Guide

  • Some people are really only looking for some quick relief from their feelings, habits and problems in a few sessions. Technique-driven therapies aimed at alleviating symptoms are more appropriate for such patients.

    Existential Analysis and Integrative Psychotherapy are depth approaches to psychotherapy aimed at resolving the root causes of our suffering, not techniques to suppress or ease symptoms. Depth psychotherapy relies upon patient and therapist building a trusting, honest relationship, which allows you to go deeply into your experiences in order to make changes at a foundation level, rather than skimming the surface. This requires a great deal of truthfulness and openness. Depth psychotherapy is therefore most suited to very conscientious, motivated people who are willing to face the challenges of resolving the root causes of their suffering by co-creating a safe, respectful, straight-talking relationship.

    Depth psychotherapy can encompass not only the inner psychological realm of problems, but - if you choose - the wider contexts that produce and maintain mental distress: our relationships, workplaces, our histories, our society, culture, the political and economic pressures we feel, and our unmet spiritual needs to make sense of the bigger picture.

  • The first meeting lasts 50 minutes and is arranged by sending me your details via the Appointments page. An Introductory Meeting is a no obligation way for us to discuss what you are looking for, get a sense of one another as people, and allows you to ask any questions, talk about your concerns or aims, and to get the gist of what might be involved in any work you might want to do.  

    If another service or approach may be more appropriate to what your needs appear to be, then this is can sometimes be a place where we might identify that (if not, then Assessment may do so). You can stop at this stage and are under no obligation to return.

  • I have 25 years experience in assessing patient needs and I undertake a comprehensive psychosocial assessment prior to any Psychotherapy or Personal Development work.   My assessment forms help us gather information that will highlight your needs, lifestyle, habits, existing support, history and general circumstances.

    Before we meet for Assessment I will send you the pre-assessment login password so that you can fill out and return my online Assessment Form before you attend your first appointment.

    Full assessments usually take 2 to 4 sessions to finish, which you can book weekly, or according to advertised spaces on the Appointments page. In the last meeting I share my summary analysis with you by discussion (not in writing), which will help you understand the causes of your problems, any potential obstacles I see to you achieving your aims for therapy, and the therapeutic tasks my practice can offer you to help you achieve your aims. Failing this, the type of help I would advise that may be more appropriate for you if depth psychotherapy is not suitable for your aims, level or motivation, or presentation. 

  • You can attend sessions in-person if you live locally, or online via Skype if you live elsewhere in the world. Appointments are booked the same way via the ‘Book an Appointment’ page.

    I work online with patients from all over the world including all parts of the UK, Europe, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and other places where English-speaking patients reside or travel. Wherever you live in the world and however you are travelling you can receive effective help and professional support at home or on the move: all you need is a laptop or smartphone with SKYPE installed.

If you are new to seeking help with your personal development, these guides may help you clarify what it is you need.

  • If you are seeking a place to talk each week without doing any reading or therapy tasks in between sessions then Counselling may be what you are looking for. In this case, you would fill out the Assessment Form and tick the Counselling option on the form. Our first meeting thereafter will be the start of your Counselling sessions.

  • If you elect to do deeper work that involves identifying and addressing the root causes of your difficulties, with therapeutic tasks and reading to do in between each of your weekly sessions, then we would meet to go through your completed Assessment Form together. A good psychotherapy assessment allows you, in the space of usually two to three sessions, to get to a place of clear understanding of how your difficulties are created, how they work and the kinds of tasks that might allow you to address them in psychotherapy. Many psychotherapies forego this formal assessment stage and you can spend ten or twenty sessions trying to get answers that my formal assessment may be able to provide in much less time. A thorough assessment helps you save precious time, energy and money in the long run and helps you with direction and focus in therapy. The information you provide in the form can also tell you whether or not psychotherapy or counselling are appropriate ways to help you address your particular needs, and what other options might be more helpful.

    If you choose to have a Psychotherapy Assessment, the process takes an average of three sessions to complete, attending at the same time each week. At the end of the Assessment process I am normally able to provide you with:

    Our joint understanding of your circumstances and difficulties.

