Kiera Millar-Brandt
Psychotherapeutic Counsellor
Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, MSc Applied Psychology
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My academic and professional background spans psychology, philosophy, education and therapeutic counselling. This has given me a broad foundation for understanding both the psychological processes that shape us and the personal meanings we attach to our experiences. I hold a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling from the CPTA, where my training included integrative counselling, humanistic and psychodynamic approaches, cognitive behavioural therapy, and Clarkson’s Five Relational Model. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Before training as a therapist, I studied psychology and philosophy at undergraduate level, graduating Cum Laude with a BA in Psychology and Philosophy. I subsequently completed an Honours degree in Psychology, and a PGCE. After qualifying as psychology teacher, I went on to complete an MSc in Applied Psychology from Trinity College Dublin, specialising in mental health and psychological interventions. My MSc dissertation examined the effectiveness of online CBT interventions within the NHS and was awarded a distinction. My professional experience has included working as an Assistant Psychologist at the Jung Institute for Free Analysis for Children and Adolescents in Dublin, where I provided counselling to children and adolescents referred by GPs, schools and childcare services. I have also worked in higher education as a psychology and critical thinking tutor, including at the University of Sussex International Study Centre. Alongside my private practice, I have worked within established therapy services, providing integrative counselling to adults presenting with a range of emotional and relational difficulties. My therapeutic interests include attachment, formative family relationships, recurring interpersonal patterns, relationship difficulties, emotional regulation, identity, self-doubt, parenthood, and periods of transition or uncertainty. My varied background has shaped my belief that effective therapy requires both psychological understanding and genuine attention to the individual person sitting in front of me.
I am an integrative therapist with a background in psychology, philosophy, and psychotherapy. I work with adults who may be struggling with relationships, emotional difficulties, uncertainty, or patterns in their lives that they find difficult to understand or change. My approach is grounded in the belief that there is rarely one explanation for why we think, feel and behave as we do. Our experiences, relationships and ways of making sense of ourselves develop over time, and these can continue to influence how we relate to ourselves and others in the present. As an integrative therapist, I draw on different therapeutic approaches rather than applying one theory or set of techniques to everyone. My work is influenced by psychodynamic, humanistic and cognitive approaches, as well as existential philosophy. I am particularly interested in the ways that formative relationships and attachment experiences can shape our expectations of ourselves, other people and relationships. The therapeutic relationship is central to how I work. I aim to understand you as an individual rather than fitting you into a diagnosis, theory or predetermined treatment plan. This means that I will not push you to discuss something before you are ready, nor assume that a particular technique will be useful simply because it has worked for someone else. Therapy can offer an opportunity to understand patterns that may previously have felt confusing or outside your control. Through developing greater self-understanding, you may begin to recognise where these patterns come from, consider different ways of responding, and feel more able to make choices that reflect what matters to you. My role is not to tell you how to live your life, but to help you understand yourself more clearly so that you can make your own decisions with greater awareness and confidence.
I was born in Chicago, USA to British parents. I later moved to South Africa, where I completed my university studies in psychology and philosophy. Living in different cultural environments throughout my life has shaped my curiosity about people and the different ways we understand ourselves, our relationships and the world around us. My interest in therapy grew from a longstanding curiosity about what lies beneath people's experiences: why we think and behave as we do, how our relationships shape us, and why we can sometimes find ourselves repeating patterns that we don't fully understand. My background in psychology, philosophy and psychotherapy has allowed me to approach these questions from different perspectives. As a therapist, I try to bring the same curiosity and openness to my work with clients. I don't assume that I already know what your experiences mean or that there is a simple explanation for why you feel the way you do. I enjoy thinking carefully with people about their experiences and making sense of the connections between their past, their relationships and the life they are living now. I would describe my style as thoughtful, genuine and down-to-earth. I want therapy to feel like a place where you can speak honestly without having to present yourself in a particular way or worry about saying the “right” thing. You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to talk about or having already worked out what is wrong. We can begin with where you are and work things out together.
Hove. Brighton.