My Approach
Working in a humanistic, integrative, client-centred way, I don’t tell you what to do or how to change, but our developing therapeutic relationship will provide a safe, respectful and confidential environment conducive to exploring the painful and uncomfortable things that are troubling you. I use my awareness and professional understanding to interact with you in a constructive way to help you find answers within yourself and gain more clarity about your situation. As your empathic witness, and facilitative ally, I work with you at your pace with whatever emerges, in non-judgemental acceptance of you as you are, and where you are at, in the present moment.
Working in a humanistic, integrative, client-centred way, I don’t tell you what to do or how to change, but our developing therapeutic relationship will provide a safe, respectful and confidential environment conducive to exploring the painful and uncomfortable things that are troubling you. I use my awareness and professional understanding to interact with you in a constructive way to help you find answers within yourself and gain more clarity about your situation. As your empathic witness, and facilitative ally, I work with you at your pace with whatever emerges, in non-judgemental acceptance of you as you are, and where you are at, in the present moment.
What I offer
What I don’t offer
- Human qualities of respect, empathy, warmth and an open-hearted approach
- Sensitive use of natural intuition
- A genuine interest in you, and how you experience your life.
- Authenticity and appropriate humour
- Encouragement to find answers within yourself, helping you make sense of problems
- A professional, yet comfortably informal way of working
- Opportunity for containment and exploration of difficult feelings and experiences
- Support, and being with you on your journey as you make the changes you want in your life
What I don’t offer
- Advice on how to change or live your life
- Attempts to ‘fix you’
- Labels and diagnoses
Explanation of terminology:
Humanistic: A belief in the inherent human capacity to heal
I believe that everyone, no matter what situation they’re in, or how challenging their past has been, has the potential within them to discover constructive and effective ways to meet life’s challenges. This is an optimistic, yet realistic and gentle approach in which I work with you to help you discover your inner capacity for healing, whilst also paying attention to how your past experiences may be contributing to your current feelings, behaviours and situations in life.
Integrative: working with a variety of theories and therapeutic concepts, creating flexibility in the way I work
Through in-depth study, I have become familiar with a diverse spectrum of theories. My integrative approach enables me to work with you as an individual, in a unique and considered way, introducing various therapeutic ideas and concepts that are compatible with your way of seeing yourself and the world.
Client-centred: you determine the pace and general direction of your therapy
My client-centred approach enables me to integrate my professional understanding with the belief that you are the expert about you and your life, as we work together to help you articulate, explore, understand and make sense of the things that are troubling you at a pace that you feel comfortable with. This is a non-directive way of working, in which I’m concerned less about how I can fix you, and more about how I can get to know you, and understand your experience of yourself and your life to facilitate you in gaining the benefits of psychotherapy.
Humanistic: A belief in the inherent human capacity to heal
I believe that everyone, no matter what situation they’re in, or how challenging their past has been, has the potential within them to discover constructive and effective ways to meet life’s challenges. This is an optimistic, yet realistic and gentle approach in which I work with you to help you discover your inner capacity for healing, whilst also paying attention to how your past experiences may be contributing to your current feelings, behaviours and situations in life.
Integrative: working with a variety of theories and therapeutic concepts, creating flexibility in the way I work
Through in-depth study, I have become familiar with a diverse spectrum of theories. My integrative approach enables me to work with you as an individual, in a unique and considered way, introducing various therapeutic ideas and concepts that are compatible with your way of seeing yourself and the world.
Client-centred: you determine the pace and general direction of your therapy
My client-centred approach enables me to integrate my professional understanding with the belief that you are the expert about you and your life, as we work together to help you articulate, explore, understand and make sense of the things that are troubling you at a pace that you feel comfortable with. This is a non-directive way of working, in which I’m concerned less about how I can fix you, and more about how I can get to know you, and understand your experience of yourself and your life to facilitate you in gaining the benefits of psychotherapy.
The Therapeutic Relationship: The Heart of Psychotherapy
It is my experience that the humanistic, integrative, person-centred approach forms the basis of a strong therapeutic relationship, built on trust and mutual respect between the therapist and client. This is a collaborative effort and potentially playful, shedding new light into the space between us. Many problems originate from difficult relationships with significant others in childhood and throughout life. The therapeutic relationship provides an opportunity for joint enquiry, creating fertile and safe ground in which these dynamics can be revealed, explored and healed as you gain insight into how your experience of relationships affect how you feel about yourself and impact your well-being on all levels.
Holistic: an awareness of the connection between mind, body and spirit, and the wider environment
I firmly believe that mind, body and spirit are interrelated, with an interconnectedness to one another and the wider environment. Within this context we can explore a wide variety of factors that might be contributing to your experience. I have consideration for the impact of the external world in our life, and how we are affected by the culture and society in which we live. We live in a diverse and multicultural society, and I welcome working with people from all walks of life.
Religion and spirituality
I have a keen interest in the spiritual aspects of human experience, and I'm comfortable exploring and offering support to religious or spiritual experiences and unrest. For many people religion and spirituality is of little or no significance in their lives, and they therefore don’t need to address such issues during the course of their therapy. But others perhaps impacted by the global, collective, environmental challenges of the times in which we live, may be coping with problems and dilemmas of a more existential nature. Although I have no answers to these questions, it might be helpful for you to explore your concerns and experiences in therapy.Together we can help to put them in the context of the rest of your life.
It is my experience that the humanistic, integrative, person-centred approach forms the basis of a strong therapeutic relationship, built on trust and mutual respect between the therapist and client. This is a collaborative effort and potentially playful, shedding new light into the space between us. Many problems originate from difficult relationships with significant others in childhood and throughout life. The therapeutic relationship provides an opportunity for joint enquiry, creating fertile and safe ground in which these dynamics can be revealed, explored and healed as you gain insight into how your experience of relationships affect how you feel about yourself and impact your well-being on all levels.
Holistic: an awareness of the connection between mind, body and spirit, and the wider environment
I firmly believe that mind, body and spirit are interrelated, with an interconnectedness to one another and the wider environment. Within this context we can explore a wide variety of factors that might be contributing to your experience. I have consideration for the impact of the external world in our life, and how we are affected by the culture and society in which we live. We live in a diverse and multicultural society, and I welcome working with people from all walks of life.
Religion and spirituality
I have a keen interest in the spiritual aspects of human experience, and I'm comfortable exploring and offering support to religious or spiritual experiences and unrest. For many people religion and spirituality is of little or no significance in their lives, and they therefore don’t need to address such issues during the course of their therapy. But others perhaps impacted by the global, collective, environmental challenges of the times in which we live, may be coping with problems and dilemmas of a more existential nature. Although I have no answers to these questions, it might be helpful for you to explore your concerns and experiences in therapy.Together we can help to put them in the context of the rest of your life.
