How I work
A relational psychodynamic approach
I am a relational psychodynamic psychotherapist. This means I am interested in how our early experiences and relationships can continue to shape the way we experience ourselves and others in adulthood, often outside our conscious awareness.
We may find ourselves repeating familiar patterns in relationships, responding to situations in ways we don't fully understand, or feeling stuck, anxious or unhappy without being able to explain why.
The ways we learn to cope early in life often develop for good reason. They may have helped us manage difficult feelings, relationships or circumstances at the time. But as our lives change, some of these ways of protecting ourselves can become restrictive or begin to cause difficulties of their own.
Psychodynamic therapy gives us an opportunity to become curious about these patterns and to think about what might lie beneath them.
Working together
My approach is collaborative and relational. Rather than offering advice or telling you what you should do, I will listen carefully and think with you about your experiences, feelings and relationships.
You will be encouraged to speak as freely as you can about whatever comes to mind. Together, we can begin to notice connections, recurring themes and feelings that may previously have been difficult to recognise or put into words.
The relationship that develops between us is also an important part of the work. How we experience one another in the therapy room can sometimes help us understand ways of relating that also appear elsewhere in your life.
Making connections between past and present can bring greater awareness of why you feel and respond as you do. Over time, this deeper understanding can create the possibility of relating to yourself with greater compassion and having more freedom in how you respond to the people and circumstances around you.
In a world that leaves relatively little time for reflection, therapy offers a regular time and place in which your inner life can have our full attention.
Practical arrangements
Sessions
I offer individual psychotherapy in person in London Bridge and online.
Sessions are 50 minutes and usually take place once or twice weekly, at the same time each week wherever possible. Having a regular time and setting provides consistency and continuity for the work.
Online sessions are also available and can offer a convenient way to access therapy from a quiet and private space at home.
Longer-term therapy
I primarily offer open-ended, longer-term psychotherapy. This gives us time to explore your experiences in depth and to understand patterns and difficulties that may have developed over many years.
There is no predetermined end date. We can think together about the course of the therapy as the work develops.
Shorter-term work
I recognise that longer-term therapy is not possible or appropriate for everyone. Where there is a particular area you would like to focus on, we may agree to work together for a defined period, with a minimum of 12 sessions.
We can discuss whether this would be appropriate during your initial consultation and agree together on the focus and boundaries of the work.