Depth psychotherapy

Individuals & groups

Manchester & online

Photo of Carina Badger in a yellow top and short brown hair looking at camera

Hi, I’m Carina

BACP and UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist and Certified Transactional Analyst

I am fascinated by what it means to be human

How we make sense of things

The stories we tell ourselves

How these narratives then shape how we relate to ourselves, others and the wider world within the context of our culture and society

Get in touch

Perhaps some of this sounds familiar?

You feel stuck in familiar patterns

You struggle to make sense of your dynamics with others

Shame holds you back

You’re facing a big change and you’re struggling to get your bearings

Life feels empty and without meaning or purpose

Many clients approach me with a more general sense of something not working out for them and they don’t know where to start - that's also a perfectly good place to begin

What I offer

Close-up of various small, colorful succulents in a black container, against a light pink background.
Individual Therapy
Various potted succulent plants on a light-colored surface, including aloe vera, echeveria, haworthia, and cacti, arranged closely together.
Group Therapy
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Supervision

Some questions, answered

  • Getting in touch can be the hardest part. It's very typical to feel hesitant, or to have drafted the email several times.

    You can skip to this section which more information about the first session.

    Contact me to arrange a first session.

  • While short-term therapies focus on surface-level symptom management, depth psychotherapy addresses the root causes of our distress.

    Early in life, we develop unconscious scripts about ourselves and the world around us. Though designed to protect us from past overwhelms, these silent patterns often follow us into adulthood, quietly dictating how we live long after the original threat has vanished.

    Psychotherapy brings these hidden dynamics into awareness, opening the door to genuine, lasting change.

    I go into more depth here.

  • My core training is in Transactional Analysis.

    My practice is mainly psychodynamic and existential. I have also completed certifications in somatic Transactional Analysis, interpersonal neurobiology and gender, sexuality and relationship diversity therapy.

    For more details of my certifications, take a look at my About page.

  • Individual therapy: £63 per session
    I have a reduced rate for UKATA/UKCP trainees
    I offer the first individual therapy session for half the usual fee

    Group therapy: £27 - £30 depending on the type of group

    For information about supervision including fees, please take a look at the Supervision page

  • Mondays: Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy, 454 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 0BQ. This location is close to Chorlton tramstop and bus links.

    Tuesdays and Thursdays: Didsbury Counselling and Therapy Centre, 212A Burton Road, M20 2LW. This location is close to Burton Road tramstop and bus links.

    I also work online.

  • I am currently registered with Vitality and WPA

    I also contract with employers to work with an employee for a certain number of sessions.

    • Repeated patterns where you feel stuck

    • Anxiety, including social anxiety, and stress

    • Life changes and transitions — children leaving home, menopause, coming out, a relationship ending, bereavement, changing career or city, redundancy, retirement

    • Low self-esteem and self-confidence

    • Relationship difficulties with partners, friends or family; affairs and betrayals; separation and divorce

    • Work difficulties, including disciplinary processes and redundancy

    • Bereavement, grief and loss

    • End-of-life, including caring for someone who is ill

    • Questions of meaning and purpose

    Some folk come with a more general sense of something being off and no idea where to start. We can begin there too

  • I work with folk from different walks of life

    My practice is rooted in an interest in intersectionality and the many layers of our identity whether or not labelled. That may not be why you are seeking psychotherapy - and that’s okay too

    Many of my clients are from LGBTQ+ communities. I am registered with Pink Therapy and I have specific training in gender, sexuality and relationship (GSRD) therapy including relationship diversity (e.g. consensual non-monogamy) and kink

    I work with a deep sense of compassion for those navigating life with Autism, ADHD, or other forms of neurodivergence

    I have an ecologically-minded practice which means that I consider place, planet and the non-human in my work

Where do I start?

Getting in touch can be the hardest part. It's very typical to feel hesitant, or to have drafted the email several times.

Before we meet

Contact me to arrange a first session. I'll confirm the time and send you what you need (the address or a link if we're meeting online) along with my contract.

I no longer offer an introductory call beforehand. I found that a short call didn’t really offer a real sense of each other, and that a full session does the job much better. That's why the first session is half the usual fee: it's an opportunity to find out how I work before committing to anything.

On the day

The session lasts 50 minutes.

We'll talk about what's troubling you, some of your history and circumstances, and what you're hoping might be different.

You don't need to prepare. There's no correct order to tell things in, and you don't need a coherent account. If you find yourself unable to say anything much, that's okay too. We’ll go at your pace.

I'll ask some practical questions: your current support, your health, any previous therapy, whether you're taking medication. And you can ask me any questions you may have.

Afterwards

The first session is an assessment for both of us. I'll say what I think, including whether I believe I'm the right person for what you're looking for. If I'm not, I'll say so and can usually help you find someone who is.

You don't need to decide anything in the room. If you'd like to go ahead, we'll agree a regular day and time — the same slot each week — and begin.

If you decide not to, that's completely okay and you're under no obligation. The research is consistent that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy helps.

Finding the right fit is worth the effort, even when the right fit isn't me.

Getting in touch

My privacy policy can be accessed here

My normal working hours are Mondays to Thursdays. I will respond as soon as I can

If you do not receive a response from me within a couple of working days, please check your SPAM or JUNK folder