My Approach:
As an integrative therapist, I’m trained in multiple approaches and modalities. I decided to train integratively because it was clear that applying a “one size fits all” approach to therapy doesn’t really work, as we are all so wonderfully different. I wanted to have the freedom to integrate different modalities in a way that respected my clients’ individual experiences of the world. The approaches I work with predominantly are:
Psychodynamic:
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on uncovering unconscious thoughts, emotions and experiences. To put it simply, your early experiences and relationships have a huge impact on your life and the person you are today, often without you even realising it. Psychodynamic therapy helps to uncover unresolved, negative experiences and bring them to the surface, so that we can understand them, and then move past them!
Person-Centred:
You might have left your authentic self behind a long time ago, because you wanted to fit in or be more acceptable to others – you might not even know what the authentic version of you looks like anymore. Person-centred therapy focuses on understanding where your ideas about yourself may have come from, helping you gain self-awareness around how you relate to yourself and others. This approach can help you begin to accept yourself and pay less attention to how others perceive you.
Other:
I take a systemic approach to therapy, which means considering (when it’s helpful!) the familial, political or societal systems and structures that you exist in, and understanding how they shape your experience of the world. I also work in a very relational way, which means that I show up authentically, form strong connections with my clients, and will sometimes focus on looking at our relationship as therapist and client, so that we can make sense of how you relate to others in real time.
What do sessions look like?
Sessions with me will usually start with a brief check-in to see how you’re doing, and then we’ll look at what might be helpful for us to explore. This could be what we’ve already been exploring, or you might want to talk about something different, it’s completely up to you. I’ll listen, ask questions, and offer my insights and observations. The way I show up in sessions is fully human and authentic – laughter isn’t uncommon, and neither is the odd swear word. This a space where you have permission to be authentically yourself.
