Eirini Perantoni
Integrative Psychotherapist & Counsellor
I am currently unable to accept new clients until summer 2024. Thank you for your understanding!
Is there something on your mind that you would like to discuss? Sometimes, people believe that their issue is not "worthy" of receiving the therapist's attention, but this is never the case. I am here to offer you a safe, calm, confidential, non-judgmental space, and listen to whatever you want to bring into therapy, no matter how serious or benign you might be finding it.
Certain issues that you might want to address in therapy include:
anxiety
depression
chronic or sudden illness and pain
family or relationship issues
academic or work pressures and stress
cultural and identity issues
My main focus is building a strong and empathic relationship with you, so we are able to explore all aspects of your self and your experience, and what they mean for you. Together, we can find ways to enhance your sense of well-being, and help you become your fuller self, whatever this might look like for you.
How I Practice
I provide weekly psychotherapy sessions at a standard time and day of the week that we can agree on together. I usually work on an open-ended, long-term basis. However, I am happy to offer shorter term contracts, the length of which we can dicscuss, if you feel that this is what would work best for you and your situation.
I am an integrative psychotherapist, which means that I draw on a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches in order to best suit your needs. The main approaches that I utilise are:
Humanistic
Psychodynamic
Existential
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Internal Family Systems
Essentially, I invite you to share anything that might be on your mind during the sessions, about past, present, or future. Oftentimes, something that happened during your week, and the way you process how you felt about it, can open up a discussion about your coping patterns and way of relating to others. This in turn can help us understand yourself better, as well as how it is that you would like to live life, and how to achieve that.
What To Expect from your First Session
Once you get in touch, we can arrange a mutually convenient time for our first session. This is your chance to tell me a bit about yourself and your background, and what your goals would be for therapy. Don't worry if you are not sure about the latter. This is something we can figure out together, and come up with a plan for the type of support that would be best for you in the next sessions.
We can meet online, usually over Zoom. The main way of communication would be video-chatting. However, at times when the internet connection is not strong enough, we can revert to a phone call. I also offer the option to type certain things that you might feel uncomfortable with saying out loud, whether this is due to privacy or other personal reasons.
I currently meet new clients online. I find that it gives more stability in our ability to meet weekly, regardless of issues such as urgent schedule changes, travelling, minor illnesses, or chronic health issue flare-ups. This in turn facilitates the building of the therapeutic relationship. Please do let me know if your preference will be to meet face-to-face in the future and we can discuss this possibility.
Fees
Online sessions are charged at £60.
If we start online sessions and you wish to meet face-to-face in the future, we will then discuss all details, including potential fee adaptations.
I am able to offer concessionary rates to unemployed individuals, low-income workers, and students - please contact me for more information.
I accept payment via Bank Transfer or Paypal.
I have a 3 day (72 hour) cancellation policy, which means that a cancellation after this point (for any reason) will incur the full fee. However, sometimes it might be possible to reschedule the session for the same week.
My Qualifications and Experience
MA Psychotherapy and Counselling (Regent's University London)
Advanced Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy (Regent's University London)
BSc Psychology (The University of York)
Specialist training on:
Internal Family Systems
Family Support and Pregnancy
Online Psychotherapy and Counselling
Working with Teenagers and Young People
Gender Identity and Expression
Single-Session and Time-Limited Therapy
Integrative Psychotherapist in Home-Start Westminster, FreshStart Psychotherapy, and Private Practice
Experienced Youth Mentor
Registered under UKCP and BACP
Frequently Asked Questions
Which times and days can we meet?
Usually I work on weekdays (Monday to Friday, except bank holidays), between the hours of 11am and 8pm. I do not offer sessions over the weekends. When you first get in touch, please let me know what your availability is like, and we can arrange a mutually convenient slot.
Overall, therapy works best when we can establish a routine, so it will be advisable to try and commit to the same time slot every week. However, life does happen, and I offer a degree of flexibility in being able to change the time slot if needed.
How long does each therapy session last?
The first session lasts up to 60 minutes, and each subsequent session is 50 minutes long. The first session is longer so that we can assess our suitability of working together, and you can take the opportunity to ask me any questions you might have about the way I practice and how I can help you achieve your goals.
How long should I be in therapy for?
This is something we can discuss during our first session, and it depends on the nature of the issues you would like to explore. It also depends on your goals and expectations, as well as the time and financial commitment you feel you would like to dedicate to this endeavour. If you do not have a specific amount of sessions in mind, we can agree to work on an open-ended basis, and review that along the way.
Can I afford therapy?
This is of course only a decision you can make. Overall though, I would recommend that you look at it as a very good investment towards your wellbeing and happiness. I keep my fees at a competitive level to facilitate low and mid-income individuals accessing therapy, as well as offer some concessions.
What client groups do you work with?
I work with individuals over the age of 14. If a client is underage, the financial details will be discussed with the parent or guardian, but the session content will remain confidential. Clients over 18 are usually expected to hold all contractual responsibilites themselves.
I do not currently offer family, group, or couples therapy.
I can provide therapy in both English and Greek.
Does online therapy work as well as face-to-face therapy?
Even though the phenomenon of online therapy is relatively new, many studies show that it is at least as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy. In addition, being able to access therapy from your own home can put your mind at ease due to many factors: Not worrying about the hassle of getting somewhere new, no risk of contamination with Covid-19, being able to have a session if you need to travel, or feeling more comfortable in knowing that physical pain and discomfort you might be experiencing at the time will not be exacerbated with travel.
Overall, it is also a decision you need to make for yourself - if you feel that this method of accessing therapy is not for you, this is something you should consider in order to choose the best kind of therapy for you.
Should I attend a session if I don't have anything to say?
I always find that therapy works best with regular attendance, and it is remarkable how taking the time to reflect inside the therapeutic safe space can lead to topics of discussion that might not have crossed your mind earlier. So, in short, I would recommend that you attend the session either way!
Do you give advice?
I don't provide direct advice, as I understand that I cannot tell clients what to do. I might provide certain suggestions, depending on your circumstances and what we are discussing, which you are welcome to ponder on and reject if you feel they do not resonate with your point of view.
Συνεδρίες στα Ελληνικά
Εάν προτιμάτε συνεδρίες στα Ελληνικά, μη διστάσετε να έρθετε σε επαφή μαζί μου για να κλείσετε την πρώτη σας συνεδρία. Μαζί θα μπορέσουμε να βρούμε διαφορετικούς τρόπους για να:
βελτιώσετε τη διάθεσή σας
εξερευνήσετε υγιείς τρόπους αντιμετώπισης των προβλημάτων σας
ξεπεράσετε το άγχος και την κατάθλιψη καθώς και συγκεκριμένες φοβίες
κατανοήσετε τι είναι αυτό που θέλετε στη ζωή σας και πώς θα μπορέσετε να το αποκτήσετε
Οι συνεδρίες γίνονται κυρίως μέσω του ίντερνετ (zoom), οπότε μπορείτε να έχετε πρόσβαση στη θεραπεία απ΄όπου κι αν βρίσκεστε.