About
About me
Dr Beate Li
(née Schieffelbein)
Philosophy
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, and it’s important to find someone you feel comfortable with. As a counselling psychologist, my approach is integrative and grounded in person-centred values. This means I draw on different therapeutic models to meet your individual needs, while always keeping your experience, autonomy, and perspective at the heart of our work. I aim to offer a therapeutic environment where you feel heard, respected, and supported, and where we can explore whatever you're facing at your own pace, with honesty and care.
Experience
I have been working in the field of mental health since 2006, and over the years I’ve had the privilege of supporting people through some of the most challenging and meaningful moments of their lives. My career has taken me through a wide mix of environments e.g. Victim Support, MIND, Women’s Aid, East London NHS Foundation Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and Xyla Services; each one teaching me something different about what it means to be human, to struggle, and to heal.
Working across these settings, from community and voluntary services to both primary and secondary care within the NHS, has helped me develop a deep and compassionate understanding of the many ways distress can show up. I’ve supported people living with anxiety, depression, trauma, long-standing emotional patterns, relationship difficulties, identity concerns, and the weight of complex life experiences. I’ve worked closely with multidisciplinary teams, contributed to risk assessments and care planning, and supported clients through periods of crisis, uncertainty, and change.
Training & Qualifications
My academic background involves a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology. Along the way, I spent hundreds of hours in formal clinical practice under close supervision, learning how to truly listen, to formulate with care, and to tailor therapeutic approaches to each person’s unique needs. Supervision was a space where I learned not just techniques, but humility, self-reflection, and the discipline of delivering therapy that is ethical, attuned, and grounded in evidence. Those hours shaped me deeply; they taught me what “good therapy” really means: showing up fully, staying curious, and recognising that each person’s story is both fragile and brave.
As a practitioner, I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and am a chartered member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Counselling Psychology. But beyond the qualifications, it’s the human side of the work that keeps me committed. I’ve learned over time that healing rarely comes from techniques alone; it comes from being met, understood, and genuinely accompanied.
Interests
Research continues to show that the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of change. For me, this isn’t just a finding; it’s the foundation of how I work. My aim is to offer a space where you can gently set down the parts of yourself you’ve been carrying alone. A space where you can be honest, confused, hopeful, hurting, or unsure and know that it’s okay.
Together, we slow down enough to notice what’s happening inside you. We explore your experiences with warmth and curiosity, rather than judgment. We make sense of patterns, uncover the meanings beneath them, and find ways forward that feel right for you. My role is not to direct your life, but to walk alongside you as you rediscover clarity, capacity, and a sense of connection with yourself.
Across the many years I’ve spent in this field, one thing has stayed constant: people are amazingly resilient. Even when life feels stuck, painful, or directionless, something inside us still wants to heal. My work is to help you hear that quiet part of yourself again and to support you as you move towards a life that feels more grounded, spacious, and authentically your own.
