INTEgRATIVE + Internal Family Systems THerapist

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Helping You Heal: Compassionate Trauma Therapy in London

JENNIFER PIRTLE, PgDIP, UKCP, BACP

MY APPROACH TO THERAPY

I work with clients who are looking for a dynamic, collaborative therapist—someone who brings warmth, honesty, and empathy to every session.

I’m here to offer you compassionate support and a safe space to grow, while gently challenging you when it’s needed most.

I hold Full Clinical UKCP membership and am a Registered Member of BACP. I’m also registered with AXA Health & Aviva, making it easier for you to access therapy if you’re using insurance.

Originally from the US, I’ve lived in the UK for over two decades. Before becoming a therapist, I worked in media, events, and entrepreneurship, so I understand the pressures of creative and high-stress environments.

My approach is warm, interactive, and tailored to your unique needs. My main theoretical outlook is Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapeutic approach that helps you understand and heal the different parts of yourself—especially those carrying pain or protection—so you can cultivate greater self-awareness, inner strength, and self-leadership.

As an integrative therapist, I also incorporate other evidence-based approaches, including Psychodynamic, Person-centred, Gestalt, Transpersonal, and Existential therapies. Depending on your needs and interests, we may also explore creative approaches to unlock deeper insights.

As your therapist, my role isn’t to tell you what to do, but to ask thoughtful questions, offer suggestions for you to consider or reject, and help you uncover life patterns that may have been hiding in plain sight.

Together, we’ll work to discover new perspectives, deepen your self-awareness, and create meaningful change.

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Aviva Insurance Logo: Access Trauma therapy in London
AXA Health Logo: Access Trauma therapy in London

Here’s what I believe about therapy:

  • Healing isn’t about erasing the past or “fixing” yourself. You already have strength and resilience within you—it’s about understanding your experiences and finding ways to move forward that support your mental and emotional well-being.

    You’ve overcome so much already, which shows your ability to adapt and persevere. As your therapist, I’m here to help you tap into that inner strength and support you at your own pace. Together, we’ll navigate the areas where you feel stuck or overwhelmed and create a path forward. Healing takes time, but you have the potential to grow, find balance, and feel at peace.

  • Therapy isn’t about focusing on what’s “wrong” with you; it’s about understanding the habits, thought patterns, and behaviours that have built up over time, often in response to past experiences. These can sometimes limit your ability to live with greater ease and clarity.

    My approach is about helping you create the space to think more clearly, act more intentionally, and connect more deeply with your own values and goals. Together, we’ll explore what might be holding you back, whether it's old patterns, unresolved feelings, or simply a lack of direction. The goal isn’t to change who you are but to help you move forward with a clearer sense of yourself and a deeper understanding of what matters most to you.

  • This is your journey, and your voice matters. After all, you are the expert of your own life!

    Instead, we’ll work together as a collaborative team, walking side by side for a time. In our sessions, you’ll share your challenges, insights, and hopes, while I offer guidance, ask thought-provoking questions, and provide tools to help you make sense of things.

    This is a collaborative process, where we set goals, explore strategies, and find what works best for you. I encourage open dialogue—ask questions, share your thoughts, and let me know what’s helping (or not), so we can adjust and grow together.

  • As a qualified Integrative Psychotherapist and Internal Family Systems Therapist, I’m trained in a range of therapeutic approaches, allowing me to adapt and tailor my work to best meet your unique goals and needs. This flexibility allows us to explore what will be most helpful for you, drawing from the following key methods:

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS). IFS views the mind as made up of different "parts", each with its own thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. These parts often arise as responses to past experiences, especially trauma, and can influence how we think, feel, and behave in the present. IFS helps clients identify, understand, and heal these parts, helping to foster inner harmony, integration, and healing, This modality is particularly effective in working with trauma, complex emotions, and personal growth.

    • Person-Centred: This approach is founded on the belief that you have the capacity for self-healing. Through unconditional positive regard, empathy, and authenticity, I provide a non-judgmental space where you can explore your feelings and experiences without fear of criticism.

    • Psychodynamic: Rooted in understanding past influences, psychodynamic therapy helps uncover unconscious patterns and unresolved issues from earlier life experiences that may be affecting your present. Together, we explore how these dynamics influence your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, helping you gain greater self-awareness.

    • Existential: Focused on finding meaning and purpose in life, existential therapy helps you confront big questions like mortality, freedom, isolation, and choice. This approach supports you in creating a life of meaning, even in the face of challenges and uncertainties.

    • Transpersonal: I also draw from transpersonal therapy, which integrates spiritual and holistic aspects of healing, inviting exploration of higher states of consciousness, self-actualisation, and the interconnectedness of all aspects of life.

  • Some of my ongoing continuing professional development trainings include:

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Trainings (I am a qualified IFS Therapist).

    • Unburdening the Exiles: Exploring the Healing Steps of IFS (Einat Bronstein).

    • Mastering Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Addiction & More (Frank Anderson)

    • ADHD and Autism in the Therapy Room (Aspire Autism Consultancy)

    • IFS and Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection (Alexis Rothman)

    • Integrating IFS into the Transpersonal Integrative Approach (Ann Oldknow)

    • Using the Sand Tray to Explore, Integrate and Transform (Catherine Bishop)

    • UKCP, Full Clinical Member (UK Council for Psychotherapy), No. 2011182611

    • BACP, Registered Member (British Association for Counselling and Therapy), No. 00970719

    • Post-Graduate Diploma, Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling Education, London (SCoPEd level 7).

    • Foundation, Psychotherapy and Counselling, Regents College, London

    • Masters Degree, Journalism, Columbia University School of Journalism, New York City


    I also have clinical experience working with clients to support a wide range of emotional, psychological, and relational challenges in settings including:

    • NHS Community Mental Health Team, Islington North

    • Fresh Start Psychotherapy

    • Headstrong Counselling,

    • Maytree Suicide Respite Centre

    • Choices Islington

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Ready to BEGIN?

Let’s start creating the life you really want.