Psychotherapy can provide effective help for many issues, for example (although this list is not exhaustive):

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Parenting issues

  • Relationship problems

  • Divorce

  • Workplace problems

  • Career development issues

  • Traumatic experiences, PTSD

  • Attachment Trauma, complex PTSD

  • Addiction

  • Personality Disorders

  • Sexuality related problems

  • and many others.

Extensive outcome research over the past 40 years has shown that psychotherapy can be an effective intervention for the above mentioned issues (Duncan et al, 2009). At its most basic, it can offer a confidential, empathic space in which problems can be talked about, sometimes for the first time. This in itself can feel like a relief, and can have a healing effect.

If it goes well, solutions can be found, and things can profoundly change. There are many different kinds of therapy, so finding the right one can be initially confusing. I am an integrative therapist (Gilbert & Orlans, 2011), so I am trained in psychodynamic, person-centred and cognitive-behavioural approaches, and am therefore able to work on a presenting issue from different angles. I specialise in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approaches, which are designed to explore a problem in depth, also paying attention to where it may have originated from in the past (Wallin, 2007).

Research has also shown that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is an important factor for the effectiveness of therapy: therefore, I always recommend an initial session, to discuss what you are bringing, and how we might work together, so that you can then ‘feel into’ whether it feels right to go forward.

Therapy sessions are usually 50 minutes long and typically occur weekly, either on a short- or long-term basis.

References:

Duncan, H. L., Miller, S. D., Wampold, B. E. & Hubble, M. A. (2009) The Heart & Soul of Change: Delivering What Works in Therapy (2nd edn). New York: APA.

Gilbert, M. & Orlans, V. (2011) Integrative Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques. Hove: Routledge.

Wallin, D. J. (2005) Attachment in Psychotherapy. New York: Guildford Press.