Psychotherapists and Counsellors Answer your Questions

I think it is fair to say I am fairly existentialist - I believe one of the most important things for us to do in life is find and create meaning. I believe strongly that truth is a subjective thing -...

I think it is fair to say I am fairly existentialist - I believe one of the most important things for us to do in life is find and create meaning. I believe strongly that truth is a subjective thing - none of us can know anything for sure but our own perspective. I think this belief is what drives my curiosity to get to know others from their own point of view. I would also say I am a pragmatist - I believe that often the best way forward is in doing what is most useful to us.

Expressive therapy Person Centred Building the therapeutic alliance

Expressive therapy Person Centred Building the therapeutic alliance

Gadamerian Hermeneutics in terms of research methodology and trying to get as close to possible to capturing the essence of human experience.

Gadamerian Hermeneutics in terms of research methodology and trying to get as close to possible to capturing the essence of human experience.

Acceptance & Mindfulness are keys for me. I began my personal development journey by working on identifying things I didn't like about myself and working at changing them. Essentially fighting with...

Acceptance & Mindfulness are keys for me. I began my personal development journey by working on identifying things I didn't like about myself and working at changing them. Essentially fighting with myself, which creates a lot of tension! Then I had a breakthrough moment when I realised that through accepting something that I was uncomfortable with, I was able to see it more clearly and it began to open up and change. Of course, I was not the first person to have this realisation, and there are various schools of therapy which adhere to Carl Rogers' paradox of change: The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, and allow myself to have discomfort with it, then I can change, when I can accept you as you are, then you change. Another way of putting this is that you have to recognise where you are in order to get somewhere else. Imagine trying to find your way using a map if you didn't know where you were!! I only wish someone had pointed this out to me a little sooner. So having learnt this the hard way I hope to be able to support others to find it out for themselves more quickly. Mindfulness is a tool which I use as a foundation stone for my therapeutic work. Mindfulness is a very effective way of accepting ourselves. It is a powerful ally in processing uncomfortable emotions. I find that a lot of us can be quite overwhelmed by events in our lives and how they trigger us, often emotionally, and then we may behave in ways that create problems for us. Mindfulness gives us a container that allows us to hold our experiences and emotions. Then we can learn from them and act in a way that we are happier with and that is more consistent with our values, with who we really are.

My original training in developmental and educational psychology gave me an appreciation for the important process of attachment and when ruptures to attachment occur the subsequent impact of loss and...

My original training in developmental and educational psychology gave me an appreciation for the important process of attachment and when ruptures to attachment occur the subsequent impact of loss and hence the experience of grief. At the time in the 1970s and 1980s I was greatly interested in the writings of such people as Gregory Bateson, Salvador Minuchin, Jay Haley, Virginia Satir, Margaret Mead and Ram Dass. After the diagnosis of schizophrenia and the subsequent suicide of my first husband in our mid twenties, my father introduced me to the writings of Victor Frankl and so began my interest and direction in existential psychotherapy. Since then I have continued to deepen my understanding and knowledge with regards to existential concerns and issues. Along the way I have been strongly influenced by systems theory, systemic thinking, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic theory. Throughout all of this time at a more personal level I explored Buddhism and Taoism and their valued application to living an enriched, meaningful and purposeful life - both personally and professionally.

Buddhist, Sufi, Christian, Jungian, the Yogic Sutras of Patanjali, Charlie Brown, Lunig, amongst others.

Buddhist, Sufi, Christian, Jungian, the Yogic Sutras of Patanjali, Charlie Brown, Lunig, amongst others.

I truly admire psychodynamic therapy, and began learning this topic whilst at the Churchill Clinic. I believe it is the best origin of therapy, creating transformational and long lasting changes for...

I truly admire psychodynamic therapy, and began learning this topic whilst at the Churchill Clinic. I believe it is the best origin of therapy, creating transformational and long lasting changes for people. Whilst at the Churchill clinic, I was taught by the best in the business with indirect teachings from R.D.Laing, John Heaton, Rosemary Gordon and Christopher Bollass. I am grateful to have experienced international teaching from psychotherapist warriors, swordsmen and Buddhist monks and learned how they practice in their own countries. Teachings were specific to Analytic Psychotherapy, Existentialism, Jungian Psychotherapy and Mindfulness. My masters in psychotherapy and counselling was a completely different teaching, and was very heavily focused on theory and reflection.

As a wide reader and curious mind - everything has contributed something to who I am today.

As a wide reader and curious mind - everything has contributed something to who I am today.

