Your Recovery Journey | Dr Kevin Pankhurst

Taking the first step on your road to recovery is not easy. You can feel vulnerable and frightened about where you are now and what may lie ahead. It is important not to look too far into the future or you can risk feeling overwhelmed. I break the journey into small, manageable steps. Just by looking at this website you have already taken your first stride and I hope that I can help guide you through the rest of that journey.

As a consultant psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience, I offer private psychiatric assessment and treatment from clinics in Esher (Surrey), Guildford, and Maidenhead (Berkshire), as well as virtual appointments for those who prefer to be seen from home. Whatever has brought you here — whether you are struggling for the first time or returning to seek support after a difficult period — you are in the right place.

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1. Getting an appointment

The process of booking an appointment is designed to be as straightforward and stress-free as possible. You do not need a referral from your GP to see me; self-referral is entirely welcome. If you do have a GP, I am happy to liaise with them and keep them informed at every stage, but this is not a requirement. Some patients come through their private medical insurance, and I am recognised by most major insurers — please do check with your insurer in advance if you wish to use your policy. If a friend or family member is concerned about you and would like to make the first call on your behalf, that is perfectly fine too.

I understand that when you are struggling, waiting feels impossible. I aim to see new patients promptly. Appointments are available at my clinics in Esher in Surrey, Guildford, and Maidenhead in Berkshire, as well as virtually for those who cannot easily travel or who simply prefer the convenience of being seen from home. Please do not let geography or logistics be a barrier to getting the help you need.

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2. Your first appointment

Your first appointment will last around 60 minutes. I want this to feel less like a formal assessment and more like a conversation — an opportunity for you to tell me, in your own words and at your own pace, what has been going on and how you have been feeling. I will ask about your current symptoms and concerns, your personal and family history, your general health, and what life has been like for you up until this point. None of this is intended to feel intrusive; everything you share helps me build a full and nuanced picture of you as a person, not just as a set of symptoms.

You are very welcome to bring a trusted friend or family member to your appointment if that would feel reassuring. Many of my patients find it helpful to have someone beside them, whether to offer support or simply to help remember what was discussed afterwards. I would encourage you to bring along any relevant letters or medical records you may have — correspondence from previous healthcare providers, GP notes, or, if you are being assessed for conditions such as ADHD, school reports or old educational assessments. These can be enormously helpful in building a complete picture.

By the end of this first appointment, I will share my initial thoughts with you, discuss whether any medication might be appropriate, and outline what the next steps look like. Your GP will be kept informed with your consent.

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3. Diagnosis

You may come to me hoping for a clear diagnosis, and in many cases that is exactly what I will be able to provide — though it may sometimes take more than one appointment before I can do so with confidence. A thorough psychiatric assessment takes time, and I would rather take that time and get it right than rush to a conclusion that does not serve you well.

That said, I want you to know that a formal diagnosis is not always the primary goal. A detailed formulation — a careful, personalised understanding of what is contributing to your difficulties and why — combined with a clear treatment plan, can be just as valuable. Understanding yourself and your experiences more deeply is often the most important thing, whatever label may or may not be attached to it.

Once an assessment is complete, I will prepare a full written report. This can be sent to your GP, and you are also entitled to a copy for yourself. Some patients find it helpful to share this report with their employer, an occupational health department, or their insurance provider.

Receiving a diagnosis can bring complex and sometimes unexpected emotions — relief, grief, confusion, or all of these at once. Whatever you feel, I will be with you through it. Understanding what has been happening is the beginning of being able to address it, and I will take as much time as needed to help you make sense of what a diagnosis means for you and for your life going forward.

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4. Treatment

There is no single treatment pathway that suits everyone, and I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every treatment plan I develop is tailored specifically to the individual sitting in front of me, taking into account not just their diagnosis but their personal circumstances, their preferences, and their goals.

Where medication is appropriate, it will be prescribed in line with current best practice guidelines. I also offer the option of pharmacogenomic (genetic) screening — a simple test that analyses your DNA to help identify which medications are likely to suit your individual biology. This can significantly reduce the trial and error that sometimes accompanies finding the right medication, and many of my patients have found it enormously useful.

Therapy plays an important role in treatment for many conditions, and I work closely with a network of highly experienced clinical psychologists. Depending on what is most appropriate for you, I can refer you to therapists offering a range of evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), among others.

Treatment plans are never fixed in stone. I will review and adjust your plan as you progress, responding to what is working well and what may need to change. Follow-up appointments are available both in person at my clinics in Esher, Guildford, and Maidenhead, and virtually, so that ongoing care can fit around the demands of your life.

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5. Recovery

Recovery is not a straight line, and I think it is important to be honest about that from the very beginning. There will be good days and harder days. There may be periods where progress feels slow, or where setbacks occur. This is entirely normal and does not mean that treatment is failing or that recovery is out of reach. It simply means that healing takes time, and that the path is rarely as neat as we might wish.

My own experience — both clinical and personal — has taught me that recovery is less about returning to who you were before and more about building something stronger. The skills and resilience that patients develop through this process are real, lasting, and deeply their own. A treatment plan with me will always focus on helping you understand your condition, nurturing a genuine sense of hope, building resilience, and strengthening the relationships that matter most to you.

Ongoing follow-up is an important part of this, and I will continue to support you for as long as that support is useful. Recovery from a mental health condition need not mean the end of a relationship with a psychiatrist; many of my patients find that periodic check-ins — whether monthly, quarterly, or simply as needed — help them maintain the progress they have made and catch any early signs of difficulty before they become serious.

The ultimate goal is a return to a full and meaningful life — whatever that looks like for you. A life where your mental health no longer holds you back from the things that matter: your work, your relationships, your passions, and your sense of self. I have seen patients reach this place many times, and I hope very much to help you reach it too.

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Ready to Take the Next Step?

If anything on this page has resonated with you, I would warmly encourage you to get in touch. It does not matter how small or how serious your concerns may feel — if you are struggling, you deserve support. As a private psychiatrist in London, Surrey and Berkshire, I offer psychiatric assessments and treatment from clinics in Esher, Guildford, and Maidenhead, as well as virtual appointments. Taking the next step is often the hardest part, but you do not have to take it alone.

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