Psychotherapy in London Bridge and on-line
I am a psychodynamic psychotherapist in London Bridge and on-line. I specialise in long-standing issues resulting from adverse childhood experiences.
I am accredited psychodynamic psychotherapist specialising in issues that have their roots in adverse childhood experiences. I provide open-ended therapy to help you to get to the root of your problem to resolve issues such as anxiety, depression and difficulties with relationships. I believe that understanding and working through the underlying causes is necessary if a long term solution is to be found. Sessions are on a once-a-week basis in London Bridge or on-line. The London Bridge premises are Covid safe.
Psychodynamic counselling/therapy is helpful with most problems, such as stress, anxiety, relationship issues, depression, self-esteem and complicated bereavement. These outward expressions are often symptoms of a problematic childhood which may have included emotional, physical or sexual abuse or other experiences which may have influenced the way the personality develops.
Psychodynamic counselling usually involves talking about the past and understanding how some of these issues affect the present. Speaking about these experiences in a confidential and supportive setting can be very cathartic. It is also helpful for issues relating to identity which can often by stunted by parental or peer judgements or expectations.
Psychodynamic therapy is also particularly relevant for those who are struggling to express their identity, who perhaps have never been sure of who they are or who lack the confidence to be themselves. Childhood experiences of non-acceptance, shaming or bullying can leave a damaging scar.
If you feel that I may be able to help you contact me and we can arrange and assessment which allows you to get a feel for the process, to ask any questions you have and to see whether this is right for you. I will also give you my view on whether I believe I can help you.
My journey to become a therapist came via several years working in large companies in various different roles. The work I most valued was coaching, mentoring and change management - helping people through the almost constant changes that people experience these days. About 10 years ago I decided to retrain as a counsellor beginning with NLP and hypnotherapy and continuing onto psychodynamic counselling. I also worked as Samaritan volunteer answering calls from very distressed and suicidal people and wanted to be able provide more than we could offer in a single phone call. I prefer to work psychodynamically, as I believe it is the most effective form of therapy, but I draw on my NLP skills when I feel it would be helpful.
I also have specific expertise in child sexual abuse (CSA) and dissociative disorders. Child sexual abuse can cause problems at any time in life if not addressed. I realise how difficult it can be to talk about childhood abuse and hence the open-ended nature of the therapy and allowing you, as the client, to go at your own pace, bringing difficult topics as you feel ready.
My philosophy is that something is only a problem if it's a problem to you. This often means that the main issue is fitting into an environment that is felt to be hostile or non-accepting in some way. I aim to help you to be more confident in who you really are and to learn to express yourself more fully in relationship with others. This often involves looking back into childhood to understand where negative self-image, anxiety and other issues may have come from and to reshape them, enabling you to move into a more rewarding and joyful future. Sometimes this is addressing painful experiences of childhood abuse but I handle this in a very sensitive way to minimise the risk of re-traumatisation and facilitate a gentle healing process.
I offer daytime appointments close to the city in London Bridge. There is step-free access. I also offer sessions by Skype (this works best if the initial relationship has been established in a face-to-face environment).