How do you choose a therapist?
When you’re contemplating entering into therapy one of the most important factors for you to consider is your choice of therapist as much as the model of therapy that he or she is trained in. Research is showing that to a great extent the type of therapy you choose is less important than the person of the therapist him or herself.
This is because healing takes place in the therapeutic relationship, which is why so it's vitally important that the person you are going to do this work with is the right person for you.
So how will you know if I’m right for you? I invite you to make contact with me and see how you feel about our contact.
These are just some of the most common issues that people come to Counselling for:-
•Relationships, Marriage, Gender issues, Divorce/Divorce adjustment, Sexual Orientation, Family problems, Breakup, Commitment issues,.s
•Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Anger, Shame, Fear, Emptiness, Guilt, Forgiveness, Worthlessness
•Health, Illness, Self-Love, Medical issues, Identity Issues, Men’s Issues,Suicide, Self-doubt, Women’s issues, Self-Harm, Work Issues, Rejection, Spirituality, Trust Issues, Self-Compassion
What are the benefits of using my service?
In therapy we will explore your relationship with various parts of yourself, other individuals, yourself in relation to groups or your environment, amongst many other things. This will apply to all areas of your life. Your personal and professional lives, because it is your core self that is operating in both of these environments.
The first session is an opportunity for you to see if you think we can work together. If so, we will go through a process called ‘contracting’ which is where we agree on the nuts and bolts of how the sessions will be conducted. Specifically things such as: Cost, frequency of sessions, timings etc. It's also where we agree on things that are important for how we will be together in the session such as words or types of behaviour or actions that we do or do not want to use, so that the session is as comfortable as it is possible to be for you as we work together,
Sessions allow you to talk in confidence about anything you wish to discuss in an environment that is non-judgemental and that values diversity in all its forms. They are always non-threatening in nature and will allow you to explore things that are important to you in a safe way, assured of being heard, listened to and accepted for exactly who you are. You can be yourself.
This in itself can be a very powerful experience.
At times I may challenge you, but such challenge will be calibrated to ensure that it is within your levels of tolerance, and only if it seems that such challenge is necessary to help you achieve the goals that you are seeking in coming to therapy. Similarly we might sometimes try experiments, which will also be calibrated to ensure that they are within your levels of tolerance.
The choice is always yours.
Entering into therapy can be an amazing experience. Not always easy, but always interesting, sometimes great fun, and quite often surprising, for both parties!
Essentially, when people come for therapy one of the main things they acquire is an understanding of their own lived experience. This may sound strange, but sometimes we are that close to what it is we have lived through that we can't see the wood for the trees as it were. Therapy provides some perspective for you.
I work with clients in York and Hull city centres, in addition to Howden town centre and the Driffield area.
Skype
For people who are a too far away to visit in person I also have a thriving practice via Skype and have clients who are based in the UK, China and Europe. This way of working with people iextremely effective and perfect for you if you wish to experience the benefits of therapy even if you are in a location that is far distant from my location here in Yorkshire.
The models of therapy I use
By choosing to enter into therapy with me you will have an opportunity to work on issues that are of importance to you in ways that are creative, supportive and safe.
If I feel that we are entering areas that are outside my sphere of competence, or if I feel that you require a referral to a different type of service I will refer you elsewhere after discussion with you. In this way you are assured of being treated ethically and responsibly. Subsequently, if appropriate, and it is your choice, you may always return to therapy with me.
Primarily I work using the Gestalt model of therapy. I have completed 4 years of training in this model and am currently awaiting accreditation with the UKCP which is the professional body for Psychotherapists here in the UK.
Gestalt Therapy looks at the entirety of you, not just the issue that you bring. It also places equal emphasis on your body and feelings as well as your mind, regarding people as an integrated system rather than regarding your mind as a wondrous creation with your body as something that you merely carry your mind around in.
Regarding the body as being so important means that we can work on what it is your body is saying as well as what your mind is articulating, and that is when the work becomes very interesting indeed.
I also have a degree in Counselling from York St John University. The model I studied for my degree was the 'Integrative' model, which was developed by Petruska Clarkson, a highly regarded Psychotherapist, which enables me to integrate theories from other therapeutic models which I feel will benefit the particular client I am working with at any one time.