Rachel McDonald (Faringdon)

Name: Rachel McDonald (Faringdon)
Address: Lotus Retreat, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, SN7 7AA, United Kingdom
Telephone: 07955839570

Therapist Directory Listing Category: Psychotherapists and Counsellors

About the Therapist

About the therapist:

**My practice is currently full, I will update this listing when I have availability**

I am a kink-knowledgeable therapist welcoming people of all gender identities, sexual practices and orientations, and relationship structures. My practice is psychodynamic, trauma-informed and relational. I offer a space to explore yourself, and I work gently and compassionately with a wide range of issues including abuse, anxiety, self-harm, dissociation and struggling to find meaning in life. I work with my clients to build trust and create a space which feels safe enough to explore whatever you think is important. It is always up to you to set the agenda.

In my experience both as a therapist and client, therapy can also provide a wonderful opportunity to understand ourselves better and explore our gender, sexuality and relationships, resulting in a better quality of life and more satisfying relationships and sexual experiences of all kinds.

Sexual identity:

Kink - BDSM
Queer

Gender identity: Non-binary

Gender history: Not as assigned at birth

Non-monogamy: Yes

Intersex: No

Neurodivergent: Unsure

Personal pronouns: They/them

Qualifications - Links to websites:

Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Practice, University of Oxford

Accredited by the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society

Trained in working with survivors of sexual violence through Rape Crisis England & Wales.

Experience and approach:

My approach is primarily psychodynamic and relational. This means that I think there is value in paying attention to what may be happening in our unconscious as well as our conscious minds, and in thinking about what might be happening in the relationships we have, including between myself and my clients.

I come to my work with humility and curiosity, and recognise that each therapeutic relationship is unique. I believe that building trust and a solid foundation is crucial for that relationship, so creating a space that feels safe-enough for you is always a priority.

My practice is psychodynamic, trauma-informed, and influenced by queer theory and queer of color critique. For me, this means I think it is valuable to consider our place in society, and how structures of power and the social norms they produce affect us, and what these dynamics might bring to bear on our choices and behaviours, unconsciously and consciously. It also means I try to work in an anti-oppressive way, and I actively explore my power and privilege in and outside the consulting room through formal training and ongoing personal development.

I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Practice and many years’ experience of community building and activism in queer and kink spaces, and work with survivors of sexual violence.

Approaches: