I offer psychodynamic counselling and psychoanalytic psychotherapy in Brighton and Hove. I currently work in Phoenix Therapy Practice. I am BACP accredited.
I offer sessions both face to face in the Phoenix Therapy Practice, 2 Osmond Road, Hove and online via Zoom.
What is psychodynamic counselling?
This type of client-led, relational counselling can help with depression, anxiety, trauma and a wide range of other issues. It is especially helpful when your relational patterns no longer work, causing you distress and problems in your life. It can help you address past traumas and the resulting beliefs and habits you might not be fully aware of and give you a deeper understanding of the underlying issues, rather than addressing just the symptoms themselves.
The benefits of the psychodynamic approach (more information here) are linked to the development of inner capacities and resources. It seeks not only to relieve distressing and unhelpful symptoms but also helps with the development and strengthening of inner resources and capacities to improve the overall quality of life.
What are the benefits?
- Increasing self-esteem
- Developing the ability to have more satisfying relationships
- