About me

I am Haiko - an Integrative Therapist & Coach, and university lecturer based in London. I spent about two decades researching how the human mind and brain develop, publishing work on early development, neuroscience, compassion, and mental wellbeing before training as a counsellor and coach. That combination partly shapes how I work with my clients.

I bring the rigour of psychological science into the room - not as jargon or theory, but as a genuine understanding of why we think, feel, and behave the way we do. I work online with adults navigating things like stress, anxiety, burnout, depression, procrastination, loneliness, trauma, ADHD, OCD, ASD, feeling stuck, or simply wondering where to go next.

I qualified as a BACP Integrative Counsellor & Coach in 2024, and I continue to work part-time as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster. My practice is small and intentional - I work with people I can genuinely help, and I take that seriously.

For further details please see my work profile here or check my

* Collective mark, owned by BACP

My Approach

People come to me with all kinds of difficulties - anxiety that won't switch off, a low mood that's lasted longer than it should, past experiences that keep surfacing, daily life that feels like swimming against the tide, OCD, a sense of being stuck without knowing why, or simply a feeling that something needs to change but you're not sure what. I also work with people who are neurodiverse and are navigating a world that wasn't designed with them in mind.

Therefore, therapy with me isn't one-size-fits-all. Sometimes what is needed is to sit with something difficult. Other times it is to actively work towards positive change; and sometimes it is both. I collaborate with my clients to determine their main goals and how we might best work towards them together.

I draw on a range of evidence-based approaches, including person-centred, psychodynamic, existential, Gestalt, somatic, ACT and CBT, as well as neuroscience, because different moments call for different kinds of attention.

My practice is partly informed by my academic training in and knowledge of developmental cognitive and affective neuroscience. Together with colleagues, I have published academic journal papers on e.g. early development of perception and cognition, a yoga and mindfulness intervention study at an inner city high school with high levels of multiple deprivation, as well as a book chapter on the neuroscience of compassion.

Coaching

Supportive and collaborative sessions tailored to your emotional and mental wellbeing needs.

Integrative Counselling

Practical guidance to help you set achievable goals related to your values and build resilience.

The main groups of clients I work with are:

1) General public: anyone who recognises themselves in the description above.

2) Men: many men find it hard to reach out. There can be a sense that you should be able to handle things yourself, or that talking about what is going on feels unfamiliar or exposing. In my experience, men often make profound progress in therapy once they find a space that feels direct, non-judgmental, and grounded - not just in feelings, but in understanding. If you're on the fence, the first step is simply a conversation (contact me here).

3) Academics: (PhD) students, postdocs, researchers, lecturers. You used to be able to do this, now you sit down to work and nothing happens. You might be wondering why you cannot concentrate anymore. The document stays open, the paragraph stays unwritten, and you can't tell whether it's burnout, low mood, depression, or something that's never had a name. You've read the books, and you don't need telling to take a bath or do other self care. If this resonates with you, then do get in touch!

FAQ & Practicalities

How we will work together

• Weekly online sessions are 50 min and are scheduled on Monday or Fridays (sometimes I can do other days as well; please ask)

• I can use both counselling and coaching skills (if and when required)

• We start with 3 sessions - enough time for both of us to get a real sense of whether working together feels right.

• We will check in with each other about every 6 sessions thereafter, to see how things are going

How much does it cost?

• Counselling (possibly with coaching, if needed): £65 for 50 minutes, with the first session priced at £50. (I offer 2 concession slots per week if/when available for those on a low budget; proof needed)

• Only Coaching: £115 for 90 minutes (shorter 60 minute coaching sessions can be arranged as well for £75)

What services do you offer?

I trained as an Integrative Counsellor & Coach, using the Personal Consultancy framework developed by Dr Nash Popovic and Debra Jinks. This collaborative framework allows me to work as a counsellor and/or coach if and when needed, depending on the client's needs. Many clients, after having worked through certain issues with their therapist, ask themselves 'now what?'. This is where being able to use both counselling and coaching skills or interventions can be very helpful, because I can move between being your therapist and your coach, working towards some goals you set for yourself as a result of doing therapy. This does not mean I would always include coaching elements into our therapy sessions, only when required/requested.

More info on the Personal Consultancy approach to integrative counselling and coaching set up by Nash Popovic and Debra Jinks can be found here:

Personal Wellbeing Centre

Personal Synthesis - A Guide to Personal Development

How can I contact you?

If you have any further questions or would like to have an initial chat with me then please fill out the 'Get In Touch' section below or email me via hello@haiko-coach-therapist.co.uk. you can also check my

Further info on my academic career can be found here: University of Westminster

Confidentiality

• Sessions are confidential

• Exceptions: serious risk of harm (to self or others), legal requirements, or court order

• Sessions will be discussed anonymously in supervision

Records & Privacy

• Anonymous notes are kept securely for 7 years (password or pass code protected according to GDPR UK guidelines), then destroyed

• You may see notes during a session

Cancellations

• Life happens, and I understand that sometimes plans need to change. If I need to cancel a session, I'll let you know as soon as possible and we'll reschedule or arrange a full refund -- no questions asked.

• If you need to cancel, I ask for at least 3 days' notice so that the time can be offered to someone else. Cancellations with less than 3 days' notice will be charged the full session fee. This is mainly because I work Mondays and Fridays as a coach-therapist and the other days as a Senior Lecturer, which leaves me little time to book another client last minute. I know this can feel strict, but holding that boundary allows me to keep the practice sustainable and fair for everyone.

Contact between sessions

• Contact only by email for scheduling.

• No therapy (or coaching) by email.

• For crises: NHS 111, 999, or Samaritans 116 123.

Ending therapy

• You may end therapy at any time, with 3 weeks’ notice.

• For only coaching sessions, different arrangements will be made during initial contact.

I've never tried therapy before — where do I start?

Starting therapy for the first time can feel daunting, and that's completely normal. You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to talk about. Many people come simply with a sense that something isn't quite right, or that they've been managing on their own for too long.

The first step is simply getting in touch. You can use the contact form below or send me an email (hello@haiko-coach-therapist.co.uk), and we'll arrange an initial conversation - informal, no commitment, and no pressure. This gives you a chance to ask any questions you might have, and gives us both a sense of whether working together might be a good fit.

If you decide to go ahead, we'll start with 3 sessions. These early sessions are about getting to know each other and beginning to understand what has brought you to therapy (and/or coaching). There is no expectation that you open up about everything immediately - the pace is always yours to set.

Many people find that the hardest part is simply making that first contact. If you're reading this and wondering whether therapy is for you, that wondering itself is often a good enough reason to reach out.

Get in touch

TESTIMONIAL

"Haiko listened very carefully and could really understand the issues I was going through and wanted help with. He had a very good structure to the coaching sessions which made things feel very holistic and all encompassing. I was finding it difficult to figure out what my best path was considering different options. Haiko got me to complete some exercises that helped me see these options more clearly, and also visualise what I really want. He asked great questions to help draw out key information, and assisted in making a good plan for next steps." - R.E.

Get in touch

TESTIMONIAL

"Haiko listened very carefully and could really understand the issues I was going through and wanted help with. He had a very good structure to the coaching sessions which made things feel very holistic and all encompassing. I was finding it difficult to figure out what my best path was considering different options. Haiko got me to complete some exercises that helped me see these options more clearly, and also visualise what I really want. He asked great questions to help draw out key information, and assisted in making a good plan for next steps." - R.E.