Get to know us - Dr Nicholas Sarantakis

‘If I can accept what I cannot change, find the courage to change the things that I can and cultivate my wisdom to know the difference, then I will find serenity’ 

This paraphrasing of the poem ‘Serenity Prayer’ by Dr. Neibuhr best summarises Nicholas’s therapeutic philosophy: Life offers us plenty of wonderful opportunities to grow and thrive, to nourish warm relationships and connections with others and to embrace meaning throughout our lifespan. However, we are all sometimes faced with pragmatic and emotional challenges, when we cannot have what our hearts are yearning for, or when we lose what we love the most despite our best efforts, or when unexpected life predicaments come along our pathway. It is never easy to accept and overcome such painful events and realities and it always takes some time.

Nicholas’s background

Nicholas is an HCPC registered Counselling Psychologist based in the U.K., with a diverse experience both from the United Kingdom and abroad. He is also the Director of Studies of the Counselling Psychology Doctorate at Metanoia Institute/Middlesex University (London). He has full training to deliver CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and Humanistic Therapy for a variety of psychological issues and difficulties. He is also a clinical and research associate of the Instahelp Centre of the Sigmund Freud University (Vienna, Austria).

He also has a psychodynamic 5-year long professional training in group, family and couple therapy (the Hellenic Institute for Group Analysis and Family Therapy, member of the European Federation of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy) and he has worked therapeutically in a broad variety of settings, including a psychiatric clinic, private practice, charities, schools, universities and counselling centres with clients of all ages and from a diversity of social, cultural and personal backgrounds.

Nicholas’s theoretical ethos

Nicholas is an integrative practitioner with more than 10 years of experience working with individuals, couples, families and groups. His areas of expertise are especially working through life and personal identity crises and psychological trauma. Meanwhile, he has experience of working with very diverse client populations, ages and common presenting difficulties (most typically with anxiety, depression and low self-esteem). He practises from an integrative perspective based primarily on humanistic counselling, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and psychodynamic therapy.

Nicholas has experience working and offering help with a wide range of psychological difficulties including the following:

• Depression and mood issues
• Anxiety
• Panic Disorder
• Social Anxiety
• OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
• GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder)
• Personality Disorders
• Sexuality and Sexual Issues
• Addictions
• PTSD/Trauma (especially Trauma)
• Relationship Difficulties
• Couple Work
• Family Therapy (above 14 years old)
• Work Stress
• Low Confidence/Esteem
• Psychosis
• Bereavement
• Assertiveness Issues
• Bipolar

Insurances Nicholas works with: AXA, Aviva, Cigna, Simply Health, WPA and others.