LGBTQ+ Addiction Therapist Based in London - Westminster (W1) & Peckham (SE15), as well as online throughout the UK.
Welcome
So—you’re ready.
Ready to get well.
To stop spinning in circles.
To change, and finally make change that sticks.
And maybe you’re wondering:
Can someone really help me do this?
Someone strong enough to hold me in my pain,
honest enough to gently reveal what I can’t yet see,
and kind enough to love and accept me—even in my darkest moments?
If that’s the kind of therapist you’re looking for, welcome. You’ve found one.
Are you concerned about, or struggling with your drug and/or alcohol use?
Or are you in recovery already, but wanting to peel back some of the layers of the proverbial onion?
Or are you LGTBQ+ and wanting a therapist from the LGBTQ+ community for support?
Or are you a gay/bi/queer man worried about your use of Chems, Chemsex and Chillouts?
If you’re based in London or in the UK, reach out now and allow me to support you to heal and get well.
How I Can Help You
Anxiety - are you stuck in over-worrying, feeling paralysed by indecision at times, afraid of making the "wrong" choice, or find yourself avoiding certain situations or people?
Depression - are you stuck in low mood, despair, hopelessness? Are you struggling to find your old motivation? Unable to connect with the joy in life?
Low self-esteem & low self-confidence - are you stuck in cycles of self-loathing, hating who you are, what you’ve done or how you look? Do you constantly talk to yourself in ways you’d never talk to your best friend?
Drug Addiction & Alcoholism - are you stuck in a constant cycle of using drugs and/or alcohol to cope with life, to avoid feelings? Do you keep telling yourself you’ll stop and fund yourself unable to do so? Do you go on binges regularly? Do you put yourself in risky situations because of your drinking/using?
Loneliness - are you stuck in feeling terribly alone, maybe even in a crowd of people/friends? Do you want to feel more connected with other people?
Perfectionism - are you stuck in feeling that who you are or what you do is never “good enough”?
LGBTQ+ counselling - are you stuck with feelings of shame at times, even though you’re fully “out”? Are you stuck in coming to terms with your sexuality or gender identity? Or would you feel more comfortable having a counsellor from your own community who knows what it’s like to grow up in the closet?
Codependency - are you stuck in constantly looking for validation from other people? Do you struggle to hold your boundaries and practice healthy self-care? Are you stuck in being unable to express your needs and wants, perhaps for fear of rejection? Are you stuck in trying to control situations or people, yet always finding you can’t?
Recovery - are you in recovery and finding that there's "stuff" that the steps aren't touching? Are you finding you're stuck in "character defects"? Have you pulled back the bandage of addiction to reveal old wounds that need healing?
If you answered “Yes!” to any, or perhaps many, of these questions, then get in touch with me now and let’s get working on getting you unstuck.
Who I Am
I’m Dan (he/him), and I’ve spent many years helping people come home to themselves—recovering from addiction, trauma, shame, anxiety, and the deep loneliness that often underpins it all.
I believe that much of what keeps us stuck stems from the wounds of childhood—growing up in families marked by dysfunction, codependency, or addiction. These experiences shape us. And then, the world tries to sell us endless solutions that don’t truly heal what hurts.
As a Gay/Queer man in long-term recovery, I don’t just believe change is possible—I’ve lived it.
I’ve walked through fear, grief, addiction, shame, and hardship.
And I know that healing, recovering and restoring our authentic selves doesn’t come from quick fixes.
It comes from relationship, from being deeply seen and held as we are—no masks, no performance.
I’m here to walk that path with you.
To help you remember who you are beneath the survival strategies.
To support you in doing the work that only you can do—but not alone.
How I Work
There's nobody else out there just like you, so how I will work with you, and how we will work together, won't be identical to how I work with other clients.
I'm mindful of using "therapese" to describe how I work - broadly speaking, the focus is on what's going on in your life at the moment and how you're experiencing that, but we may well need and want to look at how past experiences may be impacting on what's happening now.
I'll also use the relationship between yourself and myself to explore the relationship you have with your own self, with other people in your life, and your relationship with the world in general.
I use this approach and way of working because I know it has worked for me to help shift me out of my own "stuckness" and I've seen it work for others, too.
I specialise in working with addictions and/or substance misuse, as well as LGBTQ+ mental health.
You will be met by me with warmth, empathy, sensitivity, and respect – regardless of your age, heritage, sexuality, gender identity or neurodiversity.
Where I Work
I currently work from South London (SE15 - Peckham Rye) and Central London (W1 - Fitzrovia).
My Rates
I charge £75 per 50-minute session. I do not currently have any spaces for those of you who may be on low/no income, but can happily add you to my waiting list for when one of them does open up.
My Background
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) and was fortunate to spend 13 years living in San Francisco, an experience that changed my life in so many ways.
I have been in continuous recovery from addiction since 1997.
I appreciate that
As someone who may be lesbian/gay, bisexual, trans or queer identifying, you may prefer support with your mental health and wellbeing related to a specific LGBTQ+ aspect or issue.
As someone with an addiction, problematic substance misuse, or compulsive behaviour, it might be difficult to stop on your own.
As someone in recovery, you may wish to work with a therapist who deeply understands addiction and recovery.
As a survivor of abuse or childhood trauma, you may get stuck in unhealthy or dysfunctional relationships and patterns of behaviour.
I can help and support you with
Alcoholism | Anxiety & Depression | Apps | Body dysmorphia | Boundaries | Chems & Chemsex | Childhood trauma | Compulsive helping | Drugs and substance misuse | Emotional abuse & neglect | HIV & Sexual Health | Internalised homophobia / Toxic Shame | Isolation & loneliness | Love & Sex Addiction | Work addiction | Recovery | Relapse prevention | Low Self-Esteem / Self-Worth & Confidence | Discovering / recovering your authentic self.
“Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging.”- Marcus Aurelius