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In-person appointments in Hampstead, plus online therapy across the UK and internationally
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Finding Your Fit: How to know if a therapist is right for you
Choosing a therapist can feel overwhelming, but the therapeutic relationship is key to good outcomes. A good fit means feeling safe, understanding their approach clearly, having strong professional boundaries, and experiencing both support and gentle challenge. Trust your sense of comfort and collaboration as a guide.
Dr Prarthana Shetty
2 min read
What to Do When You Start Feeling Distant From Your Partner
Feeling distant from your partner can be unsettling, but it does not always mean the relationship is in trouble. Most couples go through periods of disconnection. Often, it is a sign that something needs attention rather than a sign that things are falling apart. Talking early, listening well, showing empathy, and making time for meaningful connection can help rebuild closeness and remind you that you are still on the same team.
Dr Julie Hannan
3 min read
Why the Inner Critic Gets Louder at Midlife
Midlife often brings success, experience, and responsibility—yet the inner critic can grow louder. What once drove achievement can turn into pressure, self-doubt, and burnout. Perfectionism may no longer serve you. By noticing this voice, redefining success, and embracing “good enough,” midlife can become a powerful opportunity to shift from constant striving to meaningful, balanced growth.
Dr Julie Hannan
3 min read
March and Mental Clarity: The Psychology of Transition
March sits at the crossroads of seasons, where change becomes visible and felt. As days lengthen and light returns, our minds begin to shift too. Psychologically, this period invites reflection, renewal, and mental decluttering. The transition from winter to spring mirrors an internal reset—encouraging clarity, fresh perspective, and the motivation to move forward with intention.
Dr Sarah Jane Khalid
1 min read
The Psychology of Love and Connection: A March Reflection for Working
Love and attachment are not simply sentimental ideas but fundamental psychological needs. Psychologist Robert Sternberg described love as consisting of intimacy, passion, and commitment—elements that apply beyond romance and into professional life. Trust with colleagues reflects intimacy, loyalty to shared goals reflects commitment, and passion appears as engagement that drives motivation and innovation. Small moments of genuine connection can strengthen relationships and imp
Dr Sarah Jane Khalid
1 min read
Navigating the High-Performance Burnout Cycle
High-performance burnout often hits those who seem capable, reliable, and productive. Ambition and responsibility drive them, but when tied to self-worth, they can become exhausting. Early signs include irritability, fogginess, and low enjoyment. Recovery isn’t just rest—it’s learning to set limits, pace yourself, and relate to work and pressure in a healthier way.
Dr Jo Stuart
2 min read
Managing Menopause Anxiety
Anxiety is a common, often early sign of perimenopause, sometimes appearing before hot flushes or night sweats. Hormonal shifts, poor sleep, and life stress can create a “perfect storm,” leaving you on edge, overwhelmed and doubting yourself, even if you’ve always coped well. You’re not failing or “going backwards” – your nervous system is under extra strain. Evidence-based support like CBT with a clinical psychologist can help you understand what’s happening, break the cycle
Dr Shabnam Hariri
4 min read
Why do I find it so hard to ask for help?
New parenthood can feel overwhelming: you’re responsible for a vulnerable baby while exhaustion and other demands pile up, and loneliness can grow even as asking for help feels impossible. If you learned early to hide need and stay in control, a baby can unsettle that, stirring shame, anger, or helplessness. Therapy helps you understand these patterns, accept difficult feelings, and improve support with your partner and baby, making care feel calmer and more rewarding.
Nicholas Messing
3 min read
The Psychology of Wintering: Why Rest Is Not a Problem to Solve
In recent times I find people often treat low-energy seasons, both literally and metaphorically as obstacles to get through. In the press there is a strong narrative to “fight” the winter blues, to “overcome” burnout, and “push through” tiredness. What if we have got this approach entirely wrong? Katherine May, the British writer of a gem of a book: Wintering, frames these periods not as failures, but as necessary, restorative phases of the human cycle. Psychology offers us a
Dr Sarah Jane Khalid
2 min read
Just One Thing
One goal at a time is enough. It gives focus and lets you really notice how life shifts once that one change lands. Imagine choosing just one: a calmer mind, recognising your wins, better sleep, daily achievement and enjoyment, or greater self-kindness. Behaviour spreads—slips can snowball, but so can healthy habits. One well-chosen goal can start a ripple that quietly changes everything.
