Create a life in line with what matters to you, with psychologist Dr Ana Costa

Hello, I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years of clinical work experience. I hold a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from King’s College London, a PhD in Psychology, and a BSc degree in psychology.

Dr Ana Costa

Testimonials

What my clients say

Ana is very good at articulating the things you struggle to articulate yourself. I was sceptical of therapy before I saw Ana, but I felt like the whole experience was a constant discovery of things I didn’t fully appreciate about myself. It was like each session I would accept something about myself and dig a layer deeper into my mind and the things that drive my behaviours.

Joe C., Sales Manager

I found my sessions with Ana incredibly helpful. She helped me to explore and discuss my thoughts in a safe space, and I felt very much her desire to help by providing logical and compassionate thinking techniques to help bring about change. Her compassionate style made me feel secure and part of a team, which helped when I would practise techniques we had discussed in our sessions together. I would highly recommend Ana as a therapist to anyone who is experiencing difficulties in navigating their lives or current situation they find themselves in. Thank you Ana.

Sarah, Events Manager

Services

Services

I can help you with

Low mood and depression

Perinatal depression (pre and post-natal depression)

Anxiety disorders

Communication issues

Low self-esteem/ low self-confidence

Relationship issues

Stress and burnout

Psychological trauma

Grief and bereavement

Disordered eating

Life transitions

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

What type of therapy do you provide?

As a Clinical Psychologist, I was trained in different types of psychological therapy. However, the ones that resonated for me the most were the so-called behavioural therapies. These include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). These therapies all emphasize the acquisition of skills to help you manage difficult thoughts and feelings, and therefore they help you to feel more empowered when these (difficult thoughts and feelings) inevitably show up. Also, they are evidence-based, which means that there is a ton of research showing their effectiveness.

How often are the sessions?

Typically, once a week. However, there is room for flexibility. Some clients may choose to space out the sessions (say to every 2 weeks, or even once a month), once they start feeling better, but they still value having regular reviews to ensure they stay on track, or conversely, if they have a relapse, that they are supported to get back on track.

How long are the sessions?

50 minutes. This is long enough, so that we are able to address the important issues you may bring; but not too long, so that you don’t feel drained by the end of it. Sometimes, when I work with a client who has trauma issues and has decided to address them, we might do a specific type of work that requires a longer session (of 90 minutes). However, this would always be mutually agreed, planned in advance, and tailored-made to your particular treatment plan.

Do I just show up for the sessions or is there anything else I need to do?

Well, I’m a big believer that therapy happens in the sessions, but also outside the sessions. Let’s say that you learnt a new skill in the session with me to manage difficult thoughts… then it would be really helpful that you have a go at it outside therapy, ie, in your real life. So I’d like you to leave each and every session with something new to try, to write, or simply to think about. We will collaboratively agree on a given task that may be useful for you to do in between sessions. So you don’t have to do it, but it will be helpful if you do it.

How do I know that therapy will work?

You will know that therapy is working for you if you start living more in line with the life that you actually want to live. That doesn’t mean you won’t ever feel sad or anxious or heartbroken again… my aim isn’t necessarily to take away your negative feelings (and I’d be cautious of anyone who says they can do that!). My aim is to help you clarify what is really important to you, so you can take effective action in line with that, whilst learning to manage those feelings that inevitably show up in your life.

What guarantee do I have that therapy will work?

Well, I’m afraid that there are no guarantees. My commitment to you is that I will do my best, and we will work together as a team, whereby I will bring my experience and expertise in psychological science and psychological well-being, and you will bring your vast knowledge in what it means to be you. Most clients do get better and, at the very least, they take things from therapy that they can helpfully use in their daily life, but your level of commitment is an important factor here in regards to how much therapy will work for you.

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