Introductory Video

About me

 

Thom Fairclough MSc. BA (Hons)

UKCP & EAP Fully Accredited

Gestalt Psychotherapist and Supervisor

 

Who am I?

 

My name is Thom Fairclough, and I am a UK qualified and UKCP fully accredited psychotherapist (United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapists). In addition, I am also accredited with the EAP (European Association of Psychotherapy) which is a European standard of excellency for psychotherapy. I have nearly 20 years of experience and over 18,000 client hours in psychotherapy and clinical supervision (as of March, 2026).

 

My background includes a first degree in Philosophy and a Masters degree in Psychotherapy, which means I've always been someone who questions, seeks meaning, and explores life’s complexities. Over the years, I’ve also studied psychology, social work, teaching, supervision, and psychotherapy (up to MSc level). I also hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy and have taught trainee post-grad. Gestalt Psychotherapists in England. I like to study languages – Norwegian and Spanish.

 

In early 2025, I moved to Norway. I took a one year sabbatical in order to settle into this new chapter of my life, and now, I feel the time is right to restart and offer my services once more.

 

My Approach

 

I don’t promise quick fixes. Real change takes time, and I believe in an honest, realistic and grounded approach to therapy. You won’t have to look far on the internet to find therapists with ‘all singing, all dancing’ websites, claiming quick results, with life-changing breakthroughs in just a few sessions. While change can of course begin early, and this can consist of ‘light-bulb moments’, lasting change often takes longer than one or two sessions. As part of my training, I have undergone hundreds of hours of one-to-one and group therapy; this has been both in-person and on-line. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been deeply transformative. I know what it’s like to sit in the ‘clients’ chair’, and I understand how challenging, moving, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding this process can be.

 

I don’t start from the premise that you are 'ill'. I know that many people come to therapy feeling ‘broken’ or ‘ill’, but I see these struggles as 'creative adaptations' that we all make to navigate life’s challenges. While these adaptations might not feel very 'creative' at times, the good news is - if you’ve adapted before, you can adapt again! Therapy is about rediscovering your capacity to do so.

 

What I Offer

 

I’m purposely keeping this website simple. As I say in my Introductory Video, a very trusted friend and colleague once told me, “Thom, you’re a boutique, not a department store.” That advice has stuck with me, reminding me that I can’t work with everyone that contacts me. I want to focus on offering meaningful and personal therapy, and invest my time in people who are also investing in themselves. As I’ve gotten older (and hopefully wiser!), I’ve become more compassionate - and more discerning about how I spend my time both professionally and personally. 

 

For this reason, I offer online psychotherapy to a small number of clients, so if you’re interested, feel free to reach out and we can have a talk about our availability and whether we might be able to work together. My availability is daytimes/early evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We can initially discuss things via email, I can share with you my Therapeutic Agreement, which outlines what you can expect from me and what I will expect from you. Then if appropriate we can arrange to meet online where we can discuss things further. We can agree on a set number of sessions or work in an open-ended way, reassessing periodically to make sure you’re getting what you need from our time together.