Individual Therapy
I bring together a unique combination of therapy approaches which allows me to adapt to my clients’ needs as therapy progresses. The foundation of my approach is a non-judgemental, supportive attitude, where we are curious together to understand what is going on for you, and we work collaboratively to find a way forward. You will not experience a ‘blank slate’: I believe that warmth and humour have an important place in the therapy room.
Therapy provides time and space - 50 minutes, once a week – just for you. It can be time-limited or open-ended: in an initial assessment we will explore this. I provide a space where you will be heard, you won’t be judged, and we will work together to find a way forward.
The evidence suggests that the most important factor in therapy working is you – whether you want to change something, and what you do about it in the therapy and in your life in general. The second most important factor is that you have a good working relationship with your therapist, so it is important that you choose a therapist you feel comfortable with. I hope my website gives you a good sense of who I am.
Some of the reasons people come to me
Feeling triggered. You’re having a strong reaction to certain things or situations that you can’t explain: a throwaway comment from a colleague leaves you incredibly anxious, or the possibility of conflict leaves you frozen with fear. You might be experiencing flashbacks or dreams about a difficult past experience.
Difficulty being ‘in the moment’. You might have trouble enjoying things and focusing on the here and now. Perhaps you’re scanning for issues or threats, even when you know they aren’t there. Often this is related to past experiences where you did need to be hypervigilant, but this behaviour is no longer needed. You would like to be able to enjoy the here and now, without scanning for trouble.
Relationship difficulties. You want to have calmer, more fulfilling relationships. Perhaps you’re having difficulty communicating your needs to the people in your life, or you find yourself having disproportionate reactions to interactions with your loved ones. You’re repeating unhelpful relationship patterns, and want to change that.
Feeling blocked or stuck. You might feel that you are shackled , mentally or emotionally, but you are not quite sure by what.
A specific fear or phobia. You may be afraid of something specific, for example car journeys, flying, death, or dogs. Or you may become very anxious about specific situations: exams; an upcoming holiday; weddings. EMDR is incredibly effective at targeting these kinds of issues and reducing or eliminating the reaction. Find out more about doing EMDR with me.
If this resonates, get in touch to explore working together.
My Approach
The approaches I am trained in are:
Psychodynamic. This helps you to understand ‘the presenting past’ - to explore how past experiences and unconscious patterns shape your current thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It also helps you to identify relationship patterns, to understand, to resolve deeper emotional issues, and to move forward.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. CBT helps you to identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviours, understand what triggers you and why, and learn practical skills to manage your emotions and tackle everyday challenges.
Person-Centred. This provides a non-judgemental, supportive space where to explore your feelings. This approach is the bedrock of my practice, and is collaborative: we are curious together about what might be happening, and why.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reintegration: EMDR is a cutting edge, evidence-based therapy endorsed by the World Health Organisation, the NHS, and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. It works to reprocess unresolved experiences from the past which may be causing strong reactions in the present, meaning that people are less easily triggered by specific situations. EMDR is effective for many issues including PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety, phobias, and relationship problems.
If we decide to work together, we would usually have some sessions understanding the lay of the land: what is going on for you, and what you would like to change. After 2-3 sessions, I will suggest the approach which I think will be most helpful, and check that you are happy with that.