Counselling and coaching for musicians and the music industry
I work with clients working in and around the music industry, from singers and musicians to producers, touring personnel, label executives and managers.
My counselling and coaching clients have also worked in broader creative industries including acting, TV, photography, advertising, journalism, literature and digital media.
If you’re in London I can see you in-person (from my rooms in Kings Cross or Hackney). If you’re somewhere else, on the move, overseas or would simply prefer to see me online, we can work via Zoom.
I work integratively which means that in our work I can draw on different therapeutic styles including person-centred, psychodynamic and existential therapies, along with CBT and acceptance and commitment therapy.
We can identify a balance of approaches that works for you — a bit like using faders on a mixing desk.
Music industry counselling: my background
It can be helpful to have a confidential, non-judgemental space with a counsellor or therapist who speaks your language and understands the world you live and work in.
Before training as a counsellor I spent more than twenty years working with and around musicians and others in the music industry, initially as a music journalist then later behind the scenes in areas like artist development and media coaching.
I then trained first as a coach, with a Diploma in Tranformational Coaching, and subsequently as a counsellor with a PGDip in Integrative Counselling and Coaching.
I’m a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP) and an accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (MNCPS Acc.), and I’m accredited at practitioner level with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council.
On the music side of things, I’m a member of the Music Industry Therapist Collective, I’m a registered BAPAM practitioner, and I also work with Music Support.
Issues I work with
I’m experienced in working with subjects relevant to life as a musician such as self-esteem, inner critic, status, identity, fame, performance anxiety, relationships with band members and fans, burnout, social media and more.
Beyond that, I can apply my understanding of your unique circumstances as we work through the broader kind of issues that life can throw at anyone.
I’m also trained in working with couples and relationships, so if you and a bandmate or professional colleague are having a difficult time we could discuss working together on that.
Music Industry Therapists
I’m part of the Music Industry Therapist Collective, who provide support, consultancy and training for people in and around the music industry. All MITC members have an inside understanding of how the industry works.
Help Musicians Co-Pilot
Since 2020 I’ve been working with a number of emerging musicians as a volunteer in Help Musicians’ Co-Pilot Mentoring Network, which offers free sessions to musicians and runs in partnership with the Ivors Academy and Universal Music.
Touring & Mental Health
I contributed a chapter to Touring & Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual, edited by Tamsin Embleton. I was also an editor on Rhian Jones and Lucy Heyman’s Sound Advice: The Ultimate Guide To A Healthy And Successful Career In Music.
Counselling or coaching?
The type of work we do together might depend on what you’ve been through, what you’re facing right now and where you’d like to get.
We could look at either counselling (which can often be a case of making sense of the past and present), or coaching (which is usually more about starting off with where you are now, and working towards where you’d like to be in the future).
For some clients a combination of both can be helpful — I’m trained in a framework for integrating counselling and coaching, allowing us to develop our work together at a pace that makes sense for you.
After you get in touch we’ll set up an initial call (usually over Zoom) and figure out what approach feels best. If you’ve got questions about how it’ll all work, I’ll be able to talk you through it.
If you’re interested in working with me, my FAQ might answer some of your initial questions (it includes information on practicalities like pricing and locations), and you’re always welcome to drop me a line on hello@peterrobinsontherapy.com.
