About Kate Roberts Psychotherapy
I have gained counselling and psychotherapy experience through both varied agency work and private practice. I also had a long previous career - firstly in environmental protection and water management and then in children's policy and environmental policy.
I see clients as unique individuals, each with their own experience of and goals for emotional, social, mental, and physical well-being.
The approach I take emphasises a strong therapeutic partnership, progressing at a rhythm and a pace that is unique for you.
I work with a deliberately moderate caseload to ensure I have the capacity to keep myself well and meet each client individually. I care about all of my clients and want the very best for them.
I believe deep healing and growth can happen when all aspects of your life are welcomed within a trustworthy and professional relationship that focuses on your emotional, mental and physical health and innate capacity to be fully alive.
Therapeutic Approach
My work focuses on helping you to contact and clarify your inner life and understand and improve your relationships. Using a person-centered foundation, I offer a compassionate, non-judgmental partnership where we are equals. I believe that everyone has a natural impulse toward growth, and healing, and my role is to create the conditions needed for that to emerge during our sessions together.
I use attachment and development theory to consider how your earliest caregiver relationships might have shaped your current sense of self and safety and how you form and maintain relationships today. We can work together to build a stronger self and develop more meaningful, healthy ways of relating to the people in your life, whether in personal circles or your professional environment.
The psychodynamic aspect focuses on identifying the unconscious patterns or protections. In many somatic approaches these protections or defences from feeling are physical and held in the tissues and muscles which can result in patterns of posture, movement and muscle holding.
If this way of working speaks to you we can work with various internal 'parts', recognizing that humans are complex and multi-layered. We can explore these different, sometimes conflicting, aspects of the self to improve your self-awareness and also self compassion. The aim is to nurture younger parts and understand the role that protective parts may play even if on the surface they appear to be unhelpful. This way of working can decrease internal friction and help you move toward a more integrated, balanced, and harmonious whole.
My clinical style incorporates somatic awareness, acknowledging the deep connection between the mind and body. I observe how your past is held physically—noticing things like breathing patterns, posture, or tension. During our sessions, I might invite you to explore these sensations with gentle curiosity. This is a shared process led by your comfort level, ensuring your whole self is supported. I value the body's narrative just as much as spoken therapy.
If you want to know more, please ask.
Values and Inclusion
Everything I practice is based on self-reflection. I believe that effective counseling requires me to constantly examine my own role and the unique relationship between us.
This commitment ensures I stay an ethical and present guide who holds your narrative with immense curiosity and respect. I am also dedicated to recognizing the impact of social power and systemic differences. I understand that our personal lives are tied to cultural backgrounds and societal structures.
I aim to provide a safe space where these influences are openly discussed, acknowledging how they affect your identity and sense of belonging. My approach is tailored to your specific needs;
I have significant experience helping neurodivergent clients, including those with autism or ADHD. I also have a good understanding of chronic shame, abusive relationships, addiction, anxiety, and self-criticism.