Welcome
Reflective Psychological Work with Dr Peter Sear
For those experiencing a loss of meaning after success, and sensing shifts in role or direction that invite reflection.
About Empathic Minds
Exploring life after success
Welcome. I’m the founder of Empathic Minds, and I work with individuals who are outwardly successful yet inwardly questioning their path.
Many of the people I meet have achieved their professional, financial, or creative goals, but now find themselves in a quieter, less visible place of uncertainty. While these accomplishments are real, they are often accompanied by a loss of meaning, or a sense that direction or aliveness has diminished.
I offer reflective 1:1 psychological work for people navigating life after success—particularly when an established role, sense of direction, or way of living no longer feels sufficient. This is not therapy in the clinical sense, nor is it performance coaching. It is a psychologically informed space to slow down, understand what is unfolding beneath the surface, and listen for what this current phase of life may be asking.
I am a Chartered Psychologist with a background in depth psychology and empathic leadership. My approach is careful, relational, and unhurried, and is intended for those who want to understand themselves more deeply, rather than optimise or fix themselves.
I work online and in person with individuals in the UK and internationally. If you are unsure whether this work is right for you, we can explore that together.
Dr Peter Sear
Here's a sense of what this work offers, and how WE WoRK TOG
The Work
How We Work Together
How We Work Together
This work is for people who have reached a point where familiar ways of living no longer feel sufficient.
Often, this moment arrives after success rather than failure—when goals have been met, responsibilities established, and life appears stable from the outside. Internally, however, there may be a loss of meaning, a quiet restlessness, or questions that no longer respond to effort or optimisation.
I offer reflective 1:1 psychological work for individuals navigating this life-stage shift—particularly when an established role, sense of direction, or way of being begins to loosen, and what comes next is not yet clear.
The focus of this work is not on improvement or performance, but on understanding what is unfolding beneath the surface and allowing a clearer orientation to emerge. Our conversations attend to meaning, role, and direction, making space for complexity, uncertainty, and depth.
Change, when it comes, arises from understanding rather than pressure.
How We Work Together
How We Work Together
How We Work Together
This work unfolds through regular 1:1 conversations, held online or in person, and attends to questions of meaning, direction, and role that can arise after periods of success.
Sessions are reflective rather than directive. We begin not with goals or techniques, but with what is present—questions, patterns, tensions, or experiences that may not yet be fully formed. This allows understanding to develop gradually, without pressure to resolve or decide too quickly.
I work carefully and relationally, drawing on depth psychology and psychologically informed listening. Theory and research inform the work quietly, remaining in the background rather than shaping the agenda.
Some people come for a defined period during a particular life-stage shift. Others stay longer, allowing the work to deepen as understanding develops. We will discuss what feels appropriate together.
This is not fast work. It is attentive, thoughtful, and paced to allow meaning to emerge in its own time.
Who This Work is For
How We Work Together
Who This Work is For
For you if:
- You are outwardly successful and inwardly questioning
- You feel a loss of meaning or direction after achieving what you set out to do
- You sense that an earlier role, way of living, or sense of direction has completed its work
- You are reflective, articulate, and willing to sit with uncertainty
- You are not looking for quick answers, but for deeper understanding
- You want a psychologically grounded space without diagnosis or performance pressure.
Not a good fit if:
- You are looking for practical coaching, advice, or goal-setting
- You want techniques, tools, or strategies to optimise performance
- You are seeking clinical treatment for acute mental health difficulties
- You want fast solutions or clear answers
- You prefer a highly structured or directive approach
More about Empathic Minds
Philosophy
Not every moment in life revolves around growth or improvement. Some moments call instead for understanding, reflection, and careful attention.
These moments often arise not through failure, but after success—when goals have been met, roles established, and a way of living that once made sense begins to feel quietly insufficient. Questions of meaning, direction, or purpose may surface without clear answers, and familiar strategies of effort or optimisation no longer resolve them.
I work with individuals who find themselves in such life-stage transitions, where an earlier sense of self or direction is loosening and something new has not yet fully emerged. This work is not about pushing change or defining outcomes, but about listening closely to what is unfolding beneath the surface.
My approach is psychologically informed and grounded in depth-oriented traditions that recognise that meaning cannot be forced, and that periods of uncertainty often carry important information. By attending to these moments with care—rather than rushing to resolve them—people often find that a clearer orientation begins to take shape in its own time.
The work offers a reflective space in which emerging thoughts, feelings, and questions can be met thoughtfully, allowing understanding to develop before action is taken.