    A brief summary analysis that explains how I think your problems have been created (Occasionally this is not possible when, for example, your difficulties are not clearly defined or amenable to neat or concise conceptualisation. In such cases, further exploration in psychotherapy sessions can sometimes be appropriate)

    Where possible, I can also provide you with a breakdown of the therapeutic tasks I believe you could undertake in order to address your difficulties, and

    The structure of the work and support provision we could organise to provide you with the most effective help

    You are free to stop and be discharged after assessment if you don’t want to start therapy.

    If you are looking for the type of assessment that gives you a psychiatric diagnosis your best starting point is the NHS via your GP. This may or may not give you access to NHS psychotherapy. NB Mental health clinical diagnoses can be stigmatising, and you do not need one in order to benefit from psychotherapy.

  • Once the assessment is complete, each psychotherapy, counselling or personal development session usually takes place at the same time and on the same day each week*, in-person or via Skype if you prefer. 

    Regular weekly sessions of 50 minutes duration are standard practice, and help you concentrate on your goals at a steady pace, maintain momentum, develop new habits, and apply what you gain from each session during the week.

    Optimal conditions for successful psychotherapy include a strong alliance between patient and therapist, with good motivation for change and growth, and great honesty and openness as the foundation of any healthy relationship.

    *Fortnightly and sporadic attendance are much less effective and not currently offered by this practice due to demands on the service.

  • Unlike conventional practices, I offer various levels of support and challenge that you can choose according to your needs from week to week.

    Low level support and challenge may be counselling, where you just want to be heard, understood and to have a space to breathe each session.

    Very high level support may include support in between weekly sessions, structured therapeutic tasks, specific resource recommendations, crisis and risk management strategies, guidance on how to achieve specific aims or goals.

    High challenge levels can be requested to help you become aware of and better able to address personal blindspots, destructiveness, self-defeat, dishonesty etc.

  • You start each session by talking about what concerns you.  It’s often helpful to ask yourself at the start what you need from each session.  Your therapist then works with whatever you bring.

    • being as honest and open as possible so that the relationship has the best chance of helping you

    • what you choose to discuss or raise in the sessions

    • your mindset, feelings and level of motivation and interest in seeking the truth

    • doing the work required for change: your degree of engagement with therapeutic exploration and methods

    • how you use the session time

    • continuing therapy between sessions by doing agreed tasks

    • asking for what you need, and speaking openly about what may be missing in sessions in order to help your psychotherapist better support and understand you

    • be as honest, direct and open as possible with you

    • listen intently and carefully

    • help you develop greater awareness of yourself (of your mind, body, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, needs etc)

    • build a shared understanding of your way of experiencing the world

    • respond both empathically and by challenging any assumptions, beliefs and habits that do not serve you

    • encourage you to be authentic and truthful

    • offer suggestions and new ways to explore your experiences in depth

    • guide you if asked to do so

    • suggest therapeutic tasks that could help you

    • help you better support and empower yourself and meet your own needs

    • offer yoga, meditation, writing and art therapies where appropriate or when you request them

    • continue an analytical and intuitive understanding of you during and between sessions

    • regularly monitor and review with you whether you are getting what you need from the work

  • My thinking process continues between sessions in the service of better understanding you; empathising with you, your history and current life; and developing better ways of supporting you. This is a process that often occurs unconsciously, with solutions emerging into conscious awareness as time passes. It is a process that happens within motivated patients too and makes therapy more than just what we do in a meeting once a week. 

    I offer additional support in between sessions in the form of Resource articles, audio recordings, experiential exercises, and Supplementary Support, which is an optional service for times when you are struggling or just want some extra daily support and guidance.

  • Review sessions are scheduled for every 25th session and can be requested at any time throughout our work. Reviewing allows for a formal or informal reflection on motivation, commitment and progress, re-establishing aims and focus. Reviewing our work together and looking at gains and saying our goodbyes is also a healthy, constructive way to bring the relationship to an end.

  • Patients agree to give a minimum of 7 days notice to finish weekly therapy. This allows us to round off the work amicably, and cover any remaining points, clear up any misunderstandings, or unanswered questions. And offers a chance to review your progress and achievements.

    You can also discuss options like follow-up sessions, maintenance tasks to keep you going, or tapering attendance off before discharge. 

    Giving notice leaves the door open for you to return comfortably if you need to at some future point.