Couple therapy – online
We are Golshad Ghiaci and David Hewison. We are highly trained and qualified to work with individuals and couples. We have been practicing psychotherapy for 30 years or so and are senior members of our professional bodies, offering a professional and confidential setting for you and your partner to work together on your difficulties.
The couple therapy we offer is online and is psychoanalytically-based. It is based on the idea that our intimate adult relationships are affected by the influences we’ve been under growing up, and particularly those that have shaped the way we experience close relationships. We think that there are reasons why people choose the partner they have which are a part of what makes all of us fall in love in the first place. This attraction has unconscious as well as conscious roots, and it is this mix of conscious and unconscious motivations, interactions, and meanings that make adult couple relationships so complex. We will work with you to find out why the interactions between you as a couple have developed in the way that they have, as well as attending to how your relationship is functioning (or not) right now and looking at what needs to change.
Sessions are weekly, at the same time each week for 50 minutes, and are with one of us. Occasionally, couples want to be seen in co-therapy with both of us, and it is sometimes possible to provide this. Whether you see one or both of us we will help you make sense of what is going on in the relationship. We will attend to the conversation between you both but we also focus on the ways that particular emotional patterns seem to be repeating, shaping how you behave and are seen by each other, as well as how this plays out in the relationship with us. We know that finding out more about these will help lift some of the pressures that your relationship is under, giving you greater flexibility and creativity in how you relate to each other.
This form of couple therapy is open-ended, meaning that it ends when you have done what you need to do for your relationship. This ending is usually in discussion with us and is planned-for as part of the work.
We use Zoom for our sessions and work with couples of all sexual orientations and ethnicities. We regret that we are not able to offer sessions in person.
About us
Golshad Ghiaci is a Senior Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and supervisor at Tavistock Relationships and has specialised in private practice with couples and individuals. She is a Senior Adult Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist Member of the British Psychotherapy Foundation and has a background in adolescent mental health and under-5s family work.
David Hewison recently stepped down from his roles as Consultant Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, supervisor, trainer and Head of Research at Tavistock Relationships, which he joined in 1996. He is also a Jungian Training Analyst of the Society of Analytical Psychology and has a background in adult mental health social work, training and consultation. He is now in part-time private practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is couple therapy?
In line with psychoanalytic practice, we don’t set an artificial limit on your therapy unless there is a particular reason to do so. Some couples come for several years and others for a shorter time, depending on what they need.
How much do you charge?
We charge £100-£150 per session, including the initial consultation.
For co-therapy with both of us we charge £200 per session, including the initial consultation.
We bill monthly in arrears and payment can be made by bank transfer.
What are your terms?
Once we have agreed to begin therapy, all sessions offered will be charged-for. If you are unable to attend a particular session, we may be able to reschedule it in the same week, but this can’t be guaranteed. We have breaks from the therapy at Christmas, Easter, and in the summer.
Can we see you in person?
Unfortunately, we can only offer online sessions at the moment. We are unsure when this will change so if you need to be seen face-to-face we are not the right therapists for you.
What about confidentiality?
Your therapy is confidential. The limits to this are when there is a risk to you or to others (including children) or when there is a legal obligation to disclose. We will usually discuss this with you in advance, though we may not be able to do this in an emergency.
We consult with senior colleagues about our work but do not use names of or other identifying details.
We keep only essential records.
A Clinical Trustee will have access to your contact details only if we become suddenly unable to contact you ourselves – for example, in the case of sudden illness or accident.
What languages do you offer?
We both offer English and Golshad Ghiaci also offers Farsi.
Who are you registered with?
We are registrants of the British Psychoanalytic Council
Contact us
Golshad Ghiaci: 020 8883 9734
David Hewison: 020 8442 2601
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