Therapy for Women
Therapy for Women in Hampshire
Being a woman today means navigating a complex web of expectations, emotions, and roles often without the space to pause or reflect. Whether you’re balancing a career with pregnancy, adjusting to life after birth, managing hormonal changes, or feeling the weight of burnout, it can feel overwhelming.
Many women silently carry these emotional burdens. You don’t have to. Therapy can offer a space just for you.
It is reported that 1 in 5 (19.1%) women experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression when compared to men (12.2% or 1 in 8 men). Research also shows that the severity of symptoms is also higher in women (9.8%) than in men (6.4%).
As a bilingual female psychologist, I provide an empathetic and empowering space for women to explore their challenges. My approach acknowledges how mental health concerns are sometimes overlooked or misunderstood, and I work with you to regain a sense of control and wellbeing.
I’m Dr Sonney Gullu-McPhee, a Clinical Psychologist who has helped many women address their most intimate issues. Join me at my Petersfield clinic or online across the UK for tailored therapy for women and learn healthier and practical ways to manage your life’s challenges.
Book a 15-minute complimentary consultation with me today.
Why Choose a Female Therapist?
As a woman, a mother, and someone who has lived across cultures, from Turkey to the USA and now the UK, I understand the quiet, internal struggles women face at a more personal level.
Whether it’s feeling misunderstood in a medical appointment, carrying the weight of invisible labour, or navigating shame after trauma, sometimes you need a therapist who simply gets it.
Women often find a sense of comfort when discussing common challenges such as reproductive health, postpartum issues, body image, menopause, societal expectations, and cultural clashes.
If you have experienced trauma or abuse, working with a female therapist can feel safer and more comfortable. I offer you complete safety and care, where you can share your most emotionally raw and vulnerable stories. I will work alongside you to help you overcome personal challenges and guide you in becoming the best version of yourself.
Connect with me today to learn how I can help you overcome the issues you face.
Common Issues Addressed in Therapy for Women
Women are often dismissed as “overreacting” or told they appear “fine”, while the emotional turmoil is often unseen or neglected. You might be stressed, anxious, depressed or suffering from grief.
Some common issues that I deal with in my therapy for women are:
Whether you are struggling to get pregnant, experiencing a difficult pregnancy, or dealing with grief, the experience can feel overwhelming and isolating. In my therapy for pregnant women, I will help you overcome the psychological barriers that may be affecting your pregnancy, and help you with your relationship with your growing baby and your partner.
Approximately 1 in 10 women suffer from postpartum depression. This condition is brought on by hormonal changes, anxiety about managing a newborn, body-image issues, financial stress or even relationship changes. This shift in identity can be difficult to navigate, and while for most women the milder baby blues resolve within a few weeks, some women continue to struggle. However you don’t need to struggle alone.
I am here to help you navigate the challenges of being a new mother. My bespoke therapy for mums will help you connect with your newborn, embrace your new identity and relieve the stress and anxiety.
When children leave home for college or work, many parents go through a challenging adjustment period, often referred to as empty nest syndrome. While empty nest syndrome affects both parents, this can be even more challenging for single mothers, who have dual responsibilities.
You don’t need to navigate this phase alone. In my therapy for mums, I assist you in rediscovering your identity while navigating a new relationship with your child.
Menopause can trigger a range of psychological and physical symptoms, like irritability, anxiety, heat flushes, loss in libido and signs of ageing. Hormonal mood fluctuations can be extremely difficult to navigate; however, with my therapy for perimenopause, I can help you transition into this new phase of life more smoothly, and support you along the way.
The combination of the challenges women face often impact their personal relationships, whether this be with their partner, children or work colleagues. The pressures and expectations you face as a woman can take a toll on your mental health, self-esteem and self-worth. You might experience relationship issues and emotional burnout, making it challenging to navigate day-to-day life.
In my therapy for women, I will make you feel empowered, enabling you to experience higher levels of self-confidence. This will help you feel more present, for yourself, your partner, children and even your extended family.
Navigating professional expectations with your personal life can be challenging and stressful, with the additional pressures women face this can make it even more difficult, for example, research shows that 90% of working mothers experience mum guilt.
However, you don’t need to do this alone! I, Dr Sonney Gullu-McPhee, as a female therapist and mother, understand. Together, we’ll build the tools and techniques you need to balance your personal and professional commitments while moving toward your life goals.
How Dr McPhee’s Therapy for Women Can Help
In my therapy for women, I provide you with the right tools to manage, reduce, and eventually overcome your challenges. Instead of feeling emotionally burned out and overwhelmed, you learn to face them with greater confidence and success.
My therapy sessions are an integrated approach, away from the conventional single therapy approach. Depending on your needs, I will provide a combination of Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) and Mindfulness strategies.
Let’s look at these therapies in more detail.
CBT is an evidence-based approach that helps identify the negative thought patterns and feelings that contribute to your present struggles. It will challenge and replace them with more positive thoughts and empowering actions.
Schema Therapy helps identify long-standing patterns of thoughts and feelings that shape how you see yourself, your relationships, and your role in the world.
Many women struggle with self-criticism, guilt, or feelings of shame, particularly when balancing multiple roles or recovering from trauma. CFT focuses on building self-compassion, soothing the inner critic, and strengthening emotional resilience. This approach helps you relate to yourself with greater kindness and acceptance, which in turn supports healing and healthier relationships.
For women who have experienced trauma, loss, or abuse, EMDR can be particularly powerful. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses on helping the brain reprocess and desensitise distressing memories. It is especially helpful for those coping with experiences such as birth trauma, miscarriage, divorce, or assault.
Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, grounding exercises, help you to be more present, manage physical symptoms of hormonal imbalance, and respond in a calm, confident and controlled manner.
My Therapy for Women Process
Why Choose Dr McPhee for Therapy for Women?
With my integrated approach to therapy for women, I create an integrated therapeutic approach which aligns with NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines.
I’m an ISST Certified Advanced Schema therapist and a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years of experience. My therapy sessions are conducted in a safe, confidential, and private space in Petersfield, Hampshire, or online.
Therapy for Women With Dr McPhee
As a female therapist and mother with a multi-cultural background, I understand the struggles and challenges of being a woman. My therapy for women will help you discover your identity, navigate life’s big and small moments, while taking control of your life.
Choose from in-person sessions at my Petersfield clinic or online, at your convenience. Push your boundaries and empower yourself to feel more self-compassionate and confident. Book a complimentary 15-minute consultation via email or call today.
Many women feel more comfortable discussing personal issues with another woman, especially around topics such as reproductive health, body image, or trauma. A female therapist can bring both professional expertise and personal understanding.
Yes. Therapy can provide tools to manage emotional and physical challenges during pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause, helping you adjust with resilience and compassion.
You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Many women seek therapy simply to have a space for reflection, support, and personal growth.
Yes. Research shows that online therapy can be just as effective as in-person sessions. You can choose whichever option feels most comfortable and accessible.
The length of therapy depends on your goals. Some women attend short-term sessions to manage a specific challenge, while others prefer longer-term therapy for deeper emotional work.
I use an integrated approach that may include Schema Therapy, CBT, EMDR, and mindfulness. The combination is tailored to your needs and what feels most helpful for you.
Please schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation to explore how we might work together.