DR Susana Lara
Clinical Psychologist & Brief Strategic Therapist
Pronouns - She / Her
Dr Susana Lara is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with extensive clinical experience in both the NHS and private sector.
Susana says…
Some people may think that seeking for help is a sign of weakness; however, being able to admit that you alone can’t deal with a situation and seeking professional help, shows great strength. If you have got this far, you are a strong person and you should continue reading.
It’s part of human nature to feel sometimes sad, nervous, even anxious... We all have had thoughts that we can’t get rid of, and who hasn’t felt sometimes on the edge and feeling unable to cope? Those are absolutely normal. However, no matter how intense or frequent these feelings and thoughts happen, if you feel overwhelmed by them, then they are important enough to be listened to and to seek help.
Have you ever felt anxious and the more you have tried to calm down, the more anxious you’ve felt? Have you ever tried to get rid of a recurrent thought, and the more you’ve tried to push it away, the more persistent it becomes? Or felt a bit low in mood, and the more you’ve tried to cheer yourself up, the more unable you’ve felt? Does it ring a bell?
Sometimes, with the best intentions and goodwill, we keep on putting in place strategies that don’t work. Perhaps they did work in the past, or perhaps they’ve worked for others. Nevertheless, despite not having good results, we keep doing the same thing over and over. These are called “Attempted Solutions” from a Strategic Brief Therapy approach. So to speak, what you have been doing so far to make you feel better, and it hasn’t worked. It is important to identify what your attempted solutions are, because if you want to feel different, then you should be changing something.
I have been a Clinical Psychologist and a Strategic Brief Therapist for over 10 years and I have seen people recovering from panic attacks, phobias, OCD, generalised anxiety disorder, health anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, binge-eating, vomiting, and many other conditions. I have also worked with people suffering from psychosis in an inpatient setting. My main approach is Strategic Brief Therapy; however, I also work with CBT, DBT, ACT, CFT, and Solution-Focused Therapy.
If you believe you could help me to help you, we can go together through finding out what is causing you distress; we will find out together what your attempted solutions are, and we can find together new strategies to put in place in order to change what isn’t working.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”, Marcel Proust
Susana specialises in the treatment of:
Addictions
Adjustment disorder
Anger
Anxiety
Body Image Problems
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
Career counselling
Childhood Trauma
Dementia
Depression
Eating Disorders
Generalised Anxiety (GAD)
Grief/bereavement
Health Anxiety
Low Self-Esteem
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic
Phobias
Perfectionism
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Road Traffic Accidents
Self Harm
Sleep problems
Social Anxiety
Trauma
LGBTQI+ Inclusive - Over the course of my career, I've had the privilege of working with a diverse range of individuals, including those who identify as LGBTQI+. This encompasses a spectrum of orientations, including lesbian, gay, transgender, and more.
ERP - Susana is highly experienced in all evidence based practices for all the listed disorders, including exposure response prevention (ERP) for the treatment of OCD.
Susana also has experience treating;
Bi-Polar Disorder
Codependency
Codependency
Couples
Emetophobia
Family Issues
Fears of abandonment
Hoarding
Infidelity, affairs & betrayals
Narcissistic personality disorder
Personality Disorders
Relationship problems
Separation & Divorce
Sexual dysfunction
Work-related stress
Therapeutic Models Susana uses in her practice
Strategic Brief Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Couples Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Mindfulness
Languages Susana speaks fluently: English, Spanish and Catalan
Health Insurers registered with : Axa, Bupa, Aviva, Vitality and Cigna
Articles written by Susana
Feedback from Susana’s Clients
Life-Changing Guidance and Support from Dr. Lara
“Susana has helped me to change my life in so many ways. She has given me a range of tools and strategies to use and guided me to apply them in my everyday life. For the first time, I feel like I can overcome any obstacles and challenges I face. When Susanna checked in on my progress throughout the journey, it was clear that she was following a well-planned path to guide me towards my goals. On top of this, Susana is easy going and comfortable to talk with. I can’t thank you enough Susana!” Anonymous
Transformative Journey with Dr. Susana: Tools and Guidance for Overcoming Life's Challenges
“Susana has helped me to change my life in so many ways. She has given me a range of tools and strategies to use and guided me to apply them in my everyday life. For the first time, I feel like I can overcome any obstacles and challenges I face. When Susanna checked in on my progress throughout the journey, it was clear that she was following a well-planned path to guide me towards my goals. On top of this, Susana is easy going and comfortable to talk with. I can’t thank you enough Susana!” Anonymous
A New Perspective: How Susana's Unique Approach Transforms Lives
“I was initially sceptical about this type of therapy. I'd tried other types before and nothing had quite worked out well enough. There were also elements of this therapy that were almost anathema to my way of thinking. But I saw results within weeks and things I had thought were important in my life no longer were. Susana's natural calm and warmth proved to be a great entry point into the treatments. A casualness and friendliness almost mask her intelligence, professionalism, and ability to recognise the root causes of issues. I have already recommended her to others.” Anonymous
Compassionate Clarity: Emma's Journey to Goals with Susana
“Most positive and compassionate experience I could have hoped for my first time going to therapy. Susana understood where I was coming from, where I wanted to get to and just how to get me there. I was very nervous starting this journey and Susana put me at ease immediately, through a mix of sessions and "homework" with clear goals and a finish line, I felt as though I was given the time I needed to work through things and also encouraged in every instance to achieve my goals and complete my round of therapy rather than have an indefinite amount of sessions. Couldn't recommend enough!” Emma
A New Chapter: How Therapy with Susana Rewrote Anonymous’s Life Story
“I was very happy about the therapy. Susana really helped me to develop new habits, not only perspectives. And that led to a completely new way of life that I used to only dream of, and now I am living it. Overall, it gave me a lot of freedom in thinking, helped out of a strong anxiety, feeling of failure and disappointment from myself.
