Individual Psychotherapy

The skilled therapist and author Irvin Yalom, in response to a question about how psychotherapy could be of benefit in the “real world” where the norms of safety, trust, genuineness, empathic regard and warm acceptance that characterise therapeutic relationships do not apply, replied that the world defined by the walls of the therapy room were more real than the real world.

He was speaking about group therapy but perhaps it applies to individual psychotherapy too.

Psychotherapy is effective in alleviating emotional distress. Exactly which aspects of therapy do this is not empirically clear. Most research points to an amorphous set of variables all of which describe the quality of the relationship between therapist and client.

What is clear that a period of time spent in regular conversation with the express aim of exploring, describing and speaking about the events of our lives, our thoughts, feelings, imaginings, joys, pains, pleasures and hopes with another person who has the express agenda of listening openly, reflecting deeply and speaking clearly and in an informed way about what they hear and always with our well being and highest good in mind, creates a context for our healing, and growth.

And it is in this context that what Thomas Szasz refers to as “problems of living” can be addressed.

Who I work with

I regard myself as a generalist psychotherapist and I work with a wide range of clients seeking psychotherapy for a variety of reasons.

Specific psychological diagnoses

I sometimes wonder if we are living in an epidemic of anxiety. I see clients presenting with various manifestations of anxiety, ranging from general worry, tension and apprehension to panic and extreme avoidance. I also work with people bothered by compulsive behaviour and obsessive thought patterns.

Individual psychotherapy can also assist in the alleviation of the feelings of deep discouragement, sadness and pain that characterise major depression.

My approach to both depression and anxiety is to understand and reflect on what is happening to my client’s biology – the neurological, hormonal and somatic (bodily) processes that are associated with symptoms and look at how feeling states, patterns of thought and my client’s social world are involved in these distressing experiences.

We may trace the origins of these physical, emotional and relationship processes in history but certainly the emphasis of our work will frequently fall on the present circumstances of my client’s life.

Adjustment to specific events and developmental changes

Sometimes clients seek psychotherapy to assist in dealing with a particular event. Often this involves an experience of loss. Perhaps the ending of a relationship, the death of a loved one or parent, loss of work or changes in life circumstances.

Repeated experiences in relationships

Quite often clients seek psychotherapy when they notice a repeated experience or theme in their personal relationships. This might be a repeated and predictable pattern of a series of intimate partnerships or a familiar and disquieting set of thoughts and feelings experienced in a number of close relationships.

Psychotherapy for personal growth

Some clients come to therapy for the unique experience of having a regular time and place dedicated to the exploration and understanding of themselves and their lives. Therapy offers much in this regard – a context of deep understanding and reflection with another person who actively works not to allow any agenda other than the well-being of the client, that is completely confidential and exists outside the rest of life. It’s a context for the creation of richer knowledge of self and deeper self acceptance.

Special interests in psychotherapy

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For more information about me or my theoretical and practical approach to psychotherapy read here or please do make contact to speak in person or to make an appointment.