Anna M. A. Sergent
In-Depth Therapy and Psychoanalysis in London
Therapy Rooted in Psychoanalysis, Spoken in Everyday Language
Available in Stratford (E20), West Hampstead (NW6) and Archway (N19)
Times of uncertainty are part of life. But when disquiet persists, whether as anxiety, dissatisfaction or a sense that something isn't quite right, it may call for deeper listening. I offer a private and confidential setting in London's East Village, West Hampstead and Archway, where you can speak freely and think more fully about your experience.
You may arrive with a particular concern, a recurring difficulty, or perhaps a quieter wish for something to shift. In-depth therapy offers a starting point to engage with these experiences in a thoughtful and sustained way. Psychoanalysis doesn't focus on symptom relief alone. Instead, it invites a slower, more considered exploration of the unconscious dynamics that shape how you relate, think and feel.
This is not a quick-fix approach, but a long-term process that offers the possibility of more lasting change. Not trough prescribed solutions, but through sustained inquiry into the patterns and meanings that move beneath the surface of daily life.
Each analytic pricess is unique, singular. The analytic work unfolds in a way that is specific to you, creating a space where new possibilities can emerge. With time, it may open a different kind of engagement with yourself and with others.
"The only thing that matters is to take a step forward. But you must not think that it is a mere act of will. There is a great deal of confusion, a great deal of uncertainty, which we must allow. There is also the feeling of time moving, the perception of time slipping away."
Virginia Wolf in "The Lighthouse" (1927)
This quote speaks to the quiet struggle many people may bring to therapy, the sense that something must change, but without a clear path forward that may bring all sorts of discomforting feelings and uncertainty.
I work psychoanalytically, which means I listen not only to what is said, but what slips past in the silence, the contradictions, the repetition. Change, in this work, is rarely a matter of willpower alone. It comes slowly through sustained reflection, and by giving space to uncertainty rather than resisting it.
Have you ever felt that words fail to capture the full complexity of what you're feeling? In this in-depth tehrapeutic work, speech becomes something more than explanation. It is a way of tracing what lies beneath, uncovering meanings that may be hidden in the everyday, or even in the act of speaking itself.
This process is not as much about simply revising the memories from the past but rethinking its significance in the present. It opens a space where new possibilities may emerge, not by providing solutions, but by questioning the very assumptions that limit how you see yourself and the world.
The following videos discuss psychoanalysis:
Strangeness within an animation exploring the relevance of psychoanalysis today
What is psychoanalysis? a video compiling interviews with experienced psychoanalysts who describe how they experience it.
About me
I'm a psychoanalytic candidate with the Association for Group and Individual Psychotherapy (AGIP) in the final stage of qualification working under senior clinical supervision and registered with the UKCP-CPJA (trainee number: 2011185432). My approach is shaped by a strong commitment to ethical practice, ongloing development and the complexities of psychoanalytic thinking. Codes of ethical practice I adhere to: AGIP Code of Ethics and the UKCP Code of Ethics and Professional Practice)
Alongside private practice in East London (E20), North-West London (NW6) and Archway (N19), I assess new patients at Strides Highbury Counselling Centre and work with Samata Health, service for employees and the charity Rise Above the Disorder (RAD). I previously worked at Psychosis Therapy Project and continue to welcome complexity in the work.
Before becoming a therapist, I worked in various mental health and social care settings; with adults navigating psychiatric care, survivors of domestic abuse and young people affected by gang involvement.
My experience managing a day unit for autistic adults gave me invaluable insight into how a tailored, person-centred approach, attention to different forms of language, and the development of enduring therapeutic and personal relationships can significantly improve quality of life. Collaborating with therapists who adapted their methods to meet the specific needs of our service users continues to shape my sensitivity to unconscious dynamics within the therapeutic relationship.
Additionally, I worked in recruitment and training, including designing employment support in a tech startup- work that brought together my interest in creativity, mental health and meaningful, lasting change.
My academic background includes an MA in psychology from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS 261881), Additionally, I'm a full member of the BPS Special Group for Independent Practitioners and Psychotherapy Section.
Sessions and fees
My practice primarily offers in-person psychoanalytic psychotherapy, with hybrid and online options available upon consultation.
My private practice is based three London locations:
- Stratford (E20)- close to Hackney, Leyton and Dalston. I practice from a private and quiet consulting room in the East Village, a vibrant part of the Olympic Park.