I can say that after the therapy, I found peace and Susana helped me to develop a high quality tailored approach to my own life based on who I am and my ambitions rather than some "common right sense" as a lot of people used to push me into. She helped me to sort out my goals, build on who I am, and get the drive I missed for a very long time. I am able to shake off very quickly from failures and frustration and get rid of being overwhelmed much quicker.
I think the best feedback I can give is the results it brought and that in fact, over the past few months I almost fully finished an engineering project that I am planning to bring into business, I am launching another company besides, and creating ambitious plans for further education and career. And while this kind of life style always bring frustrating moments and tiredness, I feel like I am able to get through it in an easy going pace focusing on what I want instead of getting lost in disappointment.” Anonymous
The Art of Healing: JG's Tribute to Dr. Susana Lara’s Therapeutic Mastery
“My therapist was focused, efficient and quick to meet my needs as a patient. Dr Susan Lara was pleasant and easy to talk to as she made sure I was comfortable in every session. At any given moment I am to require therapy I would positively seek to retake sessions with her. Therapy sessions were meticulously crafted to meet my goals as a patient. With respect and admiration, I'm thankful for her efforts in research and preparation for every session we had.” JG
Immediate Relief: Anonymous's Breakthrough in Health Anxiety with Susana
“I really liked Susana's friendly and professional approach. After having already done CBT and other techniques to overcome anxiety, Susana was able to give me functional and immediate tools to help overcome health anxiety. The results were immediate and quick to implement.” Anonymous
Practical Progress: Cheryl's Swift Achievements with Susana
“Susana was not only friendly and approachable but also professional throughout our time together. From our first session, everything we did was very practical and helped to achieve results quickly. I would highly recommend Susana.” Cheryl
Rita’s Therapeutic Connection: Inspiration and Tools for Mental Stability
“I found my therapist to be both empathetic and motivational. There was an immediate 'connection' which is so important in therapy. The work we did together was challenging, but when I faltered, she was always there (via e-mail and Zoom) to encourage, explain and validate. My whole experience with my therapist has been inspirational and I have come away with some very useful tools in terms of stabilising my mental health. I recommend her highly.” Rita
Andrea's Endorsement: Personal Growth with Susana as a Guiding Friend
“Working with Susana Lara was like working with a friend who wanted the best for me. I couldn't be happier that I chose her as my therapist and I'm delighted with the results. It was a thoroughly good experience from beginning to end.” Andrea
The Profound Support and Skill of Therapist Susana Lara
“It has been a huge benefit to me. Susana (my therapist) was excellent - approachable, supportive, encouraging, skilled. I would recommend Susana Lara to anyone needing therapy.” Sue
A Path to Self-Discovery: Anonymous’s Transformative Therapy with Susana
“Although I wasn't sure what I wanted or how anyone could possibly help me out of my rut, I can now see that it was incredibly necessary.
Having someone straightforward, supportive and there to both hold you accountable and hold space for your emotions, was so helpful in all the unfurling and learning that took place in the six months I work with Susana.
I'm really grateful to her and to myself for making this a priority and I now have a lot of tools which I will use in the future to check in on myself and allow myself to feel all the things.” Annonymous
Susana’s Training & credentials
Registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) - PYL35967
Chartered member of British Psychological Society (BPS) - 407468
Bachelor (Honours) Degree in Psychology
Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)
Barcelona Behavioural Medicine and Clinical Psychology
Master´s degree • Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) – Barcelona
Music Therapy Post-graduate Diploma • Institut Superior d’Estudis Psicologics (ISEP) - Barcelona
Strategic Brief Therapy Master´s degree • Strategic Therapy Centre – Barcelona