My experience with Karen was very helpful and constructive. She is an actively empathetic listener and makes it very easy to access and share your feelings. She provided me with many tools and practical examples to support the changes I wanted to implement in my life. I was a bit reticent to try therapy through Skype but found it to be much easier and less stressful than physically getting to sessions, not to mention what you save in transport costs and timewise. Doing sessions from the comfort of your own surroundings with a cup of tea turned out to be a definite advantage for me. I highly recommend Karen’s services and hope she can help you as much as she helped me. C.W. (2019: Valencia) 

I started CBT therapy with Karen when I was struggling with overwhelming anxiety and depression and felt like I needed someone professional to talk to. During our sessions I always felt heard and understood – her care is truly genuine and sincere. She went out of her way to try different methods and mindfulness exercises to see what worked best for me and really made me feel like I was getting personalised support. Our sessions started as face to face chats in a comfortable and welcoming space but later on, we switched to using Skype. I didn’t feel like online therapy took anything away from the session – if anything it’s very convenient, especially for someone leading a busy life. I highly recommend Out of Sync Therapy for anyone struggling emotionally. D.B. (Australia 2019)

As someone who has suffered for many years with anxiety and slight depression, I was always very reluctant to seek professional help as always felt there was a stigma attached.

I have had cognitive behavioural therapy twice with Karen Tate. Karen makes you feel completely at ease and has a hugely friendly and amiable approach to therapy which immediately made me feel ok to open up and never feel judged for the worries or behaviours I had.

Following both sessions which were now over two years ago I still put practices and techniques into place that Karen taught me.

My anxiety, all though never gone completely is now manageable following my time with Karen and I constantly have her words and guidance in my head.

I can’t recommend Karen and CBT therapy enough.

C.H. (Newcastle Upon Tyne 2018)

Hi, hope your well. I just wanted to message you and say how I’m doing. Losing dad has actually made things so much clearer for me, after all those sessions with you talking about how lost I was, his death has brought me closer to my mam and brother more than I could ever imagine! I’m now so so proud of who I am and where I came from and for once in my life, I don’t feel inferior to my brother, or anyone else in fact! I’m so proud of who I am and what I’ve come through. I’m proud of my family name and to be my brothers’ little brother and for once I feel a huge sense of identity!?! It’s so weird I can’t explain it??? I’m just so proud of my family and myself and feel like I just want to push forward and make dad proud!!! Thank you again for your support!!! You will forever be a massive let if my journey! Keep doing what you do Karen because you are a gift! C.H. (Newcastle upon Tyne 2019)

‘I met Les at a friends BBQ by chance and instantly felt completely comfortable talking to him before even knowing he was a therapist.  This lead to some very helpful sessions which contained information that I will continue to fall back on in the future.  He was brilliantly insightful, calm and understanding of my predicament at the time and helped a huge amount.  He ended up helping me in many areas of my life that I wasn’t even aware needed fine-tuning.  I will continue to practice the ideas he shared with me and will definitely be going back for top-ups.

“He’s also an extremely nice man to boot.  I can’t recommend him highly enough.”

C.S (Nov 2019) Spain 

“ I asked Karen to help me after I’d recognised I had a nagging problem which could easily get much bigger if I didn’t get to grips with it quickly. The best things initially were the fact that she’s very grounded and easy to talk to, she made it extremely clear that these sessions weren’t meant to go on forever (I wasn’t signing up to life time therapy) and that she took such an interest in expanding her own knowledge with gusto into an area in which she was less familiar, and applying her own extensive experience across the new area.

I have recently completed a series of sessions with Karen over a 4 month period and can’t sing her praises enough. Having started out depressed, stressed with low self-esteem and lacking in confidence, Karen has brought me back to life. I have learned a lot of skills along the journey which have aided my improvement, future stability, and long term wellness plan. The Skype sessions have been excellent, always tailored to my own issues and needs, drawing on Karen’s wealth of knowledge and experience. Very approachable, warm, kind and friendly, I would strongly recommend Karen to anyone considering having therapy.

Charlotte Bull (Oct 2019, Valencia)

I started therapy for an unusual reason, I was hating my kids and felt like a failure as a father and didn’t want to be that person.

Karen talked with me and listened to me going through the situations leading up to my decision that something needed to change.

Making me understand that the idealised version in my head of what a father should be was an impossible goal and that we all have faults and we need to give ourselves the right to fail at times and maybe not hold ourselves to some impossible ideal was an important step.

Going through parenting strategies and following through on exercises done by myself and with the kids so they became a part of the solution too helped enormously.

Of course, there are still problems with the kids but we now have a toolbox of coping strategies that we can open to solve things before they become even more problematic. Understanding that it’s my response that can stop things spiraling out of control is the most important point.

I would recommend Karen highly and have done so to friends. The mixture of in person and Skype sessions also worked well. My advice to anyone thinking of trying therapy is just do it and be totally honest. You won’t regret it.  G.H. (November 2019)

 I have recently finished a course of therapy with Les.  My drinking throughout the lockdown had increased and I have been bereaved since my mother died at the age of 84, a year and a half ago. I have generalised anxiety, which has been a lot worse through this period.  

Thanks to the amazing therapy I received, I have my core strength back, the anxiety properly at bay and feel able and ready to get on with the next chapter of my life. My drinking is now moderated very well thanks to the techniques I have learnt from Les. I can honestly say that the help he has given me is priceless.

M. J. October 2020

Over the last few years I found myself struggling with anxiety, panic attacks and lack of self confidence. I needed to start feeling better so I decided to begin therapy sessions with Karen. From the first session I immediately felt at ease, Karen took the time to build a detailed timeline of my life and get to know me as a person. She explained in depth how the mind functions and operates, which I found very helpful.

Karen was very patient in sessions and always listened with intent, throughout the sessions Karen has provided me with many tools to assist with overcoming my anxieties, such as exposure to anxiety triggers, books to read and meditation guidance. Karen always took a logical approach and would undertake thorough research on topics when required, after every session I was left feeling good about myself.

I would highly recommend Karen as a therapist as she is a kind and caring individual. It is a comfort to know that she is always there if I need someone to talk to. 

K (2023)