Why Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapists hold the belief that any symptom we have is not arbitrary but rather has meaning in context with our life experiences.

Psychotherapists believe that the best way to understand a problem is to understand it within a relationship. Central to psychotherapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client, a relationship that rests upon a collaborative approach to understanding, working through and resolving the source of your distress. Part of the process of psychotherapy is gaining insight (understanding why we feel the way we do) into ourselves and our inner workings. However insight alone is not enough to resolve emotional issues. It is the emotional engagement between the therapist and client that enables emotional disturbances to heal and for growth to begin to take place within the client.

Psychotherapists assert that focusing on symptoms doesn’t promote enduring change for people. While symptoms provide important information about the underlining causes, they are not the focus in psychotherapy, rather the focus is on understanding and unlocking the unconscious/hidden meaning of symptoms, to get to the cause or root of the problem. In time, the symptom will cease to be needed by the mind as an indicator of some deeper conflict.  Research has shown that the enduring benefits of psychotherapy outweigh other therapeutic techniques.

 

My Psychotherapy Approach

Theoretically speaking, my approach to psychotherapy is psychoanalytic – meaning that I understand difficulties within a psychoanalytic frame. I am also aware that each person requires a different amount of space and closeness to connect to themselves and to me when they come to do psychotherapy. I am sensitive to these differences and try to tailor my approach to the needs of each individual client.

More  importantly perhaps, is that my approach feels as if it is the right approach for you – both theoretically and personally. 

The ‘fit’ between us is important as it can have a bearing on the outcome of your therapy so I make sure that you and I both feel that we are the right people to be working together on your problem.  If after we have met the fit doesn’t feel right I would assist you to find someone who was.

The variety of presenting problems and the social and cultural diversity of my clients I have had the privilege to work with thus far, informs my belief that I am able to attune to people of a similar and different background to my own.

Some of the issues that I work with include:

  • Depression and anxiety 
  • Loss and grief
  • Experiences of trauma and/or abuse
  • Emotional disturbances
  • Social isolation
  • Personality disorders
  • DID
  • Couples
  • Relationship issues
  • Anger Management

  • Men’s issues
  • Sexual/intimacy difficulties/body issues
  • Difficulties faced by expectant/new fathers
  • Family breakdowns
  • Adolescent issues
  • Addictions
  • Destructive behavior
  • Loss of purpose/meaning
  • Work related issues


This is not a complete list so if your issue does not appear here I am happy for you to
contact me to discuss your needs further.