Is therapy right for me?
Why start therapy?
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by certain feelings or things that are going on in our lives. Sometimes things that have happened in the past are affecting our present. Sometimes we may just feel like something is wrong, even if we can’t put our finger on it. Starting therapy offers us a way to explore what is going for us in a safe, non-judgemental and holding environment. Therapy aims to improve how you live, by offering this space of exploration and reflection.
What is a therapy session like?
Therapy sessions last 50 minutes. The initial therapy session will involve an assessment of your needs. The therapy is guided by you and what you want to bring, and if you’re not sure what to talk about then I can ask more questions.
Online sessions take place via Google Meet and you will be sent the meeting link before the session. You will be able to click on the link to be taken into the online room. I will soon be offering sessions face to face, please let me know if this is of interest and I can see if I can accomodate it.
Types of therapy
There are so many types of therapies out there that it can be confusing to know what would suit you. The most commonly used therapy in the UK is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (often shortened to CBT). CBT is the therapy that is most commonly offered on the NHS where you have 6-8 sessions. CBT focuses on thoughts and particularly negative automatic thoughts, aiding us to understand the jumps our minds make when we’re confronted with difficult situations.
Schema therapy is a therapy that works with our thoughts, our maladaptive coping mechanisms and the underlying beliefs that we hold from childhood. A ‘schema’ is that underlying beliefs and the way we cope with difficult situations are informed by our schemas and the behaviours we have put in place to protect those schemas.
Attachment based therapy looks at our relationships with our early care-givers and how that is informing our current relationships. For example, if you didn’t feel secure as a child you will find it difficult to feel secure in relationships as an adult. Making it difficult to maintain friendships, find lasting romantic partners or be able to navigate the work landscape.
Psychodynamic therapy is a broad term that captures many different theories, from Freudian theory to more modern relationship based theories. Psychodynamic therapy looks at our internal relationships with our external world.
Person-centered therapy creates an empathic, non-judgemental and safe space for you to explore your experiences as you see fit.
The way I work is integratively, where I draw on all of the above therapies depending on what will most help you.
Free Consultation • Confidential • Non-judgemental