Welcome to Doug Reid Therapy

• Confused about a relationship
• Feeling empty, worthless or lost
• Depression, sadness or simply feeling low
• Worried about a situation at work
• Grieving a loss or bereavement
• Dealing with divorce or separation
• Facing redundancy
• Anxious all the time
• Feeling stuck
• Keen to make changes
• Can’t see a way forward
• Searching for personal development, growth and positivity
• Wanting peace of mind

We meet for an introductory session, to discuss your needs. Sessions are 50 minutes long. A minimum of 6 sessions, and ideally 8, are recommended. However, the ultimate length of your therapy will be tailored to your individual needs. Some people benefit from shorter bursts of therapy to help them navigate a crossroads in their lives, they may return later when they need help to deal the next life challenge or hurdle.

Other people choose regular therapy sessions to support and sustain them over a longer period. Everyone is different. When we conclude your initial course of therapy treatments, together we review what has been achieved and decide if further sessions will be useful.

My fee is £60 per therapy session. This is reviewed annually.

Please aim to arrive on time. If you arrive early, I may be busy with somebody else and unable to let you in. If you arrive late, we will still have to finish the session on time.

If you know you are not going to be able to come to a session I require a minimum of 48 hours notice, otherwise my fee is still payable. 

People who demean, belittle or put you down can have a huge effect on your overall sense of wellbeing because you are constantly being criticised and undermined. Typically, this type of behaviour can leave you feeling inadequate, doubting yourself and your decisions, creating low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness. Over time, these feelings become ingrained resulting in anxiety, depression and a diminished sense of who you are and your worth.

Whether at home or at work, this dynamic often damages relationships because it creates an unhealthy power dynamic, loss of trust and feelings of resentment. Nobody deserves to be made to feel inferior or diminished.

I can help you see what is happening and to understand the root of these difficult emotions and feelings, so that you can learn to trust and believe in yourself and your strengths.

Gaslighting is a term originating from the 1938 play Gas Light, in which a husband manipulates his wife into believing she is losing her mind when she hears noises and experiences the lights dimming, claiming that it’s all in her head and she’s imagining it all. Gaslighting can happen in personal relationships, at work and even in public discourse. It is a form of manipulation used by abusers and narcissists to gain and maintain control over others.

How to Recognise Gaslighting

Denial of Reality: Gaslighters often deny events, conversations, or behaviour that you know occurred. They may say things like “That never happened” or “You’re imagining things” even with clear evidence to the contrary.

Minimising Your Feelings: The person negates your emotions and feelings, suggesting you’re overreacting or are hyper-sensitive. They may tell you “You’re too sensitive” or “You’re blowing things out of all proportion.”

Making You Doubt Your Memory: Gaslighters often insist that your recollection of events is incorrect, even when you’re certain you’re right. They may tell you “You’re misremembering it” or twist facts to befuddle and confuse you.

Blaming You for Their Behaviour: A gaslighter may flip a situation to make you feel that you’re the one at fault, even when their behaviour is clearly wrong. If you call out their poor behaviour they tell you, “It’s your fault for making me act this way,” shifting the blame to you.

Withholding Information: The person may refuse to engage with you or dismiss your concerns entirely. They make you feel unworthy of their attention or response, leaving you feeling confused and isolated.

Instilling Confusion: Gaslighters are skilled at creating confusion by altering facts, changing details or shifting their position. You are left doubting yourself and your reality.

Isolating: Gaslighters often try to isolate their victims by making them mistrust others. They tell you that “No one else cares about you” or “Everyone thinks you’re crazy,”  deepening your dependence on them for validation and reality.

Frequent Lies: A gaslighter will often tell blatant lies to distort your understanding of events or to control the narrative. You instinctively know the truth but their persistence makes you question yourself.

Recognising gaslighting involves paying attention to these patterns of behaviour. If you recognise feeling confused, anxious or questioning your perception of reality when interacting with someone, you may well be experiencing gaslighting. Together we can work to enabling you to recognise and trust your gut instincts enabling you regain clarity and establish healthy boundaries.