A Year in Private Practice: Reflections from a Humanistic and Integrative Therapist

This month marks one year of Lincolnshire Psychotherapy—one year of stepping fully into private practice, trusting my long and intensive training, my intuition, and the deeply human process at the heart of therapeutic work. After three years working as a Humanistic and Integrative therapist, stepping into private practice felt both exciting and daunting. Looking back, I’m struck by how much growth, learning, and gratitude this year has held.

The Courage of Clients

One of the most grounding parts of my work continues to be the courage I witness in the therapy room. People arrive carrying their stories,—some spoken for the first time, some held silently for years. I’m always moved by the bravery it takes to turn inward, to sit with the discomfort of feelings, that have been avoided, or to unpick patterns that once served a purpose but no longer feel helpful.

Humanistic and Integrative therapy places the relationship at the centre, and this year has reminded me again and again that meaningful change grows out of genuine connection. It’s in the shared moments of honesty, confusion, clarity, or quietness that healing starts to take shape.

Learning Through Each Encounter

Although therapists are often seen as the “helpers,” my clients teach me so much. Each person brings a different rhythm, a different history, and a different way of relating. This year, I’ve been reminded how important it is to stay flexible and responsive—to meet each client where they are rather than where any textbook might suggest they “should” be.

Working integratively has allowed me to draw on a range of perspectives, but the most powerful moments still come from offering presence, curiosity, compassion and connection. It is humbling to see how much shifts when someone finally feels seen, heard, understood.

The Reality of Private Practice

There has also been another side to this year—learning how to run a business, manage the practicalities, hold boundaries and employ strict self care in response to work is both precious and at times challenging to hold. Private practice asks for both heart and structure, and balancing the two has been its own journey. There have been moments of doubt, pride, surprise, and steadying myself as I navigate the responsibilities that come with working independently.

But ultimately, each challenge has reinforced why I chose this path. I value the autonomy to shape the therapeutic space in a way that feels ethical, thoughtful, and truly client-centred.

A Continuing Journey

A year in, I feel grateful—grateful for the trust placed in me, for the conversations that have unfolded, and for the privilege of witnessing people become more connected with themselves. Therapy is never a straight line, and neither is the journey of being a therapist. But it is meaningful, every single day.

As I step into year two, my intention is simple: to keep learning, keep listening, and keep creating a space where people feel safe enough to be fully themselves.

If you’d like to learn more about my practice or the work I do, you can

visit:www.lincolnshirepsychotherapy.co.uk