained life-altering injuries, those living with long term medical conditions or disabilities, those with addiction issues, providing bereavement support to those who have lost loved ones, and supporting individuals presenting with a wide range of mental health difficulties, such as mood and personality disorders.
In my NHS career I have spent seven years specialising in neurological rehabilitation (neuro-rehab), working with people with a range of neurological presentations including spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and neurodegenerative conditions. I have worked in various services along the neuro-rehab pathway, from an acute stroke unit, acute spinal injury ward, transitional neuro rehab unit and community services. My work included completing comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and delivering bespoke cognitive rehabilitation programmes.
YEARS NHS EXPERIENCE
YEARS PRIVATE PRACTICE
YEARS CHARITABLE SECTOR
My Practice
In addition to my own private caseload, I am the founder and director of The Belgravia Psychology Practice. I work with associates with a likeminded approach to therapy and mental health support. We are a group of highly experienced psychologists and mental health practitioners, with varying specialties and expertise, who offer private therapy and mental wellbeing support. We work with adolescents and adults with various mental health conditions and emotional wellbeing support needs, from diverse backgrounds. We are able to offer in person and remote therapy.
More information about The Belgravia Psychology Practice and our approach can be found at:
Testimonials
“Charlotte has helped me enormously over the past couple of years to recover from a breakdown, learn about myself, restore my confidence, and overcome significant challenges that had been impacting on my life. I quickly felt comfortable talking to her about some deeply personable topics, and she’s been extremely patient, empathetic, and understanding during our work together, delicately making meaningful connections that have helped me to progress. I’d highly recommend Charlotte to anyone experiencing difficulties in their present or hoping to work through trauma from their past”
“Whilst I could not place my finger precisely on why I wanted to see a Psychologist, I felt there were several reasons I would benefit from doing so. Charlotte has perfectly balanced listening to my circumstantial pressures with helping me to explore the foundations of my thought processes, so that I can better deal with future challenges. It is quite incredible to feel like an entirely different person after only a few months of talking (in a great way of course!)”
“Charlotte wrote and delivered an excellent training on trauma for our bereavement support volunteers. It was comprehensive, insightful and informative. It is now an essential part of our annual CPD programme. Charlotte’s knowledge and experience was evident in the training”