Individual therapy is often sought out for relief from difficult emotions and the symptoms these can cause. Many people choose therapy in desperation, often as a last resort. The catalyst for starting therapy can be a traumatic experience; a major life crisis, for example the loss of a loved one through death or the end or a relationship; a life change, for example the birth of a child, getting married; or feeling emotionally overwhelmed and unable to continue without some support. Some people choose to embark on a journey of self-discovery by starting therapy.

The decision to start therapy is often very painful and anxiety-provoking. I strongly suggest that all new clients commit to a three session assessment. This allows time for me to a reach fairly good understanding of you and your symptoms and recommend various treatment options. It also allows time for you to decide if this type of therapy is for you and if so, if I’m the therapist for you.

I work within a psychoanalytic or psychodynamic paradigm, also referred to as insight-oriented therapy. I listen to what you are telling me and look out for patterns in feeling and behaviour. I then try to link these patterns in feeling and behaviour to similar response patterns in early attachment relationships. By sharing these links with you, you are able to recognise your behavioural /emotional response patterns and hopefully through deeper understanding, develop more compassion toward yourself and if necessary make choices which result in a different outcome. This form of therapy is not always easy and usually takes time. I believe the benefits are very real and have witnessed this in the clients I have worked with. Not everyone wants to embark on the lengthy journey this requires though, perhaps because of financial constraints, or because it feels too intense. Maybe the timing is simply not right for this kind of journey. I do offer shorter term, more focussed therapy when it feels appropriate. I am very respectful of each client’s individual needs and will honestly discuss the various options.