What can therapy help with?
Therapy can be helpful when you are struggling with something that is affecting your relationships, emotions, work or general sense of direction, even if you are not sure exactly what is wrong. You may feel stuck in recurring relationship patterns, struggle with difficult emotions, experience self-doubt, feel overwhelmed, or find yourself questioning your choices or the direction your life is taking.
I particularly work with adults experiencing relationship and attachment difficulties, recurring interpersonal patterns, challenges around identity and self-confidence, emotional difficulties, family and parenthood-related challenges, and periods of transition or uncertainty.
You do not need to have a diagnosis or a clearly defined problem to begin therapy. Sometimes the starting point is simply a sense that something isn't quite working and a desire to understand why.
What is integrative therapy and how does it work?
Integrative therapy draws on different therapeutic approaches rather than assuming that one model will suit every person. My training includes psychodynamic, humanistic and cognitive behavioural approaches, as well as Clarkson's Five Relational Model.
Psychodynamic thinking can help us understand how earlier experiences and relationships may be influencing your life today. Humanistic approaches consider authenticity, self-acceptance and your capacity for growth, while cognitive approaches can help identify patterns in the way you think and interpret situations. I also draw on ideas from existential philosophy when they are relevant to questions about meaning, choice and the direction of your life.
Rather than applying techniques simply because they belong to a particular model, I consider what may be most useful for you. The therapeutic relationship is central to this process, and we can use our work together to understand both what you are experiencing and the patterns that may be contributing to it.
How do I know if therapy is right for me?
You do not need to be certain that therapy is right for you before making contact. Many people begin therapy because they know they are unhappy, overwhelmed or dissatisfied with something in their lives but cannot quite make sense of why.
You might be wondering why the same difficulties keep appearing in your relationships, why you react more strongly than you would like to certain situations, why you find it difficult to set boundaries, or why you struggle to feel confident in your decisions. You may simply want to understand yourself better.
Finding the right therapist is also important. Therapy involves developing a relationship in which you can speak openly and feel understood, so it is reasonable to contact more than one therapist and see who feels like a good fit. An initial conversation can help you decide whether you would like to work together.
What happens in the first therapy session?
The first session is an opportunity for us to begin understanding what has brought you to therapy and what you would like help with. We may talk about what has been happening recently, relevant aspects of your history, your relationships and any patterns you have noticed.
You do not need to arrive with everything worked out or know exactly what you want to say. In fact, not knowing where to begin is very common. I will ask questions to help us understand what is going on, but I will not expect you to discuss something before you feel ready.
The first session is also an opportunity for you to get a sense of what it is like to work with me and to ask any questions you have about therapy. We can then think together about whether continuing would be useful.
How long does therapy take and how often would I see a therapist?
The length of therapy depends on what you would like to work on. Some people benefit from a focused, short-term period of therapy, while others prefer to work more openly over a longer period, particularly when they want to understand longstanding patterns in their relationships or emotional life.
I offer both short-term and open-ended therapy. Sessions are usually held weekly, as regularity can provide continuity and allow us to build on the work from one session to the next. We review our work regularly to consider your progress, reflect on whether we are moving towards your goals and make sure that therapy continues to be useful and relevant to you.
There is no expectation that you need to commit to long-term therapy from the outset. We can discuss what might be appropriate for you as we get a better understanding of what you would like from therapy.