About Dr Tom Barber

Dr Tom Barber is a UKCP-registered integrative counsellor, existential psychotherapist, and EMDR specialist with nearly 30 years of clinical experience. He works with clients both in-person at his private practice in Elmstead, Colchester, and online with individuals across the UK and around the world.

With a deep commitment to helping people navigate emotional and psychological challenges, Tom is particularly experienced in working with trauma, PTSD, and anxiety. He is an advanced practitioner of EMDR therapy and has supported thousands of clients in healing from painful past experiences and reclaiming their lives. His approach is informed by a long-standing professional interest in the nature of emotion, especially anger, and the complex dynamics of addiction and recovery.

Tom is also a #1 bestselling author and co-founder of Self Help School—an online hub of courses, resources, and inspiration for those seeking personal growth, emotional resilience, and deeper self-understanding. He has authored five books on topics ranging from the therapeutic process, trauma recovery, and the psychology of pain, to self-help strategies involving hypnosis, NLP, creative imagination, existential philosophy, and transpersonal psychology.

Whether you’re looking for support through a difficult time, seeking resolution for trauma, or simply want to deepen your understanding of yourself, Tom offers a thoughtful, compassionate, and deeply informed therapeutic space.

This advanced qualification combined academic research with hands-on clinical training over several years. It focused on helping people understand themselves more deeply, especially during times of emotional difficulty, trauma, or major life transitions. Existential psychotherapy looks at core life themes such as identity, freedom, relationships, loss, and meaning.

As part of the training, I worked with clients under close supervision, developed original research, and explored a wide range of therapeutic approaches. The goal of this work is to support people in navigating life with greater clarity, resilience, and self-awareness.

This Master’s degree provided in-depth training in a range of therapeutic approaches, allowing me to tailor therapy to each person’s unique needs. It combined academic study with practical clinical work, focusing on emotional wellbeing, psychological theory, and the therapeutic relationship. The integrative model draws on a blend of humanistic, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioural techniques.

This Postgraduate Diploma formed the foundation of my integrative training, covering the essential theories and practices of counselling and psychotherapy. It included supervised client work and helped build the core skills needed to work effectively with issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship difficulties.

This specialist qualification trained me in the use of EMDR—a powerful, evidence-based therapy for trauma, PTSD, and anxiety-related conditions. The training covered how to help clients safely process distressing memories and experiences to reduce their emotional impact. It included hands-on clinical practice, advanced protocols, and supervision.

This training focused on the art of supervising other therapists, using an existential lens. It explored how to support practitioners in reflecting on their work, deepening their self-awareness, and navigating the complexities of therapeutic relationships. The certificate emphasised ethical practice, openness, and philosophical depth.

This advanced qualification combined traditional hypnosis with modern cognitive and analytical approaches to psychotherapy. It offered practical tools to support clients in changing unwanted behaviours, managing stress and anxiety, and exploring subconscious processes. The training was both theoretical and hands-on, with a focus on lasting personal change.

• Stress Management and Counselling, focusing on the psychological and physical impact of stress, and strategies to manage it effectively.
• Body Psychology, exploring how emotional experiences are held in the body and how somatic awareness can support healing.
• Alcohol and Drug Counselling, providing focused training in working with addiction, relapse prevention, and recovery support.
• NLP Practitioner and Master Practitioner Certification, and NLP Trainers Training, offering tools for personal change, communication, and behavioural flexibility.
• Rogerian Counselling and Psychotherapy, grounded in the person-centred approach and the power of empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard.
• Group Leadership, developing skills in facilitating therapeutic and developmental groups with safety, insight, and structure.

This additional training enriches my ability to support clients from a variety of backgrounds and with a wide range of emotional, behavioural, and psychological challenges.

If you’re considering working together, I invite you to schedule a free 20-minute discovery video call. This is a confidential, no-obligation space where we can explore what you’re looking for, whether my approach feels like the right fit, and how I might best support you.

I work with a limited number of clients to ensure focused, high-quality attention, so this call also gives us both the opportunity to ensure we’re aligned before moving forward.