Psychotherapy & counselling in West Wickham, Bromley, Kent & online.
Welcome.
My approach is warm, relational and non-judgmental, offering a safe, confidential space to talk, explore and begin to make sense of what is troubling you, enabling you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself in relation to others and the world around you, strengthening your ability to face life's challenges and enhancing your overall sense of wellbeing. If you would like to know whether psychotherapy or counselling may be helpful for you, please get in touch. All calls and emails are treated in the strictest confidence.
About me.
I am an experienced, accredited psychotherapist with a background working with children, adolescents and families, and over ten years clinical experience working with adults in individual psychotherapy. I hold a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with distinction from WPF Therapy. I offer once or twice weekly open-ended psychotherapy, working in depth with more complex or historical issues, with a focus on longer-term growth and development, and also short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, where we are able to identify and work with a particular focus, such as a recent bereavement or life transition.
My work is influenced by Analytical Psychology, a branch of psychotherapy founded by Carl Jung, and post-qualifying I have developed my practice studying with Jungian Analysts at The Society of Analytical Psychology. Jungian theory holds that the psyche is self-regulating and purposive, and non-integrated aspects of our personality held out of our awareness, in our ‘shadow,’ are not necessarily destructive but have the potential to expand and contribute to our sense of self and development. By paying attention to the unconscious, psychotherapy and analysis assists the psyche's natural movement towards wholeness, a process Jung called Individuation.
I am particularly interested in trauma and the mind-body connection, anxiety, relationship and family conflict, and life transitions, while valuing a wide range of experience. Essentially, I see every person as unique and with their own story to tell. I have previously worked as a freelance writer and write a blog combining metaphor and psychological insight to explore new ways of understanding troubling aspects of everyday experience.
About psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Early in our lives, we learn how to cope with our feelings and experiences in our own unique way. Patterns of relating and coping with distress become familiar and continue to influence us throughout our lives, at an unconscious level, affecting our behaviour and relationships at home and work. Sometimes our coping strategies, and the ways we relate to others, may become less helpful to us now, and even problematic. We may feel overwhelmed by grief, illness or painful events. Relationships may break down. We may feel anxious or depressed.
The therapeutic relationship, central to the work of psychodynamic psychotherapy, can help us become aware of the ways that our past experiences are influencing our present difficulties. To use a metaphor, if we realise we are travelling around the world using an ancient map, it will make more sense to us why we are lost when we discover that the borders and place names have changed. Through the therapeutic relationship, psychotherapy can help us to notice when our relational maps are out of date and help us redraw our internal maps to better represent the here and now, enabling us to find inner resources, develop healthier relationships with ourselves and with others, liberating us to live more in the present.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy thus offers the opportunity to begin to make sense of what underlies our difficulties, come to terms with our losses and discover new perspectives. With the help of a trained professional able to guide us at our own pace, we can begin to disentangle ourselves from the shackles of our past and live a more fulfilling life in the here and now. Research shows that the benefits of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic therapies continue even long after the therapy has ended. You can read a summary of the evidence base here.
Some reasons why people seek therapy.
Depression | Anxiety | Stress | Low self-esteem | Work related difficulties | Parenting | Trauma | Relationship Difficulties | Loss and Bereavement | Family Conflict | Divorce and Separation | Bullying | Feelings of Emptiness | Loneliness and Isolation | Self-harming | Suicidal Thoughts | Panic Attacks | Sexuality or Sexual Identity Issues | Illness and Disability | Chronic Pain | Personal Growth and Development