About Counselling
When you feel under stress, or experiencing emotional problems it can help talking to a professional. When stressed and anxious it is not uncommon to feel confused and overwhelmed, you might find yourself overthinking things, having little time for anything else. Psychotherapy and counselling can help unburden you because there is someone to assist you in untangling what is going on. Together we can find the missing pieces and make sense of what you are experiencing. You can explore your feelings and thoughts without fear of being judged or rejected.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy faces difficulties being met in the present and connecting its roots to the past. Exploring and understanding recurring patterns of behaviour and relationships is the first step towards an increased awareness and change in perception. Ultimately, this might lead to more freedom of thoughts and decision making; often resulting in higher self-esteem. The relationship between the therapist and client is therefore essential, as it can provide an additional opportunity in recognising those patterns.
I will not provide you with solutions of what to do, but will offer guidance and support in enabling you to make your own choices. Starting therapy can sometimes feel daunting, you might be unsure of what to expect. This is natural to feel, as it takes time to establish trust between client and therapist.
What Conditions Can it Help?
Psychotherapy and counselling helps you dealing with emotional issues. It can show the way to having more authentic and healthy relationships and sustaining them. It can be useful in dealing with low self-esteem, anxiety, panic or depression. Furthermore, at times of big life changes, for example: redundancy, relationship breakups, starting university or a new job, moving house/country or bereavement, therapy can help you dealing with the loss as well as finding a way forward.
Stress, anxiety & depression
Everyone experiences stress and anxiety at times. Some stress and anxiety are part of normal life and can help you overcome a challenge as well as making you survive a dangerous situation. Stress is a response to a threat in a situation and anxiety is the reaction to that stress. Life can be demanding, particularly around areas such as work, relationships and money. Too much pressure and stress can lead to chronic anxiety which can turn into depression.
To feel down from time to time is part of life, no one is always happy and we all have to cope with challenging events throughout life. It is important to seek help if you have experienced a constant low mood for more than a few weeks or if your anxiety interfere with normal life.
Sometimes it can be difficult connecting anxious feelings and worries to external stress. Internal stress, what is inside us in terms of our feelings and thoughts can be just as anxiety provoking. Low self-esteem, unrealistic expectations. Worries about how others might perceive you can interfere with building trusting relationships and affect the quality of your social life. Psychotherapy and counselling can help you work through your anxiety at the same time as giving you the support you need to make changes to your life.
Relationships
The wish to have meaningful connections to other people is a fundamental human desire. However, in today’s busy and fast-moving society many are struggling with that. The lack of good, trusting relationships can make us feel isolated and lonely as well as creating a feeling of emptiness. Many people come to therapy seeking a meaning to life. Not feeling seen or heard for who you are, creates a sense of loss. Exploring who you are and what you want from life with a professional psychotherapist can increase your self-awareness and self-esteem. When you feel more at ease, it is easier to build functioning relationships whether it is with friends, family, or an existing or a future partner. In my work with individuals, relationships play a big part even though I do not work with couples. I also believe that the professional relationship between client and therapist is important as my approach is relational in nature.
What Benefits can be Expected?
Usually some of the benefits include: greater self awareness with increased self- esteem and confidence, increased ability to recognise destructive patterns and changing them, reduced anxiety and less panic, healthier relationships. A feeling of increased inner strength and peace.
How long does it take?
Psychotherapy is a process that can take some time. As we are all different the outcome will not be the same for everyone. Psychotherapy can go on for a year and longer. There is no rule, when you feel you want to finish, we talk it through and depending on how long you have been with me, we set an appropriate date for a final session. Counselling is often shorter and can last a month or a bit more. Time limited counselling can be useful if there is one particular issue to focus on. Occasionally clients come for a few sessions only, especially if they have been with me before or if their personal circumstances does not allow for more.