A much-needed psychotherapy clinic has opened its doors at freshly restored Seal House in Ealing.

Offering services including therapy, counselling, coaching, yoga and meditation, the new clinic aims to help people navigate many of life's challenges.

According to mental health charity Mind, around a third of adults and young people reported their mental health being much worse since March 2020.

There were also an estimated 83.4 million antidepressant drug items prescribed between 2021 and 2022, a 5% increase from the previous year.

This Curious Life has been created to support individuals, couples and families experiencing existential challenges including depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, grief and loss.

"Mental health does not just affect the individual, it often affects a much wider group," says Ruth Gibson, founder of This Curious Life.

"The impact on friends, family and colleagues can be profound particularly in light of a complete disintegration in services offering help.

"Without help, the pain is cyclical. The person suffering the most, feels more guilt and anguish because they can see the impact on their support network.

"The support network recognises the deepening risk but struggles to help with no training. And so, it goes on."

This Curious Life reopens Seal House where English Chamber Ochestra previously operated (credit: This Curious Life).

Gibson continues: "I founded This Curious Life to help break this cycle of despair. To help people reconnect with what they have lost and to regain control of their lives.

"Now our doors are open, my message to the community is we are here to help, and my message to like-minded practitioners is, come join us on our journey."

Ruth Gibson was a global people lead at a FTSE 100 for decades and was witness to the struggles that modern day living can have on mental wellbeing.

She decided she wanted to become part of the solution so retrained as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor at the Metanoia Institute, which was founded in Ealing, and launched This Curious Life.

Inside one of the restored rooms from Seal House, Ealing (credit: This Curious Life).

The next challenge was to find premises to serve the Ealing community.

Disillusioned with uncared for therapy spaces and the lack of them available for practitioners, she took the plunge and began renovating Seal House on Coningsby Road, W5, at the beginning of 2024.

The spaces have been designed by practitioners for practitioners with the aim of ensuring they and their clients feel valued in the space.

Seal House has five rooms, four of which are for two to four people and a larger room available for yoga, meditation and group work.

The site is a quirky building full of charm and character, originally a pub, local residents recall it being a grocery, and antiquarian bookshop and latterly a home to the offices of the English Chamber Orchestra.

Having restored Seal House she is opening the doors to potential practitioners to join her as community members.

This Curious Life is open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday and by arrangement Saturday and Sunday.

Enquiries should be sent to [email protected] Practitioners who would like to learn more or attend one of the open days for practitioners should contact Ruth at [email protected]

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