Rate Lee Freeman

I am a UK-based psychotherapist with over five years’ experience working with adults, teenagers and couples through a wide range of emotional, personal and relationship difficulties.

People come to therapy for many different reasons. You might be struggling with anxiety, stress, low mood, overthinking, confidence, grief, relationship problems or changes in your life. You may feel overwhelmed, stuck or emotionally exhausted, or perhaps things simply don’t feel quite right and you are not sure why.

You don’t need to be in crisis or have a particular diagnosis to benefit from therapy. Sometimes having a confidential space to talk things through, understand yourself better and work out what needs to change can make a significant difference.

My approach is warm, down-to-earth and collaborative. I want therapy to feel like a genuine conversation rather than something clinical or intimidating. I provide a space where you can speak openly without judgement and where we can work together at a pace that feels manageable for you.

Alongside more general counselling and psychotherapy, I have particular experience working with childhood trauma, sexual abuse, PTSD and complex PTSD, emotional neglect, difficult family experiences, abandonment and narcissistic or emotionally abusive relationships.

When working with teenagers and younger people, I recognise that they may be dealing with pressures around school or college, friendships, family relationships, confidence, identity, anxiety, low mood or simply trying to make sense of how they feel. My aim is to offer a space where they can talk without feeling judged, lectured or expected to have all the answers.

I also work with couples experiencing conflict, communication problems, emotional distance, loss of trust, intimacy difficulties, infidelity, recurring arguments or uncertainty about the future of their relationship. Couples therapy is not about deciding who is right or wrong. It is about understanding what is happening between you, recognising the patterns you have become caught in and finding healthier ways of communicating and relating to each other.

My work combines exploration with practical support. Depending on what you need, we might look at experiences from your past, patterns in your relationships, anxiety and difficult emotions, self-esteem, boundaries, unhelpful ways of thinking, communication or ways of coping when life feels overwhelming.

I work integratively, drawing on humanistic, relational, trauma-informed and CBT-informed approaches. This means I adapt the therapy to you rather than expecting you to fit into one particular method.

My aim is not simply to help you get through the next week. I want to help you develop a clearer understanding of yourself, recognise what may be keeping you stuck and build greater confidence, resilience and choice in how you respond to the difficulties in your life.

You do not need to know exactly what you want to talk about before starting therapy. We can begin with what is happening for you now and work things out together from there.