People often have a clear intuitive sense that talking to someone about their feelings would be helpful. In addition, there is good research evidence that psychotherapy and counselling can help overcome particular difficulties such as depression, anxiety, addictions, eating disorders and so on. Many individuals also use psychotherapy to understand themselves better. This is particularly so if individuals recognize that they frequently seem to end up in similar kinds of interpersonal situations that may not be satisfactory. Psychotherapy can also be helpful for individuals who feel that they have the potential to live a fuller and richer life than they presently do.
Talk freely about anything that has been a cause for concern or that you have strong feelings about. In addition, it is often helpful to talk about other kinds of evidence of unconscious mental life, such as dreams or daydreams. It can also be helpful to discuss how you experience the therapy process itself.
Please see the page on fees.
Sometimes I may suggest that you try observing your feelings or thoughts or try new behaviours between sessions. The active participation of the client is particularly a feature of Schema Therapy.
One-to-one sessions are fifty minutes. Couples sessions can be fifty minutes, or one hour and forty minutes ( a double session).
Many people prefer to work in an open-ended way and let it go on for as long as it feels useful or helpful. However, sometimes I will make a time-limited contract if a client prefers this. Ways of perceiving and relating that have their origins in childhood often take several years to modify.
Yes, unless I receive two weeks' notice of the cancellation. Although I am willing to make contracts that offer some flexibility in this area.
Yes. The only limitation is when there exists a grave risk of serious harm to someone.
I work in the evenings.
I am a qualified Schema Therapist, which is recognized as a sub-modality of CBT. However, my work is aimed at modifying and resolving the underlying issues, which produce symptoms, rather than at the symptoms themselves.
Yes, I am in contact with several other therapists in South London.
Yes.