Therapist in West Hampstead – Somatic CBT North West London
Are you looking for a therapist near West Hampstead?
West Hampstead has a strong community of young professionals, many of whom are managing the very pressures I specialise in. I'm Carlos Monteiro, a somatic cognitive therapist with a practice conveniently located between Maida Vale and St John's Wood, accessible from West Hampstead in around 20 minutes via the Jubilee Line.
I work with people who are high-functioning in their professional lives but struggling privately: with stress that doesn't ease between projects, with anxiety that shows up as physical tension as much as worried thinking, and with a sense of confidence that feels more fragile than it should.
My approach combines cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with the Alexander Technique, an approach that addresses the mental and physical dimensions of stress at the same time. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, we work with the full picture of what's happening for you.
Areas I Serve
My practice is well placed for clients travelling from:
- West Hampstead, NW6
- Hampstead
- Kilburn
- Belsize Park
- Swiss Cottage
- Across North West London
How Therapy Can Help
The people I work with are often dealing with pressures that are difficult to talk about in professional environments. Common areas we address in sessions include:
- Workplace stress and the build-up towards burnout
- Anxiety and chronic overthinking
- Confidence and self-esteem, including imposter syndrome
- Performance anxiety ahead of presentations, appraisals, or interviews
- Physical manifestations of stress: tension, fatigue, poor sleep, and disrupted breathing
- Navigating career change or professional identity questions
- The difficulty of maintaining work-life balance when work follows you home
My Approach: CBT Combined with Somatic Practice
Sessions draw on two frameworks that complement each other well. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), particularly the REBT model I specialise in, helps us work with the beliefs and mental habits that maintain stress. It is practical and structured, and it gives you tools you can actually use outside of sessions.
The Alexander Technique brings a somatic lens to the work. Many people are surprised to discover how much physical tension they are carrying, and how directly it feeds the mental experience of anxiety. Working with posture, movement, and breathing patterns alongside the cognitive work means the effects of therapy tend to be more lasting. You can read more on the somatic therapy and confidence and self-trust pages.
What Sessions Look Like
Sessions run for 50 minutes and take place at my practice, between Maida Vale and St John's Wood. We start with an initial consultation to get a clear picture of what's brought you to therapy and what you'd like to achieve. From there, sessions are collaborative: I work with you rather than at you, and we build practical skills alongside deeper pattern work. Read more about the process on my what to expect in therapy page.
Getting Here from West Hampstead
West Hampstead is one of the best-connected areas in North West London. West Hampstead Underground (Jubilee Line) offers a direct route to St John's Wood station in under 10 minutes. West Hampstead Overground and West Hampstead Thameslink also provide additional travel options, with easy connections to the wider network. From St John's Wood station, my practice is a 12-minute walk.
About Me
I am a certified CBT therapist, having trained at the College of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (CCBT) with a specialism in Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). I am accredited with the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). I am also a certified Alexander Technique teacher, trained at the Alexander Technique Training School (ATTS) in London, and a member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT).
I have been teaching Alexander Technique since 2017. Before retraining, I worked in business and marketing, and I draw on that background when working with clients in demanding professional environments. More detail is available on my about and approach page.
Next Steps
If you're in West Hampstead and looking for a therapist who can help with stress, anxiety, or confidence from both a cognitive and a physical perspective, I'd be very happy to hear from you. Contact me to arrange an initial consultation. You might also want to browse the Camden area page or the pages for Hampstead, Swiss Cottage, and Belsize Park.