Individual therapy for English speakers in Oslo
Finding a good therapist in any city takes time. Finding one who actually shares your cultural background, in a city where English is not the first language, is harder still. Most English sessions in Oslo are offered by Norwegian therapists — professionals who speak the language but who grew up with a fundamentally different set of cultural references.
I'm Scottish. I moved to Oslo from Scotland more than a decade ago. When I sit with a client who grew up in the UK, Ireland, Australia, or North America, I understand the cultural frame that shapes how that person thinks about asking for help, what weakness means to them, how their family dealt with difficulty, what a good life is supposed to look like. That background is not incidental to the work. It is often central to it.
What individual therapy with me involves
The work draws on integrative psychotherapy and Compassionate Inquiry — a method developed by Dr. Gabor Mate that focuses on understanding the root of patterns rather than just managing symptoms. Sessions are 50 minutes, weekly or fortnightly, in-person at Ruseløkkveien 59 or online via Zoom.
- A confidential space to talk through whatever is happening right now
- No fixed programme or set number of sessions — the pace is yours
- Sessions in English as a first language, not a second
- Norwegian available if preferred
- First session focused on understanding your situation, not rushing to solutions
Who comes to see me
Most clients are English-speaking professionals who have relocated to Oslo or elsewhere in Scandinavia. Anxiety, burnout, and depression are the most common presenting issues — often made harder by the specific stress of being far from a support network. Many clients are parents navigating a school system and a culture that works differently from home. Others are in career or relationship transitions that feel heavier without a community around them.
