Kelly Fernandes
Psychodynamic Counsellor MBACP
Kelly Fernandes
Psychodynamic Counsellor MBACP
Pronouns: She/Her
I offer a confidential and safe space where you can bring what matters to you. Our work is collaborative and paced to suit you, helping you make sense of what’s going on and find a way forward that feels meaningful and manageable.
I work psychodynamically, paying close attention to your experiences, relationships, and patterns over time. Together, we gently explore what may sit beneath the surface, so that difficult thoughts and feelings can be understood rather than judged. This process supports insight, emotional growth, and lasting change.
My professional experience spans private practice, charitable organisations, and teaching within the counselling sector. Alongside working with adult clients in private practice for several years, I have also worked as a counselling skills tutor and lecturer in Further Education, supporting students at the beginning of their journey into the helping professions.
I have previously worked within a specialist organisation supporting LGBTQI+ individuals, which deepened my understanding of gender, sexuality, and identity and strengthened my commitment to inclusive, affirming practice.
I also trained and volunteered for several years with a bereavement charity, supporting people navigating grief and loss. This experience continues to inform my work, grounding it in empathy, compassion, and a sensitive understanding of bereavement.
Conditions & Difficulties Treated
Commonly Treated Difficulties
Anxiety
Stress
Depression
Low mood
Emotional Regulation
Grief, Bereavement, Loss
Low Self-Esteem
Loneliness
Additional Areas of Support
Anger
Life Transitions
Relationship - Intimacy
Relationship - Attachment issues
Relationship - Communication difficulties
Relationship - Codependency
Relationship - Doubt
Relationship - Infidelity, affairs, betrayals
LGBTQI+ elated difficulties
Sexual Dysfunction
Work - Stress
Work - General Problems
LGBTQI+ Competency
I completed my training placement as a trainee psychodynamic counsellor at the Albany Trust in Balham, an organisation specialising in work with LGBTQI+ people, and went on to work there for a year post-qualification. I have experience supporting LGBTQI+ clients with a wide range of concerns, including questions around identity, relationships, and emotional wellbeing. Alongside my placement and subsequent work, I undertook a range of CPD trainings in LGBTQI+ affirmative practice. I aim to offer a thoughtful, inclusive, and non-judgemental space where people can feel safe to explore what matters to the individual.
Therapeutic Approaches & Models
Psychodynamic Therapy
Kelly works with:
Adults (19-65+ Years)
Kelly Offers:
Individual sessions.
Professional Training & Accreditations
MBACP registered
Diploma in Higher Education in Psychodynamic Counselling (BACP-accredited training) awarded with Distinction
ACTO-recognised Certificate in Online & Telephone Counselling
What is Psychodynamic therapy?
Psychodynamic therapy is a gentle, reflective approach that helps you understand yourself more deeply. Rather than focusing only on symptoms, it explores how past experiences, relationships, and emotional patterns may be influencing how you feel, think, and relate to others in the present.
When working with Kelly, psychodynamic therapy offers a safe and confidential space to talk openly about what’s going on for you. Together, you will explore thoughts, feelings, and experiences at a pace that feels right, helping you make sense of difficulties without judgement or pressure to “fix” things quickly.
This approach can be especially helpful if you notice repeating patterns in relationships, feel stuck emotionally, struggle with self-esteem, or find that current problems connect to earlier life experiences. By gently bringing these patterns into awareness, therapy supports insight, emotional understanding, and meaningful, lasting change.
Psychodynamic therapy is collaborative and supportive. Over time, it can help you feel more connected to yourself, develop greater self-compassion, and respond to challenges with increased clarity and confidence.