About therapy

Despite our best intentions, we often struggle to live our lives in a way that makes us content. While taking into account the reality of external factors (e.g. societal prejudice, economic disadvantage), my approach enables people to see how they may be working against themselves. It also seeks to uncover the deeper meaning of these self-defeating patterns of behaviour, which have often grown out of early life experiences.

As a result of this work, a person has a greater sense of freedom when it comes to the choices they make in life, rather than feeling caught up in something beyond their control. The psychoanalytic approach usually requires long-term therapy because it takes time to bring our self-limiting thoughts and behaviours and what motivates them into awareness.

How confidential is therapy? 

Whatever we discuss in a session remains confidential. There are some circumstances in which I may need to talk to another professional, for example if I believe the client is at serious risk of harming themselves or another person. I would always try to discuss this with the client first.

How effective is it?

This page from the UK Council for Psychotherapy website summarises the findings of recent research into the effectiveness of therapy. It shows that there is a large body of evidence showing that psychotherapy works and that research indicates therapy is at least as effective as medication in treating mental health issues.

How long does therapy last?

A therapy session lasts 50 minutes. The duration of therapy varies from client to client and depending on the issues at stake, but I usually work with patients on a long-term basis (e.g. at least one year).

What happens in a first session? 

Because of the way I work, it is important for me to get a good understanding of a person’s life history, including significant early experiences, and of how the difficulty that brought them to therapy first arose. So, in a first session it is likely that I would ask you a lot of questions about yourself and your past. I also need to do this to establish the nature of the difficulty that you are facing and whether I think I am a good fit for your needs. You are always welcome to say if there are any questions you would rather not answer. I charge for all sessions, including introductory ones.

Of course, a first session would also be an opportunity for you to ask me any questions about how I work or any other aspects of the therapy about which you may be unsure. In this session we would also agree on the parameters of our work together.