Judy Lewis

I first moved to France from the UK in early 2000s and despite the short distance between these nations, it felt like quite a culture shock. Now a dual national living between France and the UK for over 20 years, I have first-hand understanding of some of the challenges of integrating into a different language and culture and how this can impact on identity, sense of self, and belonging. I first trained as a Registered Nurse and this work has given me a deep appreciation of the way mind and body are connected. Our embodied experience of the world from infancy, into childhood and extending throughout adulthood is unconsciously registered in mind and body across the life span. Being able to reflect upon and give importance to our physical experience of being in the world can help to feel coherent and whole. As a nurse, I have worked extensively with women negotiating the challenges of fertility, early pregnancy and menopause. Throughout my nursing career, I was always interested in the way people made sense of their experience of themselves and this lead me into a counselling and psychotherapy Master’s degree. Alongside a rigorous theoretical exploration and understanding of the multiple factors which influence how the mind develops and adapts across the lifespan, I worked in clinical practice with adults of all ages and diverse cultural backgrounds. Anxiety and/or depression is often a starting point which leads people to seek therapy but the context is always uniquely individual. I have worked with students and young adults negotiating their identity, independence, and relationships through to older adults adapting to the challenges of illness, changing bodies, and ageing. Change and transition can have a strong and destabilising impact on our sense of ourselves - by exploring and making some sense of what is going on, equilibrium and capacity to cope can be re-established. With my long professional and personal experience (including of therapy itself) I have good resources and sound perspectives to help you to think about the issues which bring you to therapy.