I'll be straight with you. If you live in Manchester and you're looking for a CBT therapist, you don't need to come to Chester. Manchester has plenty of qualified CBT practitioners and you'll find someone good without leaving the city. I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
But if you're looking for primitive reflex integration therapy, that's a different story entirely. You won't find many clinics offering what I do within a two-hour radius of Manchester. It's that specialist. And that's the reason most of my Manchester clients make the journey.
The Honest Picture on Distance
My clinic is in Chester, about 60 minutes from central Manchester by train and 60 to 75 minutes by car. That's a real commitment for weekly therapy sessions. I'm not going to dress it up as "convenient" because it isn't, not for regular CBT appointments.
Here's what works for Manchester clients in practice:
Primitive reflex integration: PRI appointments are typically fortnightly or monthly after the initial assessment. You come to Chester, I assess the reflexes, we review your exercise programme, and you do the daily exercises at home between visits. A monthly trip to Chester is very manageable. Plenty of my clients travel further than Manchester for this work.
CBT therapy: If you specifically want to work with me for CBT, online sessions are the practical option. I do fully online CBT for several Manchester clients and the outcomes are identical to face-to-face work. The research is unambiguous on this point. You get the same 50-minute sessions, the same approach, the same between-session tasks.
The hybrid approach: Some Manchester clients come to Chester for an initial face-to-face assessment, then switch to online CBT sessions while attending PRI appointments in person. It's the setup that makes the most sense geographically.
Getting to Chester from Manchester
By train: Direct services run from Manchester Piccadilly to Chester roughly every 30 minutes. Journey time is about 60 minutes. From Chester station, the clinic at In Motion Clinics (137 Long Lane, Upton, CH2 1JF) is a 10-minute taxi ride. Trains also run from Manchester Oxford Road.
By car: Take the M56 westbound towards Chester, then join the M53 northbound briefly before exiting for the A41. In clear traffic, 60 minutes. During rush hour, allow 75 to 90 minutes. The M56 can be slow around the airport. Free parking at the clinic.
From south Manchester: Stockport, Cheadle, and Altrincham are slightly closer, roughly 50 to 60 minutes. Altrincham in particular has a good connection via the M56.
Why People Travel for Primitive Reflex Integration
Primitive reflex integration addresses retained neurological reflexes that should have been integrated during the first year of life. When they persist into childhood or adulthood, they can create a cascade of problems: difficulty concentrating, poor coordination, anxiety that doesn't respond to talking therapy, reading difficulties, emotional volatility, sensory sensitivities.
These are the children who've been through CAMHS, tried CBT, been assessed for ADHD and autism, and still haven't got answers. The adults who've had years of therapy for anxiety but never quite got to the root of it. Retained primitive reflexes aren't always the explanation, but when they are, the right intervention makes a dramatic difference.
The problem is finding someone who does this work. There are probably fewer than 50 practitioners in the UK offering proper primitive reflex assessment and treatment. Most are concentrated in London and the southeast. In the north of England and North Wales, I'm one of the only options. That's not marketing spin. It's just the reality of a very niche specialism.
Clients travel to me from across the northwest, the Midlands, and occasionally further. A 60-minute train journey from Manchester is routine by comparison.
Manchester's Mental Health Landscape
Greater Manchester has invested heavily in mental health services. The GM Mental Health Strategy, the expansion of talking therapies, the integrated care system. On paper, it's one of the better-served areas in England. In practice, waiting times for specialist psychological therapy are still 3 to 6 months in many boroughs, and CAMHS remains overwhelmed.
For standard CBT, though, Manchester genuinely does have options. The private therapy market is well-developed and there are good therapists in the city. I'd only suggest travelling to Chester for CBT if you've struggled to find the right fit locally, or if you want to combine CBT with primitive reflex work and see the same clinician for both.
What I Offer
Primitive reflex integration therapy is the main reason to make the journey. Thorough assessment of all major reflex patterns (ATNR, TLR, Spinal Galant, STNR, and others), followed by a structured exercise programme. I see children, teenagers, and adults. The assessment takes about 90 minutes and I explain everything clearly as we go.
CBT therapy online for Manchester clients who want my particular experience and approach. Thirteen years in mental health, including the RAF. I work with anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, phobias, eating disorders, anger, and more.
Free Phone Consultation
If you're in Manchester and wondering whether the journey is justified, let's talk. I'll give you an honest answer. For PRI, it almost certainly is. For CBT, it depends on what you need. Call 07469 870 295 or fill in the contact form. I'll get back to you within a few hours.
