10 Questions with Nigel Bailey

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

• I have always been fascinated by human psychology and behaviour. I worked in the creative industry for many years where this was regularly interpreted and applied from a very particular perspective. Increasingly, I found my attention turning towards a more human-centred and empathic interpretation of human needs, in alignment with my sustainable design objectives. From this, direct engagement as a therapist became the logical conclusion. I returned to university as a (very) mature student and have never looked back.

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

• I see the world very much from a humanist perspective. I believe that we are all ultimately responsible for ourselves. This need not be an overwhelming burden, but rather an opportunity that continually presents itself if we are prepared to appreciate our potential and apply it assertively. This is my guiding principle as a therapist; encouraging my clients to re-evaluate their circumstances, to appreciate these opportunities proactively and to fulfil their potential.

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

• Having worked in very highly charged and stressful business environments, I have come to see both the best and worst of human behaviour under extremes of pressure. I have found a number of useful strategies to manage and mediate, which correlates particularly well when working with couples, workplace and anger management issues. These have become particular areas of interest, within which I have learned to combine both established therapeutic modalities and my own practical experience effectively.

• What method/s do you use?

• I combine a number of established modalities, contingent upon the needs of my clients. In general, my emphasis is upon solutions-focused strategies and behavioural therapies. While it is essential that we thoroughly understand our client's story and listen closely to their narrative, our objectives should then be to build effective and durable resolutions and to encourage an active commitment to change.

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

• This is a difficult one to answer as it obviously depends upon the circumstances. However I am a firm believer in brief therapy which encourages active engagement with the challenges from the outset as well as a clear timeline thereafter. My objective is to establish defined benchmarks agreed between client and therapist. We then collaborate actively in forging durable solutions. Obviously we must pace ourselves, but my objective is to establish progress from day one.

• How has therapy made you a better person?

• It has enabled a much clearer understanding of both myself and those around me. I have become a much more tolerant and pragmatic person, able to communicate assertively but with appropriate empathy and respect for others. It has been a lifelong adjustment, but I have no doubts that therapy is tremendously important in enabling us to establish who we are and who we would like to be.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

• Helping people; it is as simple as that.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

• Definitely. I have more than my fair share of "bad everything" days.

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

• This is a huge question and one that is very difficult to answer without launching into improbably idealistic territory. Perhaps to put it simply, we need to recognise that we all occupy the same small and threatened planet. Until we can put aside nationalism and small-minded self-interest, to learn that we are all in this together, we will continue to pull ourselves to pieces. Calmer voices and sounder minds need to prevail, and guide us towards a better place to be. In this sense, direct parallels might be drawn with the psychotherapeutic process.

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

• The Complete Essays of Michel de Montaigne, the 16th century French philosopher whose musings on the little details of everyday life are as relevant today as they ever were.
  
  “He lives happy and master of himself who can say as each day passes on, "I have lived.”