Dr Caroline Taylor
2 min read
The Psychology Of Nesting
The Psychology of Nesting - how major changes in life can be mirrored by a desire to change elements of our home.
Dr Julie Hannan
3 min read
Managing Perimenopause Anxiety
Anxiety is common in perimenopause and can appear even before hot flushes or cycle changes. Hormonal shifts, rising stress, poor sleep, and existing unresolved issues can intensify symptoms. Anyone can experience this, even without a prior history. CBT can help you understand triggers, develop healthier responses, improve mood and sleep, and manage stress, offering supportive space during this challenging transition.
Dr Shabnam Hariri
3 min read
Tis The Season To Be Exhausted
A compassionate guide to avoiding Christmas burnout
Dr Sarah Jane Khalid
4 min read
AI Therapy: A Psychologist’s Perspective
In recent months I’ve had a few clients share with me that they have used AI for psychological support between our sessions, writes Dr Prarthana Shetty. My initial reaction was curiosity, but I also noticed some defensiveness and skepticism. In the interest of keeping an open mind and trying to understand my clients’ experiences, I decided to try it myself. I used a popular AI chatbot and began with relatively basic prompts about everyday stressors. It produced a steady strea
Dr Prarthana Shetty
2 min read
Living with ADHD: Finding Focus and Compassion in Everyday Life
Living with ADHD can sometimes feel like being tuned into every channel at once — ideas, emotions, and tasks all competing for your attention. While this can bring energy and creativity, it can also make daily life feel overwhelming. At Hampstead Psychology, we work with adults and young people to help them understand their ADHD, develop practical strategies, and build a more compassionate relationship with themselves. Understanding ADHD Beyond the Stereotypes ADHD (Attention
Dr Jo Stuart
2 min read
Understanding Autistic Burnout: When Life Becomes Too Much
Autistic burnout isn’t the same as ordinary stress or exhaustion — it’s a deep, overwhelming fatigue that comes from navigating a world not built for autistic people. It can affect every part of life: energy levels, mood, memory, communication, and even a sense of identity. At Hampstead Psychology, we often hear autistic clients describe burnout as “hitting a wall” — a point where daily demands, masking, or constant sensory and social strain become too much to manage. What I
Dr Jo Stuart
2 min read
Why Healing Trauma Requires More Than Talking
If you’ve experienced trauma, stress, or chronic fatigue and feel disconnected from your body, therapy can help you begin to reconnect with it — one safe step at a time.
Dr Jo Stuart
3 min read
Do you put other's needs above your own?
One widespread problem that can last a lifetime, according to Dr Paul Lewis, is a tendency to put others’ needs ahead of your own. It becomes a habit and can go unnoticed. It is a problem that feeds on itself, because we can never please all the people all the time – but we can certainly keep on trying, sidelining we want from life. It can be changed. Firstly, lose the ambivalence: Looking after yourself is not selfish. There are ways to balance getting what you want while st
Dr Paul Lewis
1 min read
Goal setting and completion in therapy
How to set goals for therapy and ways to complete goals with compassion.
Dr Caroline Taylor
2 min read
Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Its Benefits
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has gained significant attention in recent years as a powerful tool for mental health treatment. This evidence-based approach focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, aiming to help individuals identify and change negative thought patterns. In this blog post, we will explore what CBT is, how it works, its benefits, and why it may be the right choice for you or someone you know. Understanding Cognitive Behavioral
Dr Jo Stuart
4 min read
Lets talk and our triage team will be in touch with you about next steps, whether that is to have an initial chat with a psychologist or booking in for an appointment at one of our clinics or online.
Office hours are 09:00 - 17:00 Monday to Friday. We have evening and weekend appointments available.
Call 020 3488 2438 for an appointment or use the form below.
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