STARTING THE PROCESS
Finding the right therapist can be a confusing and frustrating experience and it may take some time to find the right 'fit'. I suggest that you aim to meet with several therapists before making a decision.
Here's how the process could look if you decided to get in touch with me.
MAKING CONTACT
You would make contact via email, text, WhatsApp or phone we would arrange to have a brief telephone call to discuss your needs. I can answer any questions you may have around therapy and any practicalities. Then, should you want to move forward, we will arrange a more in-depth consultation.
CONSULTATION
We will meet virtually or in person for approximately 1 hour which will give me chance to get to know you, understand what you are looking for and determine how I might be able to help. It will also be a chance for us to determine that all important 'chemistry' necessary for a good therapeutic relationship. You are assessing me as much as I am assessing you.
If you are unsure what you are looking for, this meeting could function as a one-off to help guide you to find the right support. This could include referral to another specialist, psychiatric referrals, group therapy or more practical support. I might also refer you to a colleague should I/we feel it might be a better fit.
I will then give you some time to digest the session and ask you to get in touch when you've decided whether or not you'd like to work together.
THE THERAPY
Therapy can be as short as 4 sessions, where the focus might be on a specific acute issue, or as long as a year or more where chronic or historic issues may need space to work at a deeper level. I usually suggest 4 sessions in the first instance.
Therapists come from many different theoretical schools, which can be quite confusing when you are just looking for someone to talk to. Is is worth looking up 'therapy approaches' online to see which speaks to you. My core training was psychodynamic, which provides a foundation to my way of working, but I would now consider myself more of an integrative therapist, drawing on a variety of therapeutic approaches, depending on your needs. I've a particular interest in existential therapy, attachment psychotherapy, group analysis and Jungian psychology which call all loosely be described as 'depth' psychotherapies. This means that as well as looking on the surface and in the present, we might be curious about how current difficulties might be related to the past and aspects of the self that might be out of your awareness.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy aims to increase awareness of your inner unconscious world and its influence over your relationships, moods and behaviours in the present. Existential therapy places emphasis on the human condition, our fear of death and dying and our search for meaning. It is a positive approach that applauds human capacities and aspirations while simultaneously acknowledging human limitations. An attachment approach describes four attachment styles: Secure, Anxious/preoccupied, Dismissive/avoidant, and Fearful-avoidant which can be very useful lenses through which to work on issues of intimacy, sex, commitment and conflict. My group trainings also place importance on the family, cultural, social and political world in which we live and how we make sense of the human desire to both belong/fit in and to be an individual/unique. Jungian psychology places emphasises on those shadowy aspects of us that might be unknown to us, but that contains a vital and creative part necessary for our lifelong process of individuation. Bringing your dreams to therapy can sometimes be a useful way of exploring that part of you. Generally speaking, dynamic therapies aim for a more balanced understanding of the self through an assimilation of our conscious and unconscious parts.
My view is that therapy can help most people - from work stress, anxiety, depression or relationship issues, those with diagnosed mental health conditions, to those who might be experiencing a loss of meaning in their lives or who are seeking a greater sense of fulfilment or creative potential. Research points to the relationship between the client and therapist being the main vehicle for change in successful therapy. I can offer a safe, collaborative and confidential space, free from judgement but challenging where necessary, to help you to understand yourself better and feel more comfortable in your skin.