Seeing the Whole of You
How I Work
First and foremost, I offer you a safe and caring space to talk. You can speak as you wish and find respect.
With your permission, time is spent discussing the kind of person you are, and who you’d be without the problem that brought you to the session.
We explore how you’ve coped with what life has dealt. What you’ve learned. What want from life. The kind of person you want to be. What’s in your heart. What matters to you. It’s a tailored process and no session is the same.
I see you as a whole person with hopes and dreams, not just with your struggles. And I know that meaningful change is possible, not just getting rid of problematic behaviour.
I specialise in two approaches that complement each other: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.
These modalities are effective in moving us towards a richer, more fulfilling life in spite of the many difficulties that come our way. They work for all kinds of dilemmas, difficulties, and obstacles we as humans face such as perfectionism, stress, and anxiety. They also help you make decisions and follow through on changes you’d like.
You may need only take small steps to see significant improvement.
Of course, this approach to counselling is much more than reducing discomfort: it’s finding more vitality and satisfaction in life from knowing ourselves more deeply and acting from a place of hope, values, and strengths.
On Going to Counselling
The way I look at it is that If something’s bothering you, do something different. From my own experience and from what others say, counselling might be just what you need at this point.
Simply, it helps you with an emotional time. And experiencing emotions is part of being human. Life brings difficulties. It’s not smooth sailing for anybody, despite what outward appearances suggest. And that’s ok.
It used to be believed that things need to be ‘dire’ to go to counselling. That you mustn’t be ‘coping ‘to go to counselling. Today, it’s very different. We know that good health encompasses body, mind, and spirit. It’s not just your body. It’s all related.
The old labels of what counselling means and who goes to counselling has changed. Massively so. Much of counselling today is for wellness. It’s a practical option. Just as sportspeople use coaches, or as you might get a massage.
Counselling helps you become aware of beliefs and attitudes holding you back, or deal with stress before it turns into illness. Just a few sessions keeps you in shape. You build resilience and gain perspective. I invite you to try it.
I am an advocate, I admit. I’ve spent 40 years learning how people can find meaning and joy in life, despite its curveballs. My private studies have taken me into compassionate communication, into Buddhism, into various branches of psychology and the coaching field. It’s been revealing to observe the impact of small changes in people’s lives.
So finally, after a long professional life as academic and consultant, I decided to combine my head with my heart and train as a counsellor.
If you’ve been disappointed in therapy previously, know that not all counsellors and psychologists are the same. Many still use a medical ‘deficit’ model – their focus is identifying what needs fixing, a bit like a car. Yet you are not a machine: you’re complex and also resourceful.
I will do my very best to see you as a whole person, and help you build on your values and strengths to achieve what you want.