10 Questions with Gregg Palmer

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

• My own personal journey through the landscape of trauma and spirituality.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional/personal development?

• My theoretical basis is steeped in psychoanalytic, intersubjectivity and developmental theory, and my interest as a counsellor and psychotherapist has always been stimulated by ideas of consciousness, embodiment and relational perspectives, and especially transference and countertransference dynamics. I work with these ideas alongside my deep entrenchment with eastern approaches to spirituality, within the broader context of self realisation.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

• I think embodiment of our emotional being is essential, to undermine the survival strategies of the psyche, that can have debilitating effects on our health and relationships. Learning to tolerate tensions and conflicts within our psychic life, as embodied, felt experience, paradoxically offers a pathway to the sublime. This is key to freeing the psyche from anxiety. I would consider the awakening of consciousness to be central to health and wellbeing. Such self knowledge also brings us closer to understanding how we are creating our lives and what we could do differently.

• What method/s do you use?

• My main focus is on the relational moment, so the 'charge' of the session that informs my interventions and the direction of the session, arises from the unconscious field of the client. This is called countertransference. I also work with meditative based practices and imaginal work. Psychosynthesis also offers techniques such as disidentification, that help support establishing the base of true self, whilst learning to let go of subpersonalities and ego defences. Exploring what we identify with is key, in order to step back from aspects that are not supporting our highest growth. I would describe my approach as depth oriented psychotherapy, so working with the unconscious is primary. Moving through psychodynamics in order to liberate the psyche from its conditioning.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

• I would hope from the first session. Taking that step and really connecting with a therapist who is a good match for them, is gold.

• How has therapy made you a better person?

• It has continually challenged me to undermine my ego defences and live authentically from a more heart oriented perspective. There is no other way to extract the rich nectar of ecstasy from life.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

• I love the connection each new therapeutic relationship brings and the depth of the longer term relationships. The opportunity to metabolise trauma and reveal intimacy. A chance to see each person for who they are, and to share in the rich and meaningful idiosyncrasies of each person's humanity.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

• Yep. It seems no matter how self realised we may be, we are never free from psychological disturbance. I kind of love this truth. It keeps us with our humanity.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

• People can have a tendency to be so mentally identified, they can disconnect from their natural being. I would place this as a root contender for pathology.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

• The Primal Wound
  A Transpersonal View of Trauma, Addiction, and Growth, John Firman, Ann Gila