PSYCHOTHERAPY
WHAT IS PSYCHOTHERAPY?
Psychotherapy, sometimes known as counselling, is a process where you are offered the opportunity to explore your mental health & emotional wellbeing alongside a qualified professional, with the aim of achieving greater self-awareness & insight. You may develop healthier coping strategies as a result of your sessions, manage your mental health in a more sustainable, healthy way & have the space to process trauma, emotional pain & past experiences.
WHAT IS OUR APPROACH?
There are many different approaches to psychotherapy & we are both primarily trained in dramatherapy, a specialist type of arts psychotherapy that is HCPC regulated. Whilst traditional psychotherapy & counselling focuses mostly on talking as the main medium of expression during sessions, arts psychotherapy uses many different creative outlets to explore how you might be feeling. In addition to talking during therapy sessions, we may also use techniques such as creative writing, artwork, object and metaphor exploration, ritual, archetypes, myth & folklore, sand play, music and other creative means. It is important to know that no previous experience of creative arts is necessary to access psychotherapy that works in this way, all that’s required is an openness to explore and be curious!
ABOUT US
Becca Harp
BA (Hons), MA, HCPC
Arts Psychotherapist
she/her
Over the last 10 years, I have dedicated myself to supporting people with their mental health & wellbeing, having worked with hundreds of people to improve their lifestyle, mental health & to re-connect with themselves & those around them. I have a vast amount of experience working privately as well as for organisations such as The Fire Fighters Charity & The Intercom Trust, as well as currently working with Carrot Fertility to support its members. I support adults over the age of 18.
Issues I have particular experience working with include anxiety, depression, stress & burnout, trauma, loss & bereavement, major life transitions, loss of identity, low self-esteem & low self-confidence, perfectionism, neurodiversity (including autism & ADHD), existential & spiritual exploration, relationship & family dynamics, navigating the menstrual cycle & coping with menstrual conditions, such as PMS & premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). I also have specialist experience of working with the LGBTQ+ community, supporting individuals with issues such as coming out, gender dysphoria, transitioning, LGBTQ+ fertility treatment and parenting, family rejection & internalised homophobia. I have a passion for supporting those who identify as LGBTQ+ or who may be questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation & aim to provide a space where you can feel safe to be whoever you truly are.
I am also trained in yoga, mindfulness, nature connection & cacao, and as a result my approach to therapy is always holistic & transpersonal. This means I work with the spiritual aspects of one’s self as well as the mind & body, supporting you to connect to that all-knowing, instinctive part of yourself that many of us struggle to access in this busy, fast-paced world we live in. This is always integrated in to our work in a way that you feel comfortable with & which aligns with your own beliefs and values.
I will work with you to explore, create & grow within our therapy sessions, providing you with a non-judgemental, safe space in which you can express your most true, authentic self.
Lau Harp
BA (Hons), MA, MA, HCPC
Arts Psychotherapist
they/them
Since qualifying in 2016, I have worked in a variety of settings supporting individuals therapeutically, including in the charitable sector and the NHS. In particular, I have extensive experience of working with adults who experience difficulties with eating disorders, body image & disordered patterns of eating. I have received training in MANTRA (Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults), which is a specialist integrative therapy recommended under the NICE guidelines for the treatment of anorexia in adults. In addition, I am also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), which is a structured form of therapy offered to help process trauma & PTSD. I currently support adults over the age of 18.
In addition to working on various acute inpatient settings for the treatment of people with eating disorders, I have also supported individuals with a variety of other issues including anxiety, depression, trauma & PTSD, stress & burnout, relationship & family dynamics, ADHD, addictions & perinatal trauma & loss. I also have experience working with the LGBTQ+ community within my work, supporting individuals to face the difficulties that can arise from one’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity. This includes coming out, family rejection, internalised homophobia, gender dysphoria, transitioning and the process of owning your authentic self. Currently, I also work for the NHS alongside my private practice as a Principal Psychotherapist in the Perinatal Loss & Trauma Therapy Service.
In 2015 I spent time in Rishikesh, Northern India, delving deep into the philosophy & practice of yoga. It was here where I gained a 200 hour yoga teacher certificate & I later completed additional training with The Minded Institute in Yoga Therapy for Eating Disorders & Yoga and Mindfulness for Addictions. I remain deeply inspired by eastern wisdom & as a result, the mind-body connection remains central within all of my work.
My approach to therapy is holistic, compassion-focussed & creative, offering a sense of distance & altered perspective that can assist us to explore psychological wounds in a safe and contained way.
OUR OFFERINGS
If you would like to explore working with either one of us, you can book a free no-obligation 15 minute phone call to talk things through further. You can book this by emailing us at info@elkandether.co.uk or by filling out our contact form & specifying what kind of therapist/therapy you are interested in.
Once you've had an initial chat with your potential therapist, we will then book in your first therapy session. This first session will give us a chance to talk about the issues you'd like support with in more detail & helps us to make sure the support we offer is right for you at this time.
Arts Psychotherapy
with Becca
£65
50 mins
Weekly or bi-weekly
Open-ended
Online or face to face at Sapphire Practice Rooms, Exeter
Current availability: Fridays & Sundays
Arts Psychotherapy
with Lau
(includes use of EMDR & MANTRA therapy for the treatment of an Eating Disorder as required)
£75
60 mins
Weekly or bi-weekly
Open-ended
Online or face to face at Sapphire Practice Rooms, Exeter
Current availability: Fridays
Cacao-Assisted Psychotherapy with Becca
£75
60 mins
Weekly or bi-weekly
Open-ended
Online or face to face at Sapphire Practice Rooms, Exeter
Current availability: Fridays & Sundays
"Becca was amazing & I wish I could have spent longer with her. She was kind, considerate & understanding. I feel much more confident that I can control and help my mental health due to her support."
"I've had therapy a few times during my life and I can honestly say that this experience was the most valuable. I can't really put into words how beneficial therapy was, it was a monumental shift in my life where I feel my eyes have been opened."
"Lau's sessions helped me to feel safe and stable enough to explore my eating disorder. I didn't know what to expect but it's been one of the most useful therapeutic experiences I've ever had."
"Enlightening, creative and enjoyable! These sessions gave me the freedom to explore any and all thoughts and feelings openly in a collaborative and supportive environment."