Being heard

I provide a calm, non-judgemental and confidential space where together we can talk about what’s going on for you. Together, we’ll find the best ways to support you and give you the means to take good care of yourself. Often simply being able to express difficult feelings or tell your story to a professional is a vital first step.

Sometimes, we don’t realise what it’s like to be truly listened to and heard until we experience it.

Exploring

On this foundation, I bring my professional experience and training, which enable me to work with you to begin to explore your experience of life. This is an opportunity to go beyond ‘just living’ (or perhaps even ‘just surviving’); it is an opportunity to slow down repeated patterns of thinking about your life, to genuinely experience your feelings, and to reflect on the present in the light of the past. Working in this way can offer more than just a different perspective, it can also bring about a deeper understanding of your life.

Understanding

I believe that real and lasting change requires understanding ourselves and our histories. This process could be seen in many ways: bringing the unconscious to conscious light; understanding the initial causes of unhelpful behaviours; acknowledging the impact of the world we live in.   

Acceptance and Change

Many people come to therapy with a sense that something in their life needs to change. For some, the journey from ‘understanding’ to ‘changing’ can be challenging, but possible. For others, the changes that we want are unattainable or overwhelming - perhaps a relationship that’s come to an end or the resolution of big societal challenges — and so the focus may be on finding ways to live creatively within these limitations that still allow a full life. Accepting ourselves for who we are - perhaps letting go of a requirement to change for others – can be just as powerful.

Therapy does not promise change, but it can offer hope. Moreover, it offers a space where we can take a break from the demands of our regular lives, to slow things down and begin to make some sense of our feelings.