My Approach to Counselling and Psychotherapy
It’s the relationship that heals
Central to my practice is a firm belief that it is in the relationship between us where healing and transformation unfolds
Despite decades of research aimed at identifying which ‘type’ of therapy or technique works best, the findings consistently indicate that it is the quality of the relationship between therapist and client that is the best indicator of positive outcomes in counselling and psychotherapy.
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I believe we are shaped within our relationships as we journey through life, where intentionally or unintentionally we can be wounded. Where necessary our bodies are capable of creatively adapting in order to survive, sometimes in ways that are no longer working for us or helping us to thrive. It is often only when we feel heard, felt and understood in the presence of what maybe, long awaited support, that change becomes possible - a safe and non-judgmental relationship is where we can best connect with our wisdom, potential and capacities for healing and growth.
It is difficult, with words, to do justice to the unique magic of what goes on between therapist and client in practice: Trust deepens; safety is cultivated; feelings and thoughts emerge to be heard, valued, reflected upon, and transformed; new perspectives and deeper understandings evolve; and new ways of being are discovered.
Time, space and therapeutic presence
Our relationship will offer a safe, unhurried and non-judgmental space that is committed to you.
We live in a society where the demands on us are often multifaceted and busyness can be revered. We are bombarded with information and communications. Emails, social media, news, phone calls, TV and so on, can overwhelm our brains processing capacity, leaving us feeling flooded. For many of us, it may seem that time for leisurely and sustained face-to-face connection is being ‘squeezed’ out of our daily life, and true presence can be a rare experience.
Therapy offers you time, space and the attuned presence of someone not entwined in your life, who is committed to being fully there with and for you, giving you their full attention, and listening deeply to understand. I believe it is within the context of this safe and non-judgmental therapy relationship, that it becomes possible to find a way through difficult times, painful experience, struggles and dilemmas.
A deep valuing of human difference and diversity
We each experience our world in unique ways, shaped by where we land in the world, the relationships and communities within which we grow and develop, and the broader social, cultural, historical and political context within which we live and are deeply affected by. The culture and context in which we develop can be a source of great strength – but it can also be discriminatory and oppressive.
I feel strongly my commitment to honoring, valuing and respecting human difference and diversity. I will strive to be sensitive and respectful towards how you experience the world and yourself in it, and attentive to the realities of prejudice, discrimination, exclusion, oppression and alienation that may form part of each person’s experience.
I feel honoured and privileged to have worked alongside a broad range of people of multiple diversities through my life. These relationships have been important in shaping my own development.
I have personal and professional experience of supporting neurodivergent children, young people and adults. I am committed to listening deeply and empathically, and responding sensitively to value and honour each unique person’s subjective experience of being in this world. I hope to collaborate with each person with an openness and flexibility, to find ways to work together that best suits us.
A holistic approach: sensitive to your unique way of being
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I will always be guided by you and your subjective experience of how it is to be you in the world. We experience and respond to our world in unique ways. Some people feel strongly the physical sensations of their experience; others find themselves caught up more in their thoughts, or may feel lost in their emotions; for others, it is their reactions and behaviours that might not make sense to them. I hope to work with you in a holistic way, sensitive and attentive to all aspects of your embodied experience, to honour the integrated nature of our mind, our body, our spirit (where this feels relevant), our relationships and the social/cultural/historical context within which we live and grow.
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An evidence-based and research-informed approach
My practice is always guided by and responsive to each unique person, their needs, wants and goals, and their moment-to-moment experience. I draw on various theories to support my understanding of people including neuroscience, the trauma-informed literature and the field of attachment and developmental psychology. I am committed to continually developing my practice by maintaining a critical engagement with contemporary research and theory relating to psychotherapy.
A trauma-informed approach
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I believe it is helpful to understand trauma by the effect of an event rather than by the event itself - the simplest and perhaps most helpful way of defining trauma is that it’s an experience we have that overwhelms our capacities to cope.
There are many sources of trauma, including but not limited to early relational trauma, emotional neglect, accidents, sexual assault, physical abuse, domestic violence, natural disasters, medical trauma, transgenerational and historical trauma, war, racism.
If you have experienced trauma in your history you may experience an overwhelming and confusing array of emotions, thoughts and physical symptoms that can leave you feeling powerless and out of control.
My approach to working with people suffering from the impacts of trauma, is based on compassionate listening, understanding and collaboration. I hope that together we can explore your experience in a safe and calm environment, at a pace that is right for you. Through this process, your understanding, awareness and compassion for yourself can develop, empowering you to discover better and more fulfilling ways of living and coping.
