Many people experience emotional distress at some time in their lives due to some painful life events, personal problems, whether this is to do with relationships, health, work or family life. These can prompt them to seek therapy. Together, we can make sense of these distressing situations and thereby work towards insight, change and healing.
Difficulties that are not addressed are unlikely to disappear by themselves and talking through your issues with a well trained and experienced therapist can help you find new ways of thinking and feeling which can lead to insight and change.
Working together
Some of the issues I may be able to help you with:
- Anxiety including panic attacks.
- Understanding and managing stress.
- Understanding and managing anger.
- Mild to severe Depressive states, including suicide ideations.
- Compulsive behaviours, including drink and pornography addictions.
- Eating disorders.
- Self-destructive behaviours and self-harming.
- Family issues, conflicts and crisis.
- Low self-esteem and lack of confidence.
- Grief and loss, including divorce, ending of relationships.
First Step: Initial Consultation
The first step is to arrange for us to meet for a confidential initial consultation of 50 minutes. At times, a second consultation might be needed in the case we have not had enough time to cover the overall personal history.
In this first meeting, you will be able to discuss your reasons for seeking help, to tell me what has been worrying you and what you would like to get out of therapy.
Your are under no obligation to continue after the initial consultation. However, if you wish to continue with the therapy, at the end of our first meeting, we will then agree on a regular time to meet and on a fee, based on your personal circumstances.
Ongoing Therapy
Our weekly meeting of 50 minutes will allow us to explore your difficulties and emotions in a trusting environment.
My Approach
Our sessions will offer you a confidential and creative space in which to explore your thoughts and feelings in relation to your difficulties. My role is to work with you to develop a greater understanding of some aspects of yourself, your life, and your relationships which you may not have been able to consider before in a non-judgemental way.
My approach is psychodynamic which means that our work will look at unconscious processes and repeated patterns as they manifest themselves in your current life. Therapy will facilitate self-awareness and provide containment.
I also have gained some skills in Mindfulness and CBT, approaches and exercises which have proved to be beneficial to tackle panic attacks and severe anxiety states with adults, young adults and students.
I have a professional qualification in the therapeutic use of Mindfulness. I believe of the calming effect of Mindfulness practices for individuals who wish to reduce their stress, anxieties due to their life style and at times overwhelming streams of thoughts. I am referring to what Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn refers as “Awareness” which is the ability of “being present”. Among the psychological benefits of its practice, you can include a decrease in depression, anxiety and an increased peace of mind and self-worth.