Max West

Max West is a pluralistic counsellor and Registered Member of the BACP. He works within The Awareness Centre’s NHS counselling services in Wandsworth and Lambeth and is currently completing a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology. His training is grounded in humanistic and integrative principles, and he works flexibly across approaches, including structured Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) where this is collaboratively agreed. Max has experience in community and NHS-adjacent settings, supporting adults facing a range of emotional and psychological challenges, and his work is guided by professional ethical standards and a commitment to accessible, respectful care.

Max offers a calm, collaborative space where clients can speak openly and feel met with empathy and understanding. He works pluralistically, recognising that people come to therapy with different hopes, preferences, and ways of making sense of their experiences. He invites clients to have a say in how the work unfolds, including the pace, focus, and style of therapy. For those who value an open and exploratory process, he offers a person-centred approach that supports reflection and personal growth. Where a more structured focus is helpful, he can work explicitly within a CBT framework, helping clients notice patterns in thinking and behaviour and develop practical ways of responding differently. This collaborative approach can be especially helpful in short-term NHS work, where clarity of focus and shared goals support meaningful progress.

Max has experience supporting people through anxiety, low mood, stress, bereavement, relationship and family tensions, workplace pressures, and the emotional impact of significant life changes. He has also worked within the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust Community Connections Wellbeing Service and The Grove Substance Misuse Service, supporting individuals facing complex life circumstances.

With a background in psychology and a longstanding interest in how people make sense of their experiences,
Max approaches therapy with curiosity and respect for each person’s story. He aims to provide a space where clients can feel steadier, gain perspective on what they are facing, and begin to move forward in ways that feel more coherent and aligned with what matters to them.