Shem Lopez, NCPS

Shem Lopez welcomes people who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unsure how to move forward. He meets each person as an individual and helps them name what matters to them. Sessions focus on practical steps guided by those personal values so people can make clearer choices in day-to-day life.

Shem is a psychotherapist registered with NCPS, and he has been in private practice since 2012. He draws on a mix of approaches to fit the needs of each person rather than using a single method for everyone. In sessions he listens without judgement and helps clients make sense of their thoughts and feelings.

Work often begins with understanding patterns that cause distress, such as anxiety, panic attacks, or low mood. Shem also supports people dealing with trauma and abuse, relationship or intimacy concerns, eating issues, anger, and compassion fatigue. He helps clients explore attachment, shame, guilt, and feelings of isolation.

Therapy sessions aim to increase self-awareness so people can form more meaningful connections with themselves and others. Conversations focus on practical experiments, noticing thoughts and emotions, and trying new ways of responding to difficult situations. Progress is paced to each person’s needs and goals.

Shem offers both in-person and online work from the United Kingdom. He works in English and can support international clients. People usually begin by picking a time that fits them and completing a short matching questionnaire before scheduling their first session.

How Shem’s approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people focus on what they value and take small steps toward those goals while learning to notice unhelpful thoughts. It is useful for anxiety, stress and life changes because it emphasises action in line with personal values. Emotionally-Focused Therapy, or EFT, centres on how emotions shape important relationships and helps people map and change patterns that get in the way of connection; it is often used for intimacy and relationship concerns. The Gottman Method offers practical tools and exercises for couples to improve communication and reduce conflict, with clear skills people can practise between sessions.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk through the options and suggest ways to try different methods, adjusting the plan to match your goals and what feels most helpful. This means sessions can shift focus as needs change rather than sticking to a single technique.

Online therapy here is offered by registered or accredited professionals using video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. Video calls work well for face-to-face conversations and visual cues, phone sessions can fit into a shorter break or when bandwidth is limited, and messaging or live chat suit quick check-ins or ongoing support between longer appointments. These options make therapy more flexible and easier to fit around work, travel or family life.