Psychotherapy

As a Counselling Psychologist and Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, my passion is to offer a relationship based on respect and understanding.

This relationship provides a vehicle for exploring aspects of experience which may have previously been difficult to face and supports courageousness in finding words for previously unrecognised truths.

Psychoanalytic theory tells us that patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions can carry hidden meaning, and that being sensitively supported and witnessed in efforts to put these meanings into words can reduce suffering and reliance on harmful or self-limiting ways of coping, leading to the living of a fuller and more stable life.

This is the philosophy that underpins all my clinical practice.

What happens in therapy?

The process of embarking on therapy together typically begins with a detailed assessment.

During assessment, you will be asked about your current and past situation, and whether you are looking to plan for time limited (e.g., 10-40 sessions) or longer-term therapy.

We will also refine our understanding of the focus of your therapy, and establish what is required to work on this together. The latter includes considering practicalities to enable you to make the best use of therapy and ensuring clarity about each of our roles.

Once the focus of, and agreement for therapy has been reached, you are invited to voice your uncensored thoughts and feelings about your experiences, including those in relation to the therapy focus, agreement, and the therapy relationship itself.

My role includes paying careful attention to what is communicated and potentially inferred, and to share and check my observations with you in a way that is both manageable and helpful.