“The truth is that
our finest moments
are most likely to
occur when we are
feeling deeply uncomfortable,
unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled
by our discomfort,
that we are likely to
step out of our ruts
and start searching
for different ways or
truer answers.”

– M. Scott Peck

Concerns

Why would someone go to see a Psychotherapist?

Talking to a Psychotherapist aims to help you understand what is going in your life, reflecting on past experiences to see how they created your present, in order to open future possibilities.

Psychotherapy allows you to achieve greater self-awareness, deeper self-acceptance, improved relationships with others and yourself and therefore greater command over your life. It helps you to clarify what you want in your life, addressing your own needs, and desires, improving relationships with others, taking responsibility and learning to live, chance, love, hope and be more fully.

>>  Psychotherapists are different from Other People in Your Life
>>  Some things are not easy to share with family and friends
>>  Psychotherapists are different from Doctors or Psychiatrists
>>  What kinds of issues bring people to Psychotherapy?
>>  How Psychotherapy can help you.
>>  What could I expect from the sessions?

Psychotherapists are different from Other People in Your Life.

• They are not part of your daily life and therefore should be neutral and independent.
• They should not judge, criticise or make assumptions.
• They should listen, more than speak; and in the work be involved only with you.
• You should be their only source of information about you.
• You and what you say should be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

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Some things are not easy to share with family and friends.

• There are certain things you may not want to share with people close to you.
• Mainly you may not want to share these things because of concern about the impact such information/sharing would have on those relationships.
• Fear of friends’ reactions or anxiety might cause more pressure.
• Sometimes having a neutral space to think things through for yourself helps prepare for opening or sharing with friends or family. Knowing what it is you want to say or how it is you want to say it, when/if the time comes to share with those close to our lives.
• It helps to have a space to talk at your own pace in an environment with no pressure, and no demand, or outside agenda.

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Psychotherapists are different from Doctors or Psychiatrists

• They should not prescribe drugs or medication and should not define or classify you
• Each individual will react to similar situations in individual ways. It is this individual experience that is of importance.
• Real time and space should be offered for you to decide what your issues or questions are.
• They should facilitate rather than dictate what your solutions might be.
• They should offer choice as to what you want, empowering your agenda and pace, not theirs.
• Their attention should be on you, a person, rather than as a patient.
• They should refer to or work with a doctor if this is something required and consented by you.

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What kinds of issues bring people to Psychotherapy?

• Relationship Dating and Trusting Challenges and Difficulties.
• Questions around Self-esteem, Confidence, or Assertiveness.
• Lack of Motivation or Direction. Depression and Anxiety.
• Emotional Crisis and Difficulties Coping.
• Bereavement, Loss, Separation & Relationship Breakdown.
• Questions around Sexual/Gender Identity.
• Self-image Problems. Suicidal thoughts. Self-harm. Eating disorders.
• Despair, Feelings of Meaningless and Hopelessness. Loneliness and Isolation.
• Alcohol, Drug Abuse, Dependency and Addictions.
• Childhood and Family Issues.
• Sexual Trauma, Abuse and Assault.
• Work-related issues, Stress, Interpersonal Conflict, Bullying & Personal Development.
• Sexual problems.

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How Psychotherapy can help you.

• Psychotherapy can help you understand yourself
• It is a place to think things through
• It is an open, secure space to acknowledge feelings and work through them
• It provides an opportunity to consider options and to make your choices
• Psychotherapy works at your pace, in your direction and should follow your lead

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What could I expect from the sessions?

Psychotherapy sessions usually last for 50 minutes. Though the first appointment can usually about gathering information, it should also be about coming to a better understanding of the difficulties you find yourself in. Some people may find, in fact, that this is all that is needed from a few sessions, because even in just speaking out you can hear yourself air your doubts/questions/fears and this alone can help you to think with greater clarity and thus enable you to think of better ways of managing. Ideally the sessions should remind you that you do have resources within yourself, and around you, to help you deal with what had seemed very difficult to manage alone.

If I were to use a metaphor, sessions can often be about opening the box of jigsaw pieces of your life and putting them out there at a pace that suits you. Then it might be about overturning some of the pieces, and perhaps using the initial sessions to build the edges and borderline for the work. Then it is about arranging pieces in different ways to see what fits and to get a better overview of the picture you are building. There will always be the pieces that don’t fit where you thought they should, and the search for the missing pieces.

Your Psychotherapist will discuss the frequency of sessions, which are, within our practice and training a minimum of weekly. Any less frequent meeting reduces any momentum in the work, as so much takes place between sessions. Just as trying to get physically fir requires a commitment to regular exercise, so too does getting mentally or emotionally fit. Sometimes it might be agreed to meet more frequently if your situation required, or if you were to chose to undertake a psychoanalysis.

The length of time psychotherapy takes varies from person to person. Most often, if after the initial session you decide to continue the work, the Psychotherapist may suggest a fixed minimum number of six or eight of sessions for ethical and professional reasons, just to allow both of you space and time to address what lies beneath.

We are all individuals and therefore each experience will be unique, thus the duration of their counselling cannot be predicted. It can vary from a few weeks up to a few months or longer. Most people will feel a change even after a few sessions.

It is the choice of the individual whether or not they wish to continue with the process. There should always be time to discuss this with their psychotherapist. Your own periodic reviews should be prompted and used by yourself to mark progress and to look at the future direction of therapy. Ending therapy should always be discussed and planned in advance.

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