I help people understand their relationship patterns, heal from past experiences, and build more secure, fulfilling connections. Therapy offers a safe space to explore what is holding you back and create lasting change.
Dr Lara Lopes de Jesus (CPsychol) Chartered Psychologist Counselling in Essex and London
About My Experience and Therapeutic Approach
I am a qualified psychotherapist with over 15 years of clinical experience working with individuals and couples in NHS and private practice settings.
My work focuses on helping people understand how early experiences, relationships, and attachment patterns shape the way they feel and relate to others in the present.
I offer a supportive and reflective space to explore emotional difficulties, relationship patterns, and the impact of past experiences at a pace that feels right for you.
I work integratively, drawing on relational, attachment-based, and trauma-informed approaches. In trauma work, I may also draw on approaches such as EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS), depending on what feels most helpful for the client.
Qualifications and Professional Affiliations
BSc in Psychology
Doctorate in Counselling Psychology
Couples and Family Systemic Therapy Training
Compassion Focused Therapy Training
EMDR Level 1 and 2
Internal Family Systems- Transforming Trauma
Accredited member of the BPS (British Psychological Society)
BPS Member of the Division of Counselling Psychology
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered member
Who I Work With:
Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed or caught in patterns they do not fully understand.
Over time, therapy can help you understand your emotional and relationship patterns more clearly, so they begin to feel less controlling. Many people find they feel more emotionally grounded, more secure in relationships, and better able to respond thoughtfully rather than react automatically.
You may also notice feeling less overwhelmed by anxiety or low mood, and more able to recognise your needs, both in your relationships and within yourself.
When patterns remain unaddressed, the same difficulties can repeat over time, often leading to stress, disconnection, or a sense of being caught in the same cycles.
Therapy offers a consistent, supportive space to explore these patterns and begin gently shifting them.
Additional areas of experience:
Professionals and high-pressure roles
I work with professionals who may be experiencing:
- high levels of responsibility and stress
- burnout or emotional exhaustion
- perfectionism and self-criticism
Despite external success, it is not uncommon to feel internally overwhelmed or stuck. Therapy offers a confidential space to reflect, process, and regain a sense of balance.
Individuals affected by physical health challenges
I have experience supporting individuals
affected by serious health conditions, including cancer. This may involve:
- coping with diagnosis or treatment
- managing uncertainty
- adjusting to changes in identity, body, or lifestyle
Therapy can provide a space to process these experiences and their emotional impact.
LGBTQ+ clients
I work with clients from LGBTQ+ communities and aim to offer a safe, affirming and non-judgemental space. Therapy may focus on:
- identity and self-understanding
- relationships and intimacy
- experiences of acceptance, belonging, or difference
International and cross-cultural experiences
I also work with individuals from
international backgrounds or those who have experience of living between
cultures. This can include:
- adjusting to life in a different country
- navigating cultural identity
- feelings of displacement or not fully belonging
How therapy can help?
Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or caught in patterns they do not fully understand
Over time, therapy can help you understand your emotional and relationship patterns more clearly, so they begin to feel less overwhelming and more manageable. As this awareness develops, many people experience the benefits of therapy, including feeling more emotionally grounded, more secure in relationships, and better able to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting automatically.
You may also notice feeling less impacted by anxiety or low mood, and more able to recognise what you need, both in your relationships and within yourself.
Part of what to expect from therapy is a gradual process of making sense of these experiences. When patterns remain unaddressed, the same difficulties can repeat over time, often leading to stress, disconnection, or a sense of being stuck.
Therapy offers a consistent, supportive space to explore these patterns and begin gently shifting them, so that meaningful and lasting change becomes possible.
My Location
My practice is based in North Chelmsford, approximately a 10 minutes drive from Chelmsford Railway Station. Free parking is available outside the property.
I also offer appointments in London within walking distance from Liverpool Street and Moorgate Underground.
Individual Therapy Session fee £120.00
Couples Therapy Session fee £140.00
Private Medical insurance and corporate fee £110 to £130.00 per session
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or to arrange a free 15 minutes initial consultation or appointment.
I can also be reached on 07583947233.