Bringing together our knowledge and expertise of law and psychotherapy
We are a three-strong team of psychotherapists – two former lawyers and an HR professional with collectively over 40 years’ involvement in commercial legal practice. We have experienced the pressures and challenges of working in a high achieving environment, with tight deadlines and high standards.
We met during our in-depth five-year Master’s level training in Integrative Psychotherapy and are all now practising psychotherapists accredited by the United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapists (UKCP) – the governing body for psychotherapists.
We made a strong connection through our shared professional career history and over time we have developed our way of working together that builds a bridge between our two professions and focuses on how to effectively bring about understanding and change.
We continue to develop our knowledge and practice by keeping up to date with the latest research findings and training which inform our work.
Claire Jacques
Claire was a commercial lawyer for 20 years specialising in contract, data, and e-commerce law. She started her legal career at a Magic Circle firm in London. She then moved onto working inhouse in financial services and finally moved back to private practice based in Oxford, supporting innovative tech start-up businesses. Whilst still working as a lawyer she completed a 5-year MSc level psychotherapy training at the Metanoia Institute in London.
She has an established private practice with a focus on exploring with professionals and academics the impact that a high-pressured environment can have on emotional and physical wellbeing. She combines her understanding of the challenges, and pressures of corporate/legal life with the latest findings from neuroscience, attachment, and trauma-informed perspectives. Claire is a supporter and Champion for the legal professionals charity LawCare.
Sally Richards
Sally had a varied legal career starting out as a commercial litigator working on high profile frauds and bankruptcies for a major City of London law firm. During her 12 year legal career Sally worked overseas and within the regional office of a London law firm. Her experience in very different legal environments and in different areas of the law gives her an in-depth understanding into the working lives and particular stresses of the corporate world which is invaluable in her psychotherapy practice with lawyers and other professionals.
Sally diversified from private practice into a range of legal and non-legal roles within the retail, education and care sectors. The different roles she embraced supported the development of her innate curiosity about human development and potential leading her to complete a Master’s degree in Psychotherapy. Sally works as a psychotherapist in private practice. She has previously also worked for the NHS having additionally trained in NICE recommended treatments for common mental health issues.
Satpal Kaur-Thompson
With her life-long interest in psychology and passion for human potential, Satpal combines her extensive HR and Learning and Development expertise with her in-depth Psychotherapy knowledge and skill, empowering both individuals and organisations to change and grow.
Satpal has worked across the professional services sector – in a national law firm for 10 years and in a successful accountancy firm. She has also worked in the public and third sectors. Satpal has provided HR, training and coaching to lawyers and other professionals helping them reach their full potential and has also led on a range of organisational-wide cultural transformation projects.
Whilst working full-time, Satpal completed an intensive 5-year MSc level psychotherapy training. Now as an experienced, UKCP accredited, integrative psychotherapist, she has a successful private practice, where she offers psychological support to a range of professionals.