
About Us
55 Gower Street is home to a group of qualified and highly experienced psychoanalysts and psychotherapists, who between us offer a range of analytic therapies for adults, couples, adolescents and children.
Working from a centrally located and beautifully appointed town house in the heart of Bloomsbury, central London, each of us is registered with a PSA approved professional body (www.professionalstandards.org.uk): either the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) (www.bpc.org.uk), the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) (www.psychotherapy.org.uk) or the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP) (www.childpsychotherapy.org.uk) and adheres to a robust code of ethics and professional standards.
At 55 Gower Street, we share a commitment to provide high quality, ethical, safe, and confidential therapy services. To find out more about how we can help, please contact individual practitioners directly to discuss what they offer or to arrange an initial consultation. Fees are discussed with the individual therapist.
About Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is an intensive form of psychoanalytic work that involves attending sessions with a Psychoanalyst four or five times a week, usually over several years. This form of work suits people who want to understand themselves and their difficulties at a deeper level. The additional space and time provides the opportunity to reach this deeper and more complex understanding of yourself and your difficulties.
The therapist will provide a safe, reliable and comfortable space for you to talk about yourself and what troubles you. You will agree regular 50-minute times with your therapist that will be kept for you for as long as the therapy continues. The details of what you discuss will be kept strictly confidential.
People only enter Psychoanalytic therapy or Psychoanalysis after a detailed consultation. Many find the consultation itself to be helpful and illuminating. The consultation is also an opportunity for you to experience the process of working with the Psychotherapist or Analyst and decide whether you want to continue. It is advisable to find a Psychotherapist or Analyst with suitable vacancies who could then meet you first for a consultation.
About Psychotherapy
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is a well evidenced treatment developed from Psychoanalysis. It has been shown to be effective in treating a range of mental health problems. Sessions are at a regular time every week and you may be in treatment for several months or years. As with Psychoanalysis it is a talking therapy based on saying whatever is going through your mind. By working in this way, in a developing relationship with a therapist, you will be helped to become aware of hidden meanings and patterns in what you do that contribute to your problems.
This modality of treatment has been shown to be effective with:
Depression
Anxiety disorders
Eating disorders
Psychosomatic problems
Phobias
Relationship difficulties
Sexual problems
Personality difficulties
Psychoanalytic therapy is not recommended for the treatment of psychotic illness or those with ongoing addictions: but can be helpful after these problems have ended.
About Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for infants, children and young people up to the age of 25 and their families who are experiencing emotional and psychological difficulties. Children and young people struggling with mental health problems may express their distress through their behaviour. This in turn can impact their relationships and stall their ability to reach their potential. The key is to emotionally connect with the young person so that they can gain a better understanding of their inner world and over time uncover and work through the source(s) of their distress.
Areas that we frequently work with include separation anxiety, issues around challenging behaviour and dysregulation, sense of self, social anxiety, depression, school refusal, self-harm, suicidal thoughts/ideation.
We also work with families, carers and professional networks in order to best understand and support with the emotional difficulties experienced by young people.
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists are able to offer the following services:
Consultation
State of Mind Assessments
Assessment for individual psychotherapy
Short and long-term psychotherapy
Intensive Psychotherapy
Work with parents/carers to help them better understand their child’s developmental needs
About Couple Psychotherapy
Couple relationships sometimes put partners in touch with feelings which they struggle to express to each other in words. When this happens, each can behave in ways which are inexplicable and hurtful to the other, and the relationship can give rise to a great deal of pain.
Couple psychotherapy is an evidenced based treatment, which has been shown to reduce relationship distress. BPC registered couple psychoanalytic psychotherapists have lengthy specialist training and extensive experience in helping couples in conflict.
Couple psychotherapy can be long term or short term, and offers help to couples of all social and cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations. Issues which are commonly considered include:
Communication difficulties
Parenting concerns
Affairs
Navigating separation and divorce
Depression or anxiety in one or both partners
Sexual problems
Conflict about money
Distressing repetitive arguments
Alienation and loneliness
The focus of the therapy is the relationship itself, as well as the two individuals in it. Couple psychotherapy helps the partners to become more aware of what is happening between them, and, over time, often to move away from blame towards empathy with each other.
The first step towards couple therapy is to arrange an initial consultation with a couple psychotherapist. The consultation is an opportunity for you both to tell the therapist something about your concerns, and to have an experience of working with the therapist. Couples often find that the consultation is helpful in itself, and it also assists them in deciding whether to begin ongoing therapy.
Our Practitioners
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Katherine Astill
Katherine Astill is a couple psychoanalytic psychotherapist and an adult psychodynamic psychotherapist. She works with couples and individuals in her private practice.
Katherine trained at Tavistock Relationships, where she practiced for several years, and where she continues to teach and supervise. She has further specialist training and experience with couples who are in a process of divorce or separation.
Katherine is a member of the Tavistock Relationships Association of Psychotherapists and is registered with the British Psychoanalytic Council.
