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My Approach
I am Person-Centred in my approach. This means I believe we all have a tendency to move towards what we need in life, so long as the conditions (including care and love) around us are, and have been, supportive and accepting of our needs. Many of us learn, sometimes very early on in life, that some of our real needs and feelings are not acceptable to others, and therefore we find it difficult to accept them ourselves. This can result in anxiety, depression, shame, emotional numbness, self-hatred and other forms of distress, as we adapt ourselves and ignore our true needs.
In a healing, therapeutic relationship with an empathic counsellor, we can experience these needs and feelings as being truly accepted and prized by another human being, and therefore we become able to better accept them in ourselves. When we accept our needs (for example, for love, respect, rest, excitement, relationships, expression of anger, release of tears, etc.), we become better able to meet them and to lead a more authentic and fulfilling life.
If you come to counselling with me, you will be setting the pace of the work. We will work with whatever you want to bring and at whatever pace and depth you choose. I will facilitate the work, but I will not act as an expert pretending that I know best. You are the expert in your own experience and I will support you, by being fully present and attuned to your process, to feel more able to trust yourself.
I also use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). To help you learn to manage your problems and feelings by changing the way you think and behave.
The relationship and connection with your counsellor is key to this process, therefore, I work to create a space where you feel you can trust me to support you when you may be feeling at your most vulnerable or distressed.
If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive