Men's mental health
Stress, anger, low mood, pressure you can't put down, or simply not feeling like yourself. I work with men who've never had anywhere safe to say any of it out loud.
UKCP registered · MSc BSc PgDip RMN · Person-centred · Online across the UK
Online Therapist in London — Brian Sheppard, Clinical Psychotherapist & Mental Health Specialist
I'm Brian Sheppard, a clinical psychotherapist and mental health specialist with more than 25 years in mental health, registered with the UK Council for Psychotherapy. I work online, one-to-one, with adults across London and the UK, in five areas I know from the inside: men's mental health, relationships and divorce, co-parenting and fatherhood, identity and cultural transition, and workplace therapy and employee well-being. If life has become more than you can carry on your own, I offer a private, unhurried space to understand what's happening and find a way forward.
- UKCP registered
- 50-minute sessions on Zoom
- Over 25 years in mental health
- Anywhere in the UK
Hello
Hello, I'm Brian
I'm Brian Sheppard MSc BSc PgDip RMN, a clinical psychotherapist and mental health specialist registered with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). My approach is person-centred. I've spent more than 25 years in mental health, and I trained and worked as a registered mental health nurse before I became a psychotherapist, so very little surprises me, and I take the whole of you seriously.
Most of the people I see are men in their thirties to sixties who have been carrying too much for too long. They can't think straight, can't see the wood for the trees, and feel like they're losing their grip, with nobody they can honestly say that to. All of them want the same thing: to be seen and understood without having to perform.
I work online only, one-to-one, with adults anywhere in the UK.
Book a free introductory callFour specialist pathways
What I work with
I don't try to be all things to everyone. These are the four areas I know from the inside, after more than 25 years in mental health, and each one has its own pages written for the situation you're in.
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Relationships and divorce
What keeps going wrong with the people closest to you, and how to find your feet when it ends. I see one person at a time, so the hour is yours, whichever stage you're at.
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Co-parenting and fatherhood
Staying steady for your children when their other parent is the hardest part of the week. I have a particular interest in fathers, who often get less of the children and even less of the sympathy.
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Identity and cultural transition
Living between places, cultures, generations or versions of yourself, and belonging fully to none of them. I'm a Black man who grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and built my adult life in London, so you won't have to explain it to me first.
My approach
How I work: person-centred, in plain English
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The sessions follow you
Person-centred psychotherapy means the sessions follow you, not a script. There's no worksheet, no homework and no label to live up to. You bring whatever is on your mind that week. I listen properly, ask the questions nobody else asks, and help you hear what you're actually saying.
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Straight with you, never judging
I'm not there to judge you or tell you how to live, but I will be straight with you. If I notice a pattern, I'll name it. If you're avoiding something, I'll gently bring us back to it. The pace is always yours.
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50 minutes, once a week
Sessions are 50 minutes, over Zoom, ideally at the same time each week. Some people come for a few months, some for longer. We review how it's going together, and you can stop whenever you choose.
Practicalities
Is online therapy effective?
In my experience, yes. Online therapy is now a standard way to receive psychotherapy in the UK, and what matters most hasn't changed: whether you feel safe enough to say what's really going on, and whether the person opposite genuinely understands you. Both of those happen through a screen.
What online changes is the practical side, mostly for the better. No travelling across London after work, no waiting room, and you're in your own space, which many men tell me makes it easier to talk. You can also see me from anywhere in the UK, so moving house doesn't mean starting again with someone new.
If you're unsure whether it will suit you, that's exactly what the introductory call is for.
What do I need for an online therapy session?
Not much.
- A private space where you won't be overheard or interrupted for 50 minutes. A bedroom, a home office, or a parked car in a quiet spot all work.
- A laptop, tablet or phone with a camera and a microphone.
- A reliable internet connection. Wi-Fi is best. 4G or 5G is fine as a back-up.
- Zoom. I send you a link before each session; you click it and you're in. No account needed, nothing to pay for.
Headphones help with privacy and make the sound clearer, but they're optional.
How much does online therapy cost?
Sessions are £80 for 50 minutes. I keep a small number of reduced-fee places for people on a low income or in full-time study; ask me on the introductory call.
The introductory call is free, with no pressure to continue. Payment and cancellation details are on my fees and concessions page.
Is what I say confidential?
Yes. What you tell me stays between us, with the limits that apply to every registered psychotherapist in the UK: if I believed you or someone else was at serious risk of harm, or if the law required it, I would need to act, and wherever possible I would talk to you first. Like all UKCP psychotherapists, I have regular clinical supervision, where I discuss my work without identifying you.
In practice: Zoom sessions are encrypted, I never record them, and any notes I keep are stored securely. My privacy page explains how I look after your information.
When online therapy with me may not be the right fit
I want you to get the right help, even if that isn't me. Online sessions with me may not be the right choice if:
- you're in crisis, or at immediate risk of harming yourself or someone else
- you're experiencing severe symptoms such as psychosis or mania, or you need a psychiatric assessment, a diagnosis or medication
- you're under 18. I work with adults only
- you want couples or family sessions. I see people one-to-one
- you can't find a private, quiet space for a 50-minute video call
If any of these apply, your GP is a good first step. If you're not sure, I'm happy to talk it through on a free introductory call and point you towards the right support.
Need help right now? Call 999, NHS 111 (option 2) or Samaritans on 116 123. See all urgent support.
Getting started
What happens next?
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Step 1: Book a free introductory call
Pick a time that suits you, or message me on WhatsApp (opens WhatsApp).
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Step 2: We talk
You tell me a bit about what's going on. I tell you how I work. No forms, no pressure.
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Step 3: If it feels right, we book your first session
50 minutes on Zoom, ideally at the same time each week.
Book a free introductory call
Sessions are 50 minutes on Zoom · £80
FAQs
Questions people ask me
Something not covered here? Ask me on the free introductory call.
No. The practice is based in London, but I work online only and see adults living anywhere in the UK.
We start with what brought you here. I'll ask a few questions about your life and what you're hoping for, and we'll agree how we'll work together. You don't need to prepare anything.
There's no fixed number. Some people come for a few months, others longer. We review as we go, and you decide.
No. You can book directly.
I'm trained and registered as a psychotherapist, and the two words are often used interchangeably. What you'll get is the same either way: a regular, confidential, one-to-one conversation with someone trained to help you make sense of what's going on.
Give me 24 hours' notice and there's no charge. If something comes up, let me know as soon as you can and we'll rearrange.
About Brian
Brian Sheppard MSc BSc PgDip RMN
I'm Brian Sheppard, a clinical psychotherapist and mental health specialist, UKCP registered. My approach is person-centred. I've worked in mental health for over 25 years, first as a registered mental health nurse and now one-to-one with clients online. I specialise in men's mental health, relationships, divorce and co-parenting, workplace therapy and employee well-being, and in working with Black and Black British clients.
- Registered with
- UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- Training
- MSc, BSc, PgDip, RMN (Registered Mental Health Nurse)
- Experience
- Over 25 years in mental health
- Approach
- Person-centred
Check my UKCP registration (opens the UKCP public register in a new tab) More about me and how I work
If you need help right now
Therapy isn't an emergency service, and I can't offer urgent support between sessions. If you're in immediate danger, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. For urgent mental health help, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option. If you need someone to talk to right now, Samaritans are there day and night on 116 123.
Get in touch
Book a free introductory call, no pressure to continue.
Tell me a little about what's going on, ask me anything, and see whether it feels right. That's all it is.
First step
Free introductory call
£0
- No obligation
- 50-minute sessions on Zoom
- Anywhere in the UK