Professional Background
I bring a depth psychological understanding and decades of experience to my psychological work, particularly in navigating identity transition and addressing the loss of meaning. My training spans Jungian studies, empathic leadership research, and relational psychological practice.
I am a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), and a Student Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP).
In addition to my PhD, my academic qualifications and training include Master's Degrees in Human Resources & Industrial Relations (University of Hertfordshire) and Jung & Post-Jungian Studies (Centre of Psychoanalytic Studies, University of Essex), as well as a BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology (University of Hertfordshire). I have also completed a Coursera Diploma in Neuroscience (University of Chicago), a Neuroscience & Psychoanalysis Diploma (Tavistock & Portman Hospital), and a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (TQUK). Furthermore, I hold a BACP Level 3 Certificate for Counselling and Psychotherapy (CPCAB) along with various certificates in Mental Health First Aid, Autism Awareness, Suicide Awareness, and Essential Teaching Skills (Loughborough University).
I also possess a BACP Fitness to Practice Certificate for Counselling & Psychotherapy (West Sussex Counselling Training).
Approach
My psychological work is reflective, relational, and grounded in depth, particularly as it relates to changes in role, direction, or regaining a sense of self after success and the loss of meaning. I don’t begin with predetermined goals or techniques. Instead, I focus on what is present—listening for patterns, meanings, and questions that may not yet be fully formed. My background draws on depth psychology and empathic, person-centred traditions, alongside contemporary psychological research. These insights inform my work quietly, without imposing a specific framework or agenda.
Dr Peter Sear - Media History
Explore the insights in the book on empathic leadership, which can be found at https://www.routledge.com/Empathic-Leadership-Lessons-from-Elite-Sport/Sear/p/book/9781032349459?srsltid=AfmBOoovnNXvyb7WAeQfr8JnbqbpHGL-eUBv9QcNtWI5tvvZDhkDBcQ8. This resource delves into identity transition and the loss of meaning often faced by leaders in el
Explore the insights in the book on empathic leadership, which can be found at https://www.routledge.com/Empathic-Leadership-Lessons-from-Elite-Sport/Sear/p/book/9781032349459?srsltid=AfmBOoovnNXvyb7WAeQfr8JnbqbpHGL-eUBv9QcNtWI5tvvZDhkDBcQ8. This resource delves into identity transition and the loss of meaning often faced by leaders in elite sports. Additionally, a relevant book chapter is available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384542000_Heroism_and_Compassionate_Leadership. For a deeper understanding of these themes, check out the video from the Culture in Sports roundtable 2025 at https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cultureinsports_leaders-empathy-sports-activity-7345464903605829634-xtPW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABRToDYBszNWT2Ei7sWPrqaRZrBaIyOq7CU. You can also read articles that discuss the psychological work involved in fostering empathy, such as the Psychology Today blog by Peter Sear at https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/contributors/peter-sear-phd and an article on empathy during a refugee crisis at https://worldfinancialreview.com/the-power-and-complexity-of-empathy-in-a-refugee-crisis/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMvh-RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHr1pobxHl8djf6vn2unEZLCrSybLhuCTYvzb-hqzY7q5UI3Jp3DV_aRz9Pzv_aem_nlRpxK9ym35EJJtPi1i1CA. Recent talks can be viewed through photos at https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dr-peter-sear-em-3b226096_london-architects-designers-activity-7268240492939677696-GKM3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABRToDYBszNWT2Ei7sWPrqaRZrBaIyOq7CU. For those interested in further education, there is an online course on Depth-Psychology and Spaces available at https://www.udemy.com/course/depth-psychology-interior-design/?referralCode=FAFD716011399B701C40. Additionally, you can listen to various podcasts that cover these topics, including The Coaches Network (UK) at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-coaches-network-podcast/id1516716555?i=1000714603838, The Empathy Edge (USA) at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-empathy-edge/id1527435697?i=1000631392290, Deep Leadership (USA) at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/deep-leadership/id1494823921?i=1000611559043, The MinterDialogue (UK) at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leadership-brand-strategy-transformation-minter-dialogue/id406487648?i=1000643006767, The Sport Psych Show (UK) at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sport-psych-show/id1434313037?i=1000614813115, Purposeful Empathy (CAN) at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/purposeful-empathy-with-anita-nowak/id1528606164?i=1000667183349, and The Performance Psychast (UK) at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-performance-psychcast/id1557288472?i=1000655846853.