SERGE NICHOLSON
COSRT Acc., Dip. LDPRT, Adv. Couples Dip.
Gender Identity Therapy,
Psychosexual & Relationship Therapy
SERGE NICHOLSON
Gender Identity Therapy
Psychosexual & Relationship Therapy
WHAT I OFFER AS A THERAPIST WORKING WITH GENDER DIVERSITY
Transgender & Gender Identity Exploration Therapy
Counselling for clients from the Trans, Non-Binary & Gender Diverse communities
I am a Gender, Sexuality & Relationship Diversity client competent therapist. I work with clients who are transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming (also gender conforming) and or individuals and partners questioning gender issues. I also work with LGBQ and heterosexual cisgender (non-trans) clients wishing to explore any aspect of gender, sex and sexuality, and diverse models of relationships.
I welcome clients, both individuals and partners, wishing to work on exploring therapeutically gender identity and gender expression, and adaption to change within relationships.
In the beginning of an exploration of gender transition, there can be a coming in to oneself, and a coming out to others, to a partner, an-ex partner, family members, friends and colleagues. I can work with you, to look at supporting your internal resources to better understand your thoughts and feelings, and to better navigate any difficulties and obstacles. To look at ways of finding your voice, and an exploration of your hopes and wishes for your future.
Or you may wish to seek out a therapist who is gender identity affirming, understanding and respectful at any point in your life. You may wish to explore issues such as:
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questioning gender
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managing gender dysphoria
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coming in to yourself
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coming out socially, as an individual, or as a partnership
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preparing to speak to your GP about your wish to seek transgender healthcare
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exploring your options for medical transition
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preparing for transgender health assessments
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preparing for transgender surgeries
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stepping out socially, also known as social transition
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exploring LGBTQI and straight sexuality
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transitioning as a partnership
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embracing or incorporating trans femininity/trans masculinity/a non-binary identity
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support with body image and self-esteem issues
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support with adaption to change
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looking beyond survival, to resilience and growth
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becoming more of your unique self, and at your own pace
WHAT I OFFER
AS A SEX AND RELATIONSHIP THERAPIST
I work therapeutically, offering talking therapy with women, men, and gender diverse adults, individuals and couples.
A first session is our opportunity for assessment, this is where you can start to raise your difficulties and needs and to explore your therapy goals. I will ask you about your background and your core beliefs related to your experience of your gender, relationships and sex life. I will explore your thoughts and feelings about yourself, and about your relationships. I will look at your relationship patterns, family, friendships, partnerships (past and current), and your vision and hopes for your future. We can if you wish to explore issues of gender, sexuality and model of relationship.
I am also interested in working with clients who may be preparing for or have experience of essential medical treatments (hysterectomy, adult circumcision, gender affirming medical treatments) I can offer to work with clients to support their re-connection with their relationship with their body, and their erotic and sexual experience. Plus I have an interest and experience of working with individuals and couples, supporting the recovery of an individual’s surgical treatment, with the exploration of anxieties, fears and wishes for the future, and looking at positive adaption and embodiment of bodily changes after surgery.
You will at an initial consultation have the opportunity to find out more about how I work, as a therapist, and we can decide together whether we are to go on from here, to work together in regular therapy sessions.
ABOUT ME
I am a qualified and accredited, experienced therapist working with clients with their unique issues, which may include the wish to look more closely at issues of gender identity and gender exploration. Within the competency framework of good practice on GSRD, gender, sex/sexuality and relationship diversity. I have a background of working as a therapist and counsellor for many years within sexual health, and also in specialist transgender care, with trans and gender diverse, cisgender adults, plus their partners.
I am integrative in approach, with a focus and interest in working with issues that come up for you within your relationships with others: sex life, sexuality, gender diversity, models of relationships.
I make no assumptions and aim to work respectfully with clients from diverse backgrounds, acknowledging your core beliefs, and your unique social and cultural aspects that relate to your relationships and sex life.
I also work with people who are not in a relationship, or sexual, exploring individual issues and questions that arise around broad ranging issues of gender and sexuality, working towards developing a confidence, understanding of oneself and comfort in one’s own skin.
I have an experienced therapist background specialising in gender identity and relationship work, built up in many years of counselling clients within a transgender specialist service in a sexual health setting. I am based in central London offering a UK wide private practice working in gender diversity counselling (and also in the wider area of sex and relationship therapy for all).
