Living with Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) can be an isolating and overwhelmingly distressing experience. Many people describe feeling unheard, disbelieved and dismissed when seeking support. Calls for help have often resulted in being offered more steroids, the very medication that caused the condition. The symptoms of burning skin, shedding, infections, nerve pain, insomnia, hair loss, temperature dysregulation and many more can have a profound impact on the mental wellbeing of people going through TSW, as well as their loved ones.

You deserve a space where your experience is heard, whether you are navigating TSW, questioning what is happening to your skin or living with a chronic skin condition that has had an impact on your emotional wellbeing. The traumatic psychological wounds of skin conditions can often linger even after full recovery on the skin’s surface.

I offer a compassionate and non-judgemental therapeutic space to explore the emotional impact of living with a visible and often misunderstood condition. Therapy may explore the trauma of living with persistent skin symptoms and the unpredictable, non-linear nature of TSW, the grief of losing your previous sense of self, identity or lifestyle, anxiety, shame and uncertainty about the future, the impact on relationships, work, parenting and daily life, medical trauma, feelings of invalidation, and rebuilding trust in yourself by reconnecting with your body at your own pace.

As both a psychotherapist and art psychotherapist, I can offer talking therapy alongside creative approaches where words feel difficult or insufficient. No previous art experience is needed. Creative therapy can provide another way of expressing emotions that are often held in the body after prolonged stress, illness or traumatic experiences.

 

Individual Therapy

I offer one-to-one online therapy for adults across the UK. Sessions provide a confidential space where your experience is met with curiosity, compassion and respect. We can work together at a pace that feels right for you by supporting both the immediate challenges of living with TSW and your wider emotional wellbeing.

 

Art Psychotherapy Group for TSW (online)

I am developing an online therapy group for adults in the UK affected by Topical Steroid Withdrawal.

Many people describe feeling very isolated in their experience. A therapeutic group offers the opportunity to be alongside others who understand the emotional impact of living with TSW, while benefiting from the containment and support of a psychotherapy group. Previous experience of art making is not necessary, as the therapy is rooted in self-expression rather than artistic skill.

The group will provide space for shared understanding and validation, processing the emotional impact of TSW, reducing isolation and building self-compassion. I can advise on art material lists beforehand, but you will need to provide your own materials. The most suitable material may vary week-by-week depending on whether your hands have been badly affected by TSW. Groups will involve art making alongside discussions and reflections.

You are welcome to register your interest if you are curious about joining a future online group. I will contact you with further information when a group becomes available. My aim is to offer a space where you don’t have to convince someone that your suffering is real. Whether you're just starting out in your recovery, or you have been navigating TSW for longer, your experience deserves to be heard and supported.