My Approach
Many people ask me how does personal therapy work? Can you fix me? What works best? Am I going to feel worse than I do now? How long does it take?
The honest answer
Personal therapy (or psychotherapy) can help us explore, identify and understand feelings, fears, anxieties, emotions and behaviours that are affecting our happiness or holding us back from realising our full potential. My role is to support, help and guide you through that process, in a caring, confidential, non-judgemental way, where you can say the things you want to say and explore your innermost feelings, in a safe and empathic space
I just want you to fix the problem
Wouldn’t life be great if we could find someone to simply fix us or sort out the emotions and problems we are facing quickly and easily? Unfortunately (or fortunately) as human beings, the challenges we face emotionally today can be deeply seated in the past and often mask bigger issues. That’s why it’s important to allow time to explore what has brought you to therapy and allow time to address it.
What works best?
In the real world, one size never fits all because every single one of us is unique. That’s why as an integrative psychotherapist, I draw on various therapeutic methods and techniques.
During our time together, we may explore your past and how that informs how you feel and act today; look at current and past family and personal relationships, investigate losses and traumas that have affected you, as well as look at your current lifestyle and work pressures, together with your ambitions for the future.
Just as importantly, we can explore how you view yourself as well as your own confidence and self-esteem, or identify negative thoughts or behaviours that hold you back, or deal with issues around anger, assertiveness or other skills.
The most important thing to remember is that all this is done in a caring and supportive way with total confidentiality – in other words what is said or happens in the room, stays in the room.
How long will it take?
If you are experiencing emotional issues and problems in your life or with those around you; or if you need to understand yourself better, or you simply know inside that something is wrong, then my aim is to forge a deep working alliance with you built on trust, honesty and confidentiality, to foster enlightenment, change, growth and well-being.
Sometimes change can come quickly and at other times need longer. The important thing is that therapy sessions are consistent, ideally every week. As an ethical practitioner, I will never prolong therapy longer than I (or you) believe we need. None of us want to be in therapy forever and very often clients feel after 3 or 4 months of weekly sessions that they would like to take what they have learnt and move on. Other clients need or value spending longer. The important thing to remember is that you have the power to decide for yourself and can stop therapy at any time.