About David Clancy
UKCP Registered Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist | Leeds & Online
There are many reasons why people decide to begin therapy. For some, it is a response to a particular difficulty such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or challenges within relationships. For others, it is a growing sense that something in life no longer feels manageable or meaningful, even if it is difficult to put into words.
My role is not to provide quick answers or immediate solutions, but to create a space where these experiences can be explored thoughtfully and understood more deeply.
I am a UKCP registered psychoanalytic psychotherapist with more than thirty years of clinical experience, having worked extensively in both NHS and private practice settings.
Throughout my career, I have worked with adults experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including anxiety, depression, trauma, personality difficulties, addiction, bereavement and relationship issues.
My Approach
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is concerned with understanding the whole person rather than focusing solely on a presenting problem.
The ways we think, feel and relate to others are often shaped by experiences and relationships that sit outside our immediate awareness. Patterns that feel repetitive or difficult to explain may have roots that extend much further back than we realise.
Therapy offers an opportunity to become curious about these patterns and to understand how they continue to influence everyday life.
I aim to provide a thoughtful, respectful and reliable therapeutic environment where difficult experiences can be spoken about openly and explored at a pace that feels manageable.
Every person's experience is different, and for that reason I do not work from a fixed formula or predetermined programme. The work develops through careful attention to your individual circumstances, history and relationships.
Qualifications and Memberships
I am a registered member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and work in accordance with their professional and ethical standards.
My training and professional background include work across:
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NHS adult psychology services
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forensic and secure settings
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crisis and emergency mental health services
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private psychotherapy practice
Qualifications:
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MA Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
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Diploma in Group Work
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BSc Therapeutic Counselling
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Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Professional Interests
My work focuses on understanding the emotional experiences and relationships that shape how people live with themselves and others.
Over many years of practice, I have developed particular experience working with difficulties such as:
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trauma and difficult childhood experiences
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depression
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personality difficulties (including BPD / EUPD)
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eating disorders
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ADHD and autism
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bipolar disorder / manic depression
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anxiety
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dissociation
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addiction (including drugs, alcohol, and gambling)
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relationship difficulties
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suicidal thoughts
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is less concerned with diagnosis and more focused on understanding how these experiences have developed and how they continue to influence a person’s life.
Working Together
Sessions are available in person from my practice in Leeds and online throughout the UK.
Beginning therapy can feel like a significant step, and it is important that you feel comfortable with the person you choose to work with.
For this reason, I offer an initial consultation where we can discuss what has brought you to therapy, answer any questions you may have, and consider whether working together feels right for you.