Held & Co. — Integrative Therapist
The trying is the therapy.
Psychotherapy and counselling with Alice Gormer. In Herne Hill, London and online UK-wide.
You might recognise this
You say yes when you mean no. You overthink how you’re coming across. You keep finding yourself in the same patterns. Or perhaps you just have a feeling something isn’t quite right. You know you want something to change, but when the moment comes, it is too hard.
That’s what we can work on together.
Held.
We start wherever you are, and I'll meet you there. Whatever you want to bring, I am here to hold it. We build our relationship and our trust. This is the foundation for our work together.
Explore.
We get curious about what's happening. That might mean looking at your past, what's happening in your life now, your relationships, or what starts to happen between us in the room. We go deeper before we rush to change anything.
Try.
When it feels right, we take some of the work beyond the therapy room. We might try saying something you've been holding back. Setting a boundary. Staying with a feeling instead of moving away from it. It might work; it might not. Either way, we have something to work with. The trying is the therapy.
If this feels like the right therapy for you, let’s have a free 30-minute chat →
“Together, we try something different. Most change starts with doing the uncomfortable thing first. You don’t have to get it right. The trying is the whole point. The trying is the therapy”
— Alice Gormer
Hi, I'm Alice.
I’m an integrative, relational therapist working in Herne Hill, South London. I became a therapist because I know what it ’s like to feel stuck and confused. To want to do something different, but struggle greatly when the time comes.
That is what led me to become a therapist and create Held & Co. A space that’s honest about what this work involves. It’s not about fixing you or finding a perfect answer.
Sometimes the work is uncomfortable. Sometimes we try something and it doesn’t go how you hoped. Sometimes you feel embarrassed. Sometimes you go back to something you thought you moved past.
None of that means you’ve failed. It means you’re human, you’re trying, and we can look at it together, then try and try again.
Qualifications, Memberships & Experience
- MSc Psychotherapy & Counselling (Therapeutic Counselling) — University of Greenwich
- Level 7 PGDip Psychotherapy & Counselling (Therapeutic Counselling) — University of Greenwich
- BSc (hons) Psychology with Counselling — University of Greenwich
- Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (No: 421250)
- Privately professionally insured
- In clinical practice for 2 years
- 5 years' experience working in the mental health and wellbeing field across charitable, community, and educational settings
Alice Gormer · Integrative Therapist, MSc, MBACP
Full profile on Psychology Today →I don't follow a fixed model. I follow you.
Integrative
I tailor how we work to you, because I don’t believe one size fits all. I am trained to draw upon different approaches, including psychodynamic, person-centred, CBT, and more. We might use metaphors, creative exercises, somatic work, or a little humour when we find words just aren’t getting us there. My work is always trauma-informed and I welcome people of all backgrounds, identities, and orientations, with an aim to understand your unique experience of them.
Relational
We will explore the relationships you have or had in your life: childhood, past, present, and our therapeutic relationship. Our early relationships have a huge impact on us, and we can repeat patterns into our adult life, sometimes without realising. By exploring this and the relationship between us, we can see where things started, where they might be continuing, and where they could instead go in the future.
- Anxiety
- OCD
- Depression or low mood
- Self-esteem and self-worth
- Identity or sense of self
- Relationships and communication
- Boundaries
- Family relationships
- Life transitions
- Bereavement
- Trauma
- Stress
- Body image
- Caring responsibilities
- Patterns that you keep finding yourself in
Anything else troubling you? Tell me a bit more about it →
In crisis right now? This service is not a crisis or emergency service. If you need to speak to someone today, please contact Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24/7) or call 111 for urgent mental health support.
The Space
In Herne Hill, London and online UK-wide.
Brockwell Space, 135 Dulwich Road, London SE24
Fees & Availability
£75
50-minute therapy sessions
Weekly therapy is recommended for most, as it helps us build the kind of consistent relationship where real change becomes possible. If fortnightly works better for your circumstances, we can discuss that too.
Please get in touch
Reduced-rate 50-minute therapy sessions
I hold a limited number of reduced-rate spaces for people who need a lower fee. Get in contact and we can discuss.
£105
60-minute intensive one-off therapy session
A one-off session can be useful if you've had therapy before and want a focused space to explore something specific or check in with where you are.
Availability
I am available weekdays and early evenings. Please get in touch and we can find the right date and time together.
Get in touch
Start wherever you are.
The first step is a free 30-minute call. Nothing to prepare, nothing to have figured out. Just a chat to see if this is the right fit. I’d be glad to hear from you.