MY QUALIFICATIONS
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I am an accredited member of COSRT
I have been awarded the:
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Dip. LDPRT Post-graduate Diploma in Psychosexual & Relationship Therapy
Accredited by Middlesex University, C.O.S.R.T, NCP, and the European Association for Counselling
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Adv. Couples Dip. NAOS Institute Advanced Diploma in Couples Therapy
Accredited by the National Counselling Society, and NCP
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I hold full professional insurance
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I am a Co-coordinator of the Gendered Intelligence Therapist & Counsellors Network www.genderedintelligence.co.uk
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I abide by the professional and ethical guidelines COSRT
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I abide by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR 2018)
INDIVIDUAL AND COUPLE SEX THERAPY ISSUES
THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO BRING ALONG
Sexuality and Gender - your relationship with yourself, and others. Including navigating change and transition, in you or your partner’s gender identity or sexuality, and or your relationship model and or social identity (with the outside world, your partner, your family, work colleagues).
Relationships - improving your communication skills around sex and intimacy.
Exploring your thoughts and feelings about your relationship and sex life - Discussing the satisfying and less satisfying aspects. Working on difficulties. Exploring individual growth within a relationship.
Communication - voicing your needs, raising difficulties, initiating change. Opening up in a safe space, with the support of a skilled therapist.
Sex and sex life - looking at your individual and partner needs, at what is satisfying sex, in connection, in compatibility, in shared intimacy, and in any compromise or ease in a sexual dynamic and physicality. Sometimes this may mean an exploration a broadening of one’s sexual and erotic experience, or the re-examination of affirmative consent, and a conscious re-evaluation of a relationship ‘contract’ or agreed model. Your sex and sexuality experience can be brought to therapy from your main closed one on one relationship, and or from your experience of other diverse models of relationships and sexual experience. Inclusive of Solo sex. BDSM, hook up, and public sex environments.
Common Psychosexual issues for women, men and gender diverse people
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Orgasmic difficulties
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Arousal difficulties
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Ejaculation difficulties (premature, delayed)
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Sexual lubrication difficulties and arousal difficulties
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Sexual lubrication and arousal differences with a gender diverse body. Working to diminish shame or discomfort in sex, seeking a positive connection with your arousal, your erectile flesh, your ejaculation and or lubrication.
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Pain during sex, sexual penetration difficulties.
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Desire - loss and fluctuations in desire
A whole body sexuality exploration - broadening a definition of ‘normal’ successful goal oriented sex from an emphasis on a single focus sex act (penis in vagina, or penis in anus). This could mean exploring inexperience, past experience, shame, body image, and sexuality or gender norm belief issues. Plus an encouragement to explore looking at how to be more present in sex.
Body image in sex and relationships.
Gender Dysphoria working with building self-confidence, navigating discomfort and unease. Boundaries and consent with partners.
Inexperience, coming out, the voicing of curiosity, imagination and your needs. Psychosexual education with a skilled experienced sex positive therapist.
WORKING WITH
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Relationship sexual difficulties
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Sexuality
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Low libido
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Dyspareunia
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Vaginismus
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Erectile difficulties
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Premature ejaculation
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Recovery from surgery
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Arousal difficulties
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Gender Dysphoria issues in sex and relationships
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Gender Transition for the individual, and within a relationship
WHAT IS PSYCHOSEXUAL THERAPY?
WHAT TO EXPECT
COSRT my governing body, for Psychosexual and Relationship Therapists has a helpful informative website.
Take a look:
COSRT website - What To Expect From Therapy
LOCATION
UK wide. Delivered via Zoom or Skype video or audio call. Remote video sessions only at this time.
APPOINTMENTS AND FEES
Sessions last for 50 minutes.
Introductory Session Fee:
Individuals £50
Partners £100
Ongoing fee rate once we make an agreement to work together:
Individuals £60
Partners £120
Concessionary rates can be discussed with up to 15% reduction made possible for an agreed 6 session programme.
Cancellations with good notice I can happily reschedule. If made at short notice I will ask for a 50% cancellation fee.
Payment of therapy sessions is requested by bank transfer on or in advance of sessions.
NEXT STEPS
You may wish to contact me, the best way is by email. We can discuss your needs by email or arrange a trial session.
If we all agree, we can go on to arrange to meet on a regular basis as client and therapist, to explore your difficulties, needs, and goals.