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Dr Simon Rowbottom

Psychologist (Chartered psychologist PsychD counselling and psychotherapeutic psychologist)

About me

I am a chartered psychologist and associate fellow of the British Psychological Society. I have also the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter with The Boo Radleys for the last 30 years.  This experience has given me a unique insight into the specific problems associated with working in the music industry, having been consistently involved with touring, recording, press and publicity, and record companies for much of my working life.

In 2000, I took a break from the music industry and completed my doctorate in psychotherapeutic and counselling psychology at the University of Surrey, focusing my research on problematic male gender role norms. I have worked widely in the NHS including Oxford Health Psychological Services department, a community mental health team in Berkshire, and a specialist psychotherapy department in Surrey and Borders. These roles involved working with a broad spectrum of psychological distress and mental health difficulties.

I now work in private practices with the general public and members of the music industry. I also work as an educator/communicator of psychological issues through speeches and my one man show. I also continue to tour with The Boo Radleys.

My background

As long as I can remember I wanted to be a pop star. Watching Top of the Pops as a child gave me a burning ambition which I was fortunate enough to be able to pursue as a career. My twenties were spent touring and recording with The Boo Radleys. During this time I experienced both the highs and lows of being a touring musician – from the wondrous highs of a packed crowd to the desperate lows of isolation, boredom, and desperation on the road. I took a break from music in 2000 and became a stay-at-home father for 7 years before retraining as a psychologist.

While training,I conducted research in the area of the male gender role, and its associated psychological distress and this is an area in which I specialise.

I am an Associate Fellow of The British Psychological Society and am an accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society. I am committed to the codes of ethics for both societies and adhere to their professional standards and practices.

Working with me

I am an integrative practitioner, which means that I commonly work by combining a number of therapeutic approaches which are tailored to suit your specific, individual needs. The three main approaches I use are:

Humanistic/Person-centred Therapy, which focuses on the natural tendency people have to grow emotionally. This approach emphasises the value of empathic listening, the healthy expression of emotions, and creating a non-judgemental environment that fosters emotional growth.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is based on exploring and testing out thoughts and beliefs that may contribute to psychological problems. It can be a more active form of therapy that may involve monitoring of thought processes, and challenging previously held assumptions.

Psychodynamic therapy, which emphasises our relationship histories and how they have shaped our patterns of emotional coping and ways of relating to both ourselves and others.

I also draw on other specific approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Compassionate Mind Training.

Simon’s fees