Dan Lee

So — you’re ready. Ready to change, and to finally make change that sticks. To stop spinning in circles. To feel less gripped by anxiety. To not feel like you have to put a mask on to be around other people. To stop being so unkind to yourself and to no longer feel like a piece of shit. To prioritise caring for yourself, rather than for other people. To stop using drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping etc to try and "fix" things, or to just cope with life when it just feels too much.

I believe that much of what keeps us going round and round in these unhealthy ways of coping and existing stems from childhood — growing up in families marked by dysfunction, codependency, or addiction. And maybe throw in to that mix the wounds of childhood bullying or growing up "different" - LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, non-white heritage etc.

These experiences shape us and mark us. And then the world tries to sell us endless solutions that don’t truly heal what hurts.

But healing doesn’t come from quick fixes. It comes from relationship, from being deeply seen and held as we are — no masks, no performance.

And that’s what I offer you. To be able to go into the world and be more authentically "you". To improve your self-esteem and lessen that harsh self-talk. To feel less anxious and be better equipped to manage it. To not have to lean on "crutches" and addictions in order to cope with life and your feelings. To change and begin moving forwards again.

I’m a member of the BACP and adhere to their ethical framework. I make use of regular supervision and personal therapy for myself.

Over the last several years I have worked in substance misuse teams in both the community and in two London prisons, as well as in a charitable (12-step) drug and alcohol rehab in South London, and have worked with a mix of LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ clients. My experience includes 1:1 work, group therapy and providing workshops on an array of topics pertinent to mental health and recovery.

Beyond being a therapist, I have made a living over the last 2 decades as an artist (working with different media). I’ve recently been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum (which made sense of a whole lot of things, including my hyper-empathy). I have been in continuous recovery from addiction since 1997.