If you’re seeking therapy, then the chances are you are in a situation which is causing you some difficulty. All human beings struggle with feelings or behaviours at some point in their lives; many human beings function well at work or socially and with family, but struggle in a specific area. Sometimes, life changes – whether redundancy, bereavement, relationship break-up or mid-life – leaves us questioning our lives and how we have structured them to date.
Many psychotherapy clients bring specific issues such as an addictive behaviour or a pervasive depression and anxiety; others know only that they are unhappy, experience self-loathing and a sense of stuck-ness. Often, clients feel powerless to change.
Psychotherapy offers a safe and confidential and non-judgemental space to look at these issues, to examine their roots and to support each client in working through the issues they struggle with. Talking to an experienced psychotherapist can help clients gain a clarity in a way that talking with friends cannot. The reason for this is not just objectivity, although this is important. A trained and experienced psychotherapist offers confidentiality, objectivity, absence of judgement and no agenda, other than to help their client find resources within themselves to effect change and growth.
Psychotherapists undergo intensive training. We are obliged to undergo our own process of therapy, to ensure our own material does not “contaminate” the client. We undertake Continual Professional Development and are professionally supervised, to ensure we practice with the highest level of skill and personal integrity.
Psychotherapy/counselling can be long term or short-term focused work. An initial assessment appointment helps clients explore how they would like to work and what structure of therapy might best suit them and their professional/family lives.