Discounted first session
£40
then £75 per 60-minute session
- A full 60-minute first session
- Conducted on Zoom or Doxy
- Enough time to begin properly
- Continue only if it feels right
- 48-hour cancellation policy
LGBTQI+ affirmative online therapy
A confidential space to be who you are — all of you.
I'm Ernesto, a BACP accredited psychotherapist and registered member 36259 with more than 15 years of clinical experience supporting LGBTQI+ adults online and internationally. Therapy here is affirmative, unhurried, and grounded in attachment — a place to be met without having to explain or justify your life.
Accredited, listed & professionally trained
-
BACP Registered Member No. 36259
-
Verified profile on Psychology Today
-
Certified Cyber Therapist
-
Mindfulness-informed professional development
Clinical experience with The NAZ Project London and 56 Dean Street — both leaders in LGBTQI+ and sexual-health support.
Meet Ernesto
Hear how I think about online therapy.
Before booking, it can help to hear my voice and get a sense of how I speak about therapy, privacy, and working online. This short introduction gives you a more human sense of the person you would be meeting.
If the video feels like a good fit, you can book a discounted first session for £40 and decide afterwards whether you would like to continue.
Book £40 first sessionWho I work with
Therapy designed around your life.
I work with LGBTQI+ adults from all walks of life — including those navigating international moves, demanding careers, or family contexts where being out isn't simple.
- Anxiety, over-thinking, and burnout
- Depression and low mood
- Difficulties relating to sexuality, gender, or identity
- Coming-out at any age, or to specific people
- Childhood trauma and its echoes today
- Internalised shame, guilt, and punitive self-talk
- Relationship difficulties — partner, family, friends, colleagues
- Low confidence and self-esteem
- Making significant life changes
- Chemsex, sexual health, and recovery contexts
- Work-related stress and identity at work
- Loneliness, especially when away from home
Affirmative practice
Affirmative isn't a label. It's how I practise.
My work is humanistic, integrative, and informed by attachment theory. Affirmative practice for me means three things — and they show up in every session.
-
Your identity is not the problem.
I don't pathologise sexuality, gender, or relationship structure. I help you look at the experiences and contexts that have made things heavy — and at what makes you feel more like yourself.
-
You won't have to teach me the basics.
Through my work with The NAZ Project London and 56 Dean Street, I've worked with a wide range of LGBTQI+ experiences — including ones often misunderstood in mainstream therapy.
-
I move at your pace.
Therapy is collaborative. You and I set goals together, review them, and adjust. No script, no agenda you didn't choose.
How online therapy works
What happens next.
From your first message to your first session, here's the path.
-
1
Book a discounted first session
Pick a time that works through my booking page. Your first 60-minute session is offered at £40 so you can begin the work with less financial pressure.
-
2
You meet me and ask anything
You tell me what's bringing you to therapy. I explain how I work, answer your questions, and help you decide whether continuing feels right. If I'm not the right therapist, I'll say so and try to point you somewhere helpful.
-
3
Continue weekly if it feels right
If you decide to continue after the discounted first session, I reserve a regular weekly slot for you at the standard £75 fee. Sessions run on Zoom or Doxy, fully encrypted.
What you'll need
- A private, quiet space where you won't be overheard
- A stable internet connection
- A laptop, tablet or phone with a working camera
- Headphones (recommended for privacy and clearer audio)
About me
A therapist who's done the work — and keeps doing it.
I qualified in 2009 and have been in continuous clinical practice since. My training is integrative — meaning I draw on several evidence-based modalities and shape the work around the person in front of me, not the other way around.
I'm bilingual (English / Spanish), and I work with clients living anywhere in the world — provided the time zone works for your schedule and my availability.
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) Psychotherapy — University of Roehampton, London
- Postgraduate Diploma, Attachment Studies — Wimbledon Guild, London
- Certified Cyber Therapist — The Online Therapy Institute
- Accredited & Registered Member — BACP (British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy), member number 36259
- Ongoing Continuing Professional Development and clinical supervision
Fees & insurance
A first session with time to truly get to know you.
Ongoing sessions & insurance
- BUPA International
- WPA
- Aviva
After the discounted first session, ongoing sessions are £75 per 60 minutes. If you'd like to use your policy, your insurer will issue an authorisation code before sessions begin. I can help you understand what to ask for.
Concessions
A small number of lower-fee spaces are reserved each year for clients facing financial hardship — please ask.
Ready when you are.
The first 60-minute session is offered at £40. It gives you enough time to begin properly, ask questions, and decide whether ongoing therapy feels right.
Frequently asked
Questions people often have first.
I've never done therapy before — what's it actually like?
The first session is mostly a conversation. You tell me, in your own words, what's brought you here. I'll ask some questions to understand the shape of things. There's nothing you have to prepare and nothing you have to disclose before you're ready.
Why don't you offer a free 15-minute introductory session?
I don't offer free 15-minute introductory sessions because that is usually too short for us to get a real sense of one another. A discounted first 60-minute session at £40 keeps the first step lower friction, while giving you enough time to feel properly seen and understood, and giving me enough time to begin understanding you and what brings you to therapy.
Do I have to be "out" to work with you?
No. Many of my clients are at different points on that journey — including some who are not out to family, colleagues, or themselves yet. The work is completely confidential.
Is online therapy as effective as in-person?
For most adults seeking talk therapy, research shows comparable outcomes. Online also makes therapy more sustainable when you travel, move, or have an unpredictable schedule. It's not appropriate in acute crisis (see note below).
How long does therapy take?
It depends on what you bring. Some clients work with me for a few months around a specific issue; others stay much longer for deeper, attachment-focused work. I review the work with you every 6-8 weeks so the decision stays yours.
Can I use my international insurance?
Yes, I'm registered with BUPA International, WPA, and Aviva. Your insurer issues an authorisation code, and I invoice them or you directly depending on your policy.
Do you work in Spanish?
Sí. Spanish is my mother tongue. Some clients prefer to work in Spanish; some switch between languages depending on what they are exploring. Either is welcome.
What's your cancellation policy?
Sessions cancelled with more than 48 hours' notice are not charged. Inside 48 hours, the session is charged at the full fee — this is standard practice and protects the weekly slot held for you.
Is everything I discuss with you confidential?
Yes. I follow the BACP Ethical Framework, which sets strict limits on confidentiality. The only exceptions involve serious risk to life or legal obligations — these would be discussed with you wherever possible.
If you're in crisis right now
Online therapy is not appropriate if you are at acute risk of harming yourself or someone else. If that is where you are tonight, please reach for immediate support:
- Samaritans (UK & ROI) — call 116 123, any time.
- Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline — call 0800 0119 100, 10am-10pm daily.
- Befrienders International — befrienders.org for support worldwide.
- Emergency — in the UK, call 999 or go to A&E.