Welcome to Iris Psychotherapy
If you are reading this you may be wishing for something in your life, family or relationship to be different. I too was looking for difference when I first began my Psychotherapy training.
My name is Marianne Le Coyte Grinney, I am a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist and Iris Psychotherapy is named after my late Grandmother: a poet, who believed in kindness and always holding hope in even the darkest of times.
As a Systemic Psychotherapist I believe 'the person is never the problem' and that people are best understood within systems, for example their family, work and social life. My therapeutic posture aims not to apportion blame, but to support individual and collective change within a safe and supportive environment. I do not hope to provide answers, but to facilitate members of the system (families and individuals) to co-construct their own solutions for change.
Therapy is a healing process that necessitates participation and investment from the therapist, individual and family alike. In Greek mythology Iris is capable of shape shifting and embodies humanity: to me Therapy provides an opportunity for our own co-constructed shifting of shape, through transformational change.Making changes to self-defeating behaviour and coping with feelings of sadness, fear, and pain can enable hope to be brought forth.
I am a UKCP and AFT registered Family and Systemic Psychotherapist.
My qualifying clinical MSc training was undertaken at the Institute of Family Therapy (IFT) in London. I hold full membership with AFT, IFT, UKCP's college of Family, Couple & Systemic Therapy, I am a Validated member of Psychology Today.
For more than ten years I have worked across various NHS adolescent and adult community and inpatient mental health settings. I currently hold senior roles in two NHS trusts, working with children, young people, adults and families experiencing a range of mental health problems: Eating Disorders, Depression, Anxiety/Severe Anxiety Disorders, ASC, PTSD, Behavioural and Conversion Disorders.
Within a Systemic field I am trained and qualified in Attachment based, Solution Focussed, Narrative, Strategic, Structural, Emotion Focussed, Milan and Functional Schools of Family Therapy.
Further training and qualifications include: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E & CBT-T), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT & Ro-DBT), Family Based Treatment (FBT-AN/BN) for Eating Disorders, MANTRA (Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults), FBI (Feeling and Body Investigators) ARFID Divison, .
Eating Disorders, Digital ways of working and considerations of 'Difference' are areas of interest and expertise for me, I have published and active research in this field.
Presently I am undertaking a Professional Doctorate in advanced systemic research and practice at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust in London.
“Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength”
Sigmund Freud
Therapeutic Process
How I Work
Once initial contact has been made I offer an initial hour and a half consultation to all new individuals and families. This time is used to bring forth a better understanding of the problems experienced alongside relevant personal, developmental and family history; any risks or concerns and how best to co-construct therapy together.
Testimonials
Patient Experiences
I suppose at the start…I never thought I had a problem until I met with Marianne; after being forced by my best friend and Mum to seek help that I didn’t think I needed. I didn’t really have much faith in ’therapy’ and I didn’t want to make any changes because I didn’t see the problem. After meeting with Marianne she helped me realise that I was suffering from an eating disorder brought on from trying to get that 'beach body' or a six pack: I went from training 6 days a week, eating little to no carbs, walking 10,000 to 12,000 steps and eating on some days as little as 1200 calories. I thought this was what I had to do to be ‘fit’, If it had not been for Marianne teaching me that this was not ok and that I was putting my health and life at risk I may not be where I am today.
She completely flipped my life from upside down to the right way up. I am not going to lie, it was incredibly gut wrenchingly painful and emotional and the process will be ongoing for the rest of my life. I was angry at her at first (as well as being angry at my friends and family) for trying to change everything I believed in and all the goals I had set for myself and felt as if I was being forced to give up something I loved.
Marianne was patient, supportive, encouraging, professional and feisty at times but this was exactly what I needed. She helped me re-learn what it was like to be alive and to live. Life was passing me by.
I felt like Marianne could relate and knew exactly what I was thinking or feeling without me having to put it into words, which was great because most of the time I couldn’t put into words what I was feeling or thinking.
Two years down the line and I’m spending quality time with my family and enjoying family meals which once a upon a time I would have avoided. I now have a social life and more importantly a LIFE!
If you are questioning whether you need help, you feel lost, angry and vacant from the world then contact Marianne.
L.H. London
Seeing my daughter torture her body and mind through an eating disorder was heartbreaking. Getting her to see for herself she needed help was incredibly difficult. When she eventually agreed to see someone, I was concerned she would say it was a waste of time, that she didn’t need any help and refuse to go again.
Meeting Marianne was our godsend. Her professionalism, empathy and manner made my daughter sit back and listen! That is the biggest hurdle with such a horrific disorder. My daughter respected and trusted her. Marianne not only supported her, she also worked with the GP, who didn’t really understand how to deal with the impact the disorder had on her body and mind.
Most importantly Marianne encouraged us to meet as a family and discuss how vital it was to talk, think and air our feelings. This came as a surprise to us all, as being such a close family we didn’t see how we could be doing anything wrong.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Marianne to any family and don’t know how we would have turned our daughter’s life around without her. We are eternally grateful.
D.H. Kent
Having a son who was suffering from Anorexia is a world away from what I ever imagined would happen to him or us as a family. My 15yr old son was always happy, funny, and laid back. He loved school and sport, he was the captain of the football team, a sports leader, and was studying for his GCSE`S. When his peers started to get involved in risk taking behaviours, he started to worry for them, and the pressure of this and pending exams started to take its toll. Using exercise as way of managing his stress and keeping fit for his roles in sport he began taking exercise, fitness, calorie counting, monitoring his fat percentage too seriously.
Despite our best efforts he was in the grips of an eating disorder and fortunately we were able to see Marianne for help.
Marianne`s expertise in Family based therapy enabled us a family to support my son whilst understanding the principles of the treatment. Whilst at times the therapy was extremely testing to follow as it would cause my son increased distress eating food I provided for him, Marianne’s belief in me, kept me focussed and able to follow the plans we had made. During the same time Marianne was supporting my son. He trusted her, he liked her, he found some of their conversations funny, he found her unfaltering support a consistent feature in what was otherwise an utterly chaotic time in his life being tormented by the anorexia.
He has now recovered, taken his GCSE`S and got back to having a life again. I will never be able to thank Marianne enough.
I cannot recommend Marianne highly enough to anyone who may find themselves needing some consistent, unconditional support. Be prepared for hard work to get to where you want to be but know that Marianne will walk alongside you to get you there. Despite how hard your journey may be.
N.H Dorset
Marianne showed our daughter the way forwards to recapturing her life and to following her dreams & life goals. After in-patient care, she supported a difficult transition to allow our daughter to stand alone and live her life to the full. Marianne understands young people and the devastation of an Eating Disorder. She has the ability to connect with patients and teach them the skills they need to move forwards with their lives. Our family could not have done it alone. We are eternally grateful for Marianne’s support when we needed it most.
K.B. London
Mind Matters : Family Systems
Mind Matters : Family Systems
Eating Disorders Program
Consider Eating Disorders in Men
Explaining Family Based Treatment and its Evidence
Contact Me
If you are looking to begin your therapeutic journey or have any questions please do contact me. I aim to make private psychotherapy an accessible resource and offer a sliding scale of fees.
01793 378026
