Dr Marika Lahtinen in London

Dr Marika Lahtinen, Talking Therapy

Chartered Counselling Psychologist

I believe we are all shaped by our unique experiences in life. Before training as a psychologist, I worked in the IT industry. I developed an interest in how to manage the pressure and stress involved in a corporate environment. I began to practice mindfulness intensively and learn to face my own obstacles in life. By doing so I feel I have developed the skills to help others face their life challenges and understand, ‘You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surfí.

I subsequently trained in East London University and gained a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology. I am experienced in working both with individuals and groups. I split my time between private practice and working in the NHS. I have experience in a variety of settings including in patient hospitals, psychotherapy departments and currently in primary care. My role in primary care involves supervision of therapists and triage, delivering treatment and running Mindfulness Based Anxiety Groups.

The main model I use in my work is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) along with mindfulness based thinking. My philosophy involves helping clients to fully accept the circumstances in their lives that cannot be changed, being in the here and now and focusing on things that can be changed.

The issues I commonly work with are depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, work stress, panic attacks, bereavement, OCD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and life transitions such as divorce or retirement.

If you have private health insurance let me know when booking. I am a specialist provider for the following insurance companies: AXA PPP, Aviva, Cigna, WPA, PruHealth.