- West Hampstead (NW6)- Close to Belsize park and Kilburn. The consulting room is located within a secure office setting, conveniently, only two minute walk from the main stations of West Hampstead.
- Archway (N19)- Close to Highgate and Crouch End. Sessions take place at Fairbridge clinic, Agip House- a recognised centre for psychoanalytic training and practice.
contact me to schedule an initial 1-hour consultation to provide the space for us to think together about your reasons for seeking therapy and whether ongoing work might be helpful. It's also an opportunity to ask questions and get a sense of how I work.
FAQs
Q: How does psychoanalysis work? What is in-depth therapy?
A: In-depth therapy provides a space to begin exploring emotional difficulties that may not be easily put into words. Often, people come to therapy because they’re struggling with specific symptoms, repeating patterns, or an overall sense that something isn’t quite right. In-depth therapy allows us to explore these experiences at a deeper level, gradually uncovering how unconscious processes shape the way we relate to ourselves and others.
As the work develops, it may take on a more explicitly psychoanalytic form — where speaking freely, attending to associations, and exploring the transference become central. Psychoanalysis doesn’t aim to offer quick fixes but opens the possibility of lasting change by engaging with what lies beneath the surface. Each analytic process unfolds at its own pace, depending on what the person brings and the desire to continue. You can read more about my approach in this blog post.
Q: What are your fees and availability?
A: My fee is disucssed during the initial consultation and varies depending on the frequency and nature of work. I offer sessions on weekdays from both Stratford (E20), West Hampstead (NW6) and Archway (N19), as well as online. If we decide to work together we'll agree on a regular time that works for both of us. See sessions and fees page.
Q: What is your clinical training?
A: My clinical training as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist requires long years of academic study, clinical practice, and personal analysis. It includes working with clients under regular supervision to ensure my practice is ethical and reflective. Additionally, I continuously engage with psychoanalytic literature and ongoing professional development to deepen my understanding and refine my work as a psychotherapist. See about me page.
Q: How long does psychoanalysis take?
A: Psychoanalysis is not time-limited. Unlike short-term counselling, it isn’t about reaching a specific goal within fixed number of sessions. Instead, it offers a space for long-term exploration of unconscious patterns. Some people work psychoanalytically for several years; others may continue longer. It's natural to feel uncertain about the length at first, and we can talk about this as the work unfolds. You can read some more about psychoanalytic process in one of my blogs.
Q: Do you offer counselling?
A: Many people begin their search for help by looking for counselling, which is often used as a general term for talk therapy. While I don't offer short term or solution focused counselling in the traditional sense, I provide in-depth psychoanalytic work. This involves exploring deeper emotional patterns, unconscious conflicts and long standing difficulties that cannot be addressed in a short term, brief talk therapy.
Q: What kinds of issues can psychoanalysis help with?
A: Psychoanalysis is suited to a wide range of emotional and relational difficulties, incluiding anxiety, depression, identitiy questions, relationship patterns, work burnout, creative blocks and questions of meaning and purpose. Such issues are often interconnected, and cannot usually be approached in isolation from the broader context of a person’s life and history. Often, people seek in-depth thserapy or psychoanalysis to help them when they feel stuck, conflicted, or disconnected from themselves or others. To find out more, here is my blog entry.
Q: How is psychoanalysis relevant in today’s contemporary world, given that it was created at the end of the 19th century?
A: Psychoanalysis remains highly relevant today because it explores the unconscious forces that shape human thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. While modern life has changed, fundamental human struggles, such as identity, desire, anxiety, and relationships remain. Contemporary analysts continue to engage with and develop erly psychoanalytic ideas, integrating them with new insights from culture, neuroscience, and social change. In a fast-paced world that often prioritises quick solutions, psychoanalysis provides a space for reflection, helping patients to understand themselves beyond surface-level symptoms and engage with the deeper dimensions of their experience.
How about the relevance of psychoanalysis in the age of AI?
Psychoanalysis addresses the deeply personal and subjective aspects of the human experience that AI cannot replicate. While AI can process data and simulate interactions, it cannot engage with the complexities of the unconscious, emotional dynamics, or the nuances of human relationships.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how psychotherapy works, or to arrange an appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you, and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 075 8530 8917 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 48 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
©Anna Sergent
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