Robert Ormiston, BACP

About me

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in patterns you can’t seem to shift, even with insight or effort, you’re not alone. I work with people who are looking for depth, steadiness, and a thoughtful approach to change, rather than quick fixes or surface-level techniques.

I bring over 25 years of experience in the mental health field, including senior clinical roles within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). My work is grounded, compassionate, and insight-oriented, drawing primarily on Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Clients often describe me as calm, direct, and emotionally present. I aim to create a space that feels safe enough to explore what’s difficult, while remaining honest and purposeful about the work we’re doing together.

My Approach
At its heart, therapy is about being seen and understood, without judgment, pressure, or being “fixed.” Our work will move at a pace that feels manageable and respectful of your nervous system, shaped by your needs rather than a rigid formula.

You can expect a thoughtful, grounded therapeutic relationship, space to explore emotions, patterns, and inner conflicts safely, a balance of gentleness and depth without unnecessary intensity, and an approach that values both emotional experience and psychological clarity. I work particularly well with people who are reflective, sensitive, or who have spent a long time coping on their own.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS is a powerful way of understanding the different “parts” of ourselves, such as anxious, protective, critical, or wounded parts, that can pull us in different directions. Rather than trying to get rid of these parts, we work toward understanding their roles and building a more compassionate relationship with them.

Over time, this allows a calmer, steadier sense of Self-leadership to emerge, bringing more balance, clarity, and choice. IFS is especially helpful if you feel internally conflicted, notice repeating emotional or relational patterns, or want a deeper understanding of yourself rather than just coping strategies.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a well-established, evidence-based therapy used to process traumatic or distressing experiences that continue to affect the present. Using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, EMDR supports the brain’s natural capacity to integrate memories that may feel “stuck.”

I often use EMDR with clients experiencing trauma or adverse life experiences, anxiety, emotional reactivity or overwhelm, and unresolved grief or past events.

Experience & Background
My professional background includes decades of work across diverse clinical settings, including leading and supervising multidisciplinary teams within the NHS, developing integrative models of care for clinicians and frontline staff, and contributing to international discussions on psychological healing and meaning. This breadth of experience informs my understanding of both personal healing and the wider systems people live within.

A Personalised Process
Therapy is not about diagnosing what’s wrong with you. It’s about understanding your inner world, softening old protective patterns, and reconnecting with a sense of steadiness that may feel distant, but was never truly lost.

Some parts of us carry pain, others carry strength and wisdom, all of them belong. If you’re looking for a therapist who offers depth, clarity, and a calm, respectful presence, we may be a good fit.

Professional experience

Additional areas of focus: Coping with addictions, Relationship issues, Intimacy related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Aging and geriatric issues, Antisocial personality, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Avoidant personality, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with natural or human-caused disaster, Dependent personality, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Fatherhood issues, First responder issues, Guilt and shame, Hoarding, Immigration issues, Infidelity, Intellectual disability, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Paranoia, Personality disorders, Phobias, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Prejudice and discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Sex addiction, Sexual assault and abuse, Smoking / vaping cessation, Social anxiety and phobia, Young adult issues

Clinical approaches: Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Existential Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Jungian Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems

License information

BACP Therapist - Registered Member MBACP #399059

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Robert Ormiston. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.