Therapy
I have been working for over 40 years as a clinical psychologist and systemic psychotherapist in the NHS and in independent practice. I focus on working with clients of all backgrounds and ages.
In a collaborative, confidential, non-judgemental environment, we will explore the issues that have brought you to therapy in the context of your relationships, family patterns, and beliefs. This will help us understand how difficult issues have arisen and illuminate what needs to happen for these issues to be resolved. Along with exploring the present and the past, our work will also involve exploring your hopes and dreams for the future, helping us to affirm important values in your life. I am committed to anti- discriminatory practice and will work alongside you to build a sense of solidarity to resist injustice and discrimination based on appearance, disability, race, culture sexuality and sexual orientation and other signifiers of difference.
What to expect from therapy
Ahead of our first session, you are welcome to give me a brief phone call and ask any questions you might have. If you would like to explore the possibility of therapy, we will arrange two initial sessions to explore the issues you are coming with, give you a sense of how I work, and see whether we can usefully work together. We will agree on how to go forward following these two sessions. Some people might need only a few sessions, while others may require more.
My focus will be on you as a person – your beliefs, your relationships, your environment, and what is most important to you. Looking at significant relationships and the socio-political structures in which you live allows us to view your problems in a unique, person-in-context way. We will approach issues with an appreciative stance which values your strengths and resources. If appropriate we may also explore the value of psychiatric diagnosis, which can be both useful and limiting. I am experienced in working with a wide range of psychiatric diagnoses, using evidence-based approaches.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges in the present moment as we pay attention, without judgement, to our experience. Developing mindfulness can help us to create space for making helpful choices when thoughts and negative emotions feel overwhelming. If you are living with depression, anxiety, family issues, sexuality and/or identity issues, high levels of stress, or any other trauma-related condition, mindfulness can be helpful.
Training in mindfulness will involve developing a compassionate awareness of what is happening in the present moment, becoming aware of how this influences our thought patterns and emotional wellbeing.
Along with structured Mindfulness courses, I also practice mindfulness as an adjunct to other therapeutic approaches. For more information please visit my Mindfulness page.