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Dr William Crouch
William Crouch is a Psychoanalyst, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and Clinical Psychologist. He trained in the NHS as a Clinical Psychologist and then at the Tavistock Clinic as a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, where he worked as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist.
He has previously worked in NHS child and adult mental health services for over 20 years. He subsequently trained at the Institute of Psychoanalysis and is a Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society. He can offer consultations and treatment to adults and young people interested in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. He is also available for supervision of adult Psychoanalytic therapists.
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Dr Cecilia d’Alancon
Dr Cecilia d’Alancon is a Child and Adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapist and a member of the Association of Child Psychotherapists.
She works with children, young people, young adults and their families to help them understand themselves and support their emotional development.
She trained at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and continues to work there alongside her independent practice. She teaches, offers consultation, supervision and reflective practice to clinicians, professionals and organisations. She has over 10 years of experience working in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) including inpatient, outpatient, forensic and educational settings, and the charitable sector.
She works in English, French and conversational German.
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Georgie Gee
Georgie Gee is a qualified Psychoanalytical Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. She trained at the Tavistock Clinic and has worked across a variety of settings, including independent schools and adolescent inpatient units. Her early career sparked a lasting commitment to supporting young people navigating complex emotional landscapes.
Her therapeutic approach is characterized by meeting young people where they are, fostering a non-judgmental, safe space where they can explore their experiences and which can support their emotional development.
Georgie has had a longstanding interest in the impact of complex trauma. In addition to working with children and their carers, Georgie also offers supervision to therapists and allied professionals.
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Ricardo Readi
Ricardo Readi is a Psychoanalyst, member of the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA), with a background in Clinical Psychology and Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Studies at the Tavistock Clinic. He works at the Inpatient Service of the Cassel Hospital- an NHS specialized setting for adults with severe personality disorders and complex trauma.
He is interested in personality development, narcissism and self-destructive states of mind. Mr. Readi is Co-Chair of the IPA Committee for the Psychoanalytic Assistance in world Crises and Emergencies (PACE), and member of the Applied Section Committee of the British Psychoanalytic Society.
He works with children, adults and couples, in English and Spanish.
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Dr Elise Riley
Elise is a Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist who trained at the British Psychotherapy Foundation and Anna Freud Centre. She gained her doctorate from UCL and is a full member of the Association of Child Psychotherapists.
Elise works with under 5s, children, adolescents, young people up to the age of 25, and parents/carers. She offers consultations, short and long-term work both in English and French.
Elise also works in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) within the NHS, teaches at the Tavistock, and is undertaking an advanced training in couple psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the Tavistock Relationships.
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Carolyn Walker
Carolyn Walker is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist offering consultations and open-ended psychotherapy for adults. She also offers supervision for qualified therapists, reflective practice groups for NHS professionals and she is an experienced Group Relations consultant.
Formerly Consultant Psychotherapist at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, she has over 30 years clinical experience working across a range of NHS settings alongside her private practice.
Carolyn trained and practiced as a children and families social worker before her psychoanalytic training at the Tavistock Clinic. She is a member of the Tavistock Society of Psychotherapists (TSP) and is registered with the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC).
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Ginny Winter
Ginny Winter is a psychotherapist working with adults (individuals and couples). She also has a specialism in perinatal mental health and works with parents and babies when they are experiencing difficulties impacting their growing relationship.
Ginny holds qualifications in adult psychodynamic psychotherapy (open-ended and a short-term sixteen-week model), systemic family psychotherapy, psychoanalytic parent-infant psychotherapy, EMDR therapy (specifically designed for processing trauma) and reflective parenting.
In addition to her private practice, Ginny works in an NHS mental health service, teaches and is a clinical supervisor. She is a member of the UKCP.
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Graham Wise
Graham Wise is an experienced Adult Psychodynamic Psychotherapist (Tavistock Centre) with full membership of the BPC.
In his private practice, Graham offers individual psychotherapy to adults seeking to better understand themselves and support their emotional development. Difficulties include depression, anxiety, developmental breakdown, sexual issues, trauma, personality problems, relationship and work related difficulties.
Graham brings his extensive experience of working in the NHS for over 30 years in varied mental health complex emotional needs settings. Most recently he held a Lead Principal Adult Psychotherapist post for 10 years.
Additionally, Graham offers supervision to qualified and trainee psychotherapists and psychologists.
Getting Here
55 Gower Street
London WC1E 6HJ
Click on the pin to open google maps in a new window or click here
Parking: Pay & Display on Chenies street
Bus 14, 24, 29, 73, 390
Tubes: Northern Line: Goodge Street (4 minutes), Euston (10-12 minutes), Victoria Line: Warren Street (10 minutes), Metropolitan Line, Hammersmith and Circle Lines: Euston Square (5 min), Piccadilly Line: Russell Square (10 minutes), Central and Elizabeth Line: Tottenham Court Road (12 minutes)
Lioness Overground and Trains: Euston (10-12 minutes)