Carl Rogers's Person-Centered (PC) philosophy has had the greatest influence on my professional style. I intentionally foster an attitude of positive regard, acceptance, non-judgment, empathy, and...

Carl Rogers's Person-Centered (PC) philosophy has had the greatest influence on my professional style. I intentionally foster an attitude of positive regard, acceptance, non-judgment, empathy, and understanding towards the people I am lucky enough to journey with. Richard Schwartz's Internal Family Systems Theory has had the second greatest impact on my professional work. The IFS model fits well with Roger's philosophy and the idea of the Self in IFS has very similar qualities which Roger's described such as unconditional positive regard and compassion. IFS feels intuitive to me and I think its theory of the personality of multiplicity, systems thinking and the Self is the most accurate in Psychology.

Rather than mentioning well defined terms, I will describe in my own words: -The therapist is not the person 'who knows it all' and not the person who decides what is good for their clients (apart...

Rather than mentioning well defined terms, I will describe in my own words: -The therapist is not the person 'who knows it all' and not the person who decides what is good for their clients (apart from basic ethical principles such as 'do not steal' etc). We give a space so that clients can connect to the higher part within in finding their own ways. -The psyche is an abstract construct, hence we need to respect the unknown aspect of human beings. -The most important modality are therapeutic relationship and the self of the therapist. -Therapists are not immune to blind spots and errors. Hence we are responsible for ongoing personal and professional development. -To be able the hold the 'opposites' that seems to be contradicting generally serve one better rather than splitting one of them. Complexity is harder, but one grows in the process of holding complexity.

Rejecting the dogmas, prescriptions and proscriptions that came with my up bringing in the catholic church at an early age I found the approach of Buddhism the most useful as it asked us to question...

Rejecting the dogmas, prescriptions and proscriptions that came with my up bringing in the catholic church at an early age I found the approach of Buddhism the most useful as it asked us to question everything and rely on one's own experience rather than given rules and second hand knowledge. Buddhist approaches continue to be a dominant theme for me although I reject any dogmatic approach. From Buddhism my next major influence was Jungian psychology or what might be called a transpersonal approach. Eclectic, wide and open to mystery and wonder. That then conjoins easily with what may be described as an existential approach the inquiry into the nature of meaning, how we construct meaning and ultimately what sense we make of our life and our death. I read and explore continually, many are philosophical orientated works many are Dharma (Buddhist) works. Of course these divisions are quite arbitrary. There are wonderful connections and interconnections and expressions occurring all the time and for me therapy work is the most wonderful grounding as I work with the client through the difficulties challenges and dilemmas in the here and now.

I believe in Self-Compassion and Minfulness, these are very powerful tools. Learning to accept and love yourself is a beautiful journey. Depending on the client needs I also use Person-Centred and...

I believe in Self-Compassion and Minfulness, these are very powerful tools. Learning to accept and love yourself is a beautiful journey. Depending on the client needs I also use Person-Centred and Solution Focused approach.

Three approaches have greatly influenced my professional development. Firstly, underpinning all else is the concept that the client is central to the process and that the relationship between the...

Three approaches have greatly influenced my professional development. Firstly, underpinning all else is the concept that the client is central to the process and that the relationship between the client and counsellor greatly impacts on the outcome of the work. In addition, the approaches of both Emotionally Focused Therapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy work together connecting the worlds of emotion and bodywork, supporting the integration of oneself into the present. My own personal development has also been influenced by Transactional Analysis.

Being Mindful and 'Believe and Achieve' which includes never giving up on learning.

Being Mindful and 'Believe and Achieve' which includes never giving up on learning.

Two of the most famous founders of psychoanalytic practice - Freud and Jung - despite their historic separation, I see as rejoining in modern practice. The most influential people and approaches for...

Two of the most famous founders of psychoanalytic practice - Freud and Jung - despite their historic separation, I see as rejoining in modern practice. The most influential people and approaches for me have been Winnicott (object relations, giving us an understanding of our inner worlds), Kohut (self psychology, a sense of linking our self to belonging), Carl Jung and Dora Kalff in terms of imagery and symbolic meaning, and most recently, Bessel Van der Kolk (2014), The Body Keeps the Score, which links whole mind, body, spirit experience, particularly in terms of trauma.

Definitely client centred as we are the experts in our own lives and the relationship between the counsellor and client is paramount for effective therapy. Also CBT as this is an approach I find...

Definitely client centred as we are the experts in our own lives and the relationship between the counsellor and client is paramount for effective therapy. Also CBT as this is an approach I find works for most people, I also like to incorporate Mindfulness in my sessions of CBT.