Liat Hoch

Liat has been practising integrative psychotherapy for the last 10 years with children, adolescents, adults, parents and families in a variety of settings from public and private schools, pupil referral units, family centres, charities and private practice.

Liat endeavours to connect with each person she works with in order to encourage them to feel safe in expressing their thoughts and feelings both verbally and through creative means such as art, using the sand-tray, play, music and drama. In this way the underlying reasons behind the initial reason for referral can be understood and processed.

Liat thinks systemically about the clients she works with and when the work requires it, she enjoys working together with her TTC colleagues, school staff members and statutory services in order to increase the support for the young person beyond the therapy sessions. Liat also holds in mind the young person’s place in their family, school and community system and the forces and dynamics that play a role in their feelings and behaviour. Where possible Liat works with family members in a way that each member has a place to speak, and she works really hard to help them hear each other so that the system can support the change that the young person wants to make.

Liat has experience of working with a wide range of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, OCD and self-harm. She has supported young people in managing difficult living situations for example divorce, domestic violence, parental substance misuse and mental illness, bereavement and bullying. Liat works with young people who have learning needs or social and communication difficulties (ASD) to increase emotional awareness, regulation, and enable closer relationships. Liat also enjoys working with young adults who are transitioning between school and university or university and work as these can often be difficult to manage in the beginning.

Liat’s outlook is that childhood is a process of discovering and creating who we want to be within the best of our abilities and external limitations in order to walk our chosen path. She views her role as a psychotherapist is to provide a safe physical and psychological space in order to express, try out and refine the goal while reducing and healing the barriers on the way.