Psychotherapy and Counselling

 

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, I would think it’s useful to understand the difference between counselling and psychotherapy/ psychoanalysis.

 

Counselling tends to focus on a specific issue that you are aware that you need to work through, such as a bereavement. You may meet your therapist for a limited number of sessions – perhaps 10 sessions or 2-3 months, where you can offload and explore your thoughts and feelings. Coaching falls into a similar category – there is a specific goal and focus, perhaps learning strategies for coping with neurodiversity, for example.

 

Psychotherapy is longer-term work, that involves unpicking deeper (usually unconscious) processes which may be blocking you from leading a fulfilling and happy life. Trainee counsellors are required to undergo this deeper exploration of their own material, to ensure that they are able to work effectively with their clients. It is often really life-changing for other too, as it gives them greater self-awareness and the freedom to make choices. A good analogy is switching from autopilot to manually steering your life – identifying and taking control of hidden and strong forces that drive your decisions and reactions, but not necessarily in ways that serve you well.

 

I offer both counselling to support people through difficult times, and longer-term psychotherapy for those who are seeking personal insights and significant transformation of their way of relating to the world and other people.

 

Clinical Supervision

 

The other side of my business involves supporting other therapists in their work with clients. In order to provide the best care to clients, all practitioners in a caring profession need a safe and supportive relationship where they can discuss their work and stresses.

 

I have accumulated a lot of experience through my own work as a counsellor/ psychotherapist in various settings. I have run a busy private practice for almost two decades, working with a huge variety of clients with various issues. I have been based in a number of counselling agencies, GP practices, hospice care, a bereavement agency, and a number of charities, so I am familiar with the challenges of working in an organisation.

 

Over the years, I have deepened my awareness (through courses and reading) of various themes that have interested me or have had particular relevance to my client work – ranging from personality disorders and narcissism, to neurodiversity and especially adult ADHD. I view my work as an adventure – fascinating, creative, captivating. I hope to support other therapists in developing their own inner explorer and their unique approach. I hope to encourage others to feel passionate about their work.

 

To underpin my work as a supervisor, I have completed a formal university integrative supervision training, and I still draw on both psychodynamic and integrative theory to provide an encouraging and creative framework that allows others to deepen their creative and intuitive aspects of their practice.