THERAPY BLOG LONDON

Mental health insights
and guidance.

This blog offers expert insights and reflections into mental health challenges like anxiety, trauma, addiction, ADHD, and relationships - with practical guidance for healing, self-awareness and how to choose the right therapist.

Last updated: 17th May 2026

Matthew Frener | UKCP Reg, MBACP (Snr Accred), SNCPS (Accred)

All articles on this blog are written by Matthew Frener, an accredited integrative psychotherapist and DBT practitioner based in Fitzrovia, Central London. Matthew works with adults on trauma, ADHD, attachment, addiction, eating disorders, and LGBTQ+ mental health, drawing on clinical backgrounds in residential treatment, outpatient services, and private practice.

UKCP

Full Clinical Membership

BACP

Senior Accredited Member

NCPS

Senior Accredited Registrant

Addiction Professionals

Advanced Practitioner Member

Crowd holding a rainbow LGBT flag in front of a historic building with a dome. The atmosphere is lively and supportive.

Therapy for Minority Stress and Identity in London: How Affirming Support Can Help

Many LGBTQIA+ adults in London carry a persistent sense of exhaustion, hypervigilance, or not quite belonging, even when life looks functional from the outside. This guide explains what minority stress is, how it accumulates through stigma, exclusion, and the pressure to manage identity across different environments, and how affirming therapy can help you understand that pressure without treating your identity as the problem.

LGBTQ+

Matthew Frener

Mar 3011 min read

Wicked and the Psychology of Being "Too Much": Lessons for Neurodivergent and LGBTQIA Therapy London

As a neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ therapist specialising in trauma, addiction, and eating disorders, I've found that some of our most profound healing insights come from unexpected places. Wicked isn't just a story about witches and wizards, it's a mirror for anyone who's been told they're too different, too loud, too visible, too much. It's about the psychological cost of refusing to shrink in a world that demands conformity. In my work with LGBTQIA+ clients, neurodivergent indi

Matthew Frener

Nov 26, 20257 min read

Frequently asked questions

Integrative psychotherapy draws on more than one therapeutic approach rather than following a single fixed model. A therapist may combine psychodynamic understanding, attachment theory, CBT, and DBT depending on what a particular person needs. The aim is to tailor the work to the individual rather than fitting them into a predetermined framework. To read more about my specific approach to integrative psychotherapy, click here.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment originally developed for people with intense emotional experiences. It teaches practical skills across four areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. It is commonly used for personality disorders (such as BPD and EUPD), trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, and difficulties with emotional regulation.

Start by identifying what you are looking for help with, then look for a therapist with specific experience in that area. Check that they are registered with a recognised professional body such as BACP or NCPS. Reading their website carefully and arranging a brief introductory call before committing are both important steps. If you need more in-depth information on finding the right therapist, click here.

MATTHEW FRENER

INTEGRATIVE COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY

THERAPY BLOG LONDON

Mental health insights
and guidance.

UKCP

BACP

NCPS

Addiction Professionals

Therapy for Minority Stress and Identity in London: How Affirming Support Can Help

Wicked and the Psychology of Being "Too Much": Lessons for Neurodivergent and LGBTQIA Therapy London

Frequently asked questions

What topics does this blog cover?

Who writes these articles?

What is integrative psychotherapy?

What is DBT and who is it for?

How do I know if I need therapy?

How do I find the right therapist in London?

Do you offer therapy in person or online?

MATTHEW FRENER

INTEGRATIVE COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY

​

THERAPY BLOG LONDON

Mental health insights and guidance.

Therapy for Minority Stress and Identity in London: How Affirming Support Can Help

Wicked and the Psychology of Being "Too Much": Lessons for Neurodivergent and LGBTQIA Therapy London

Frequently asked questions

What topics does this blog cover?

Who writes these articles?

What is integrative psychotherapy?

What is DBT and who is it for?

How do I know if I need therapy?

How do I find the right therapist in London?

Do you offer therapy in person or online?

Mental health insights
and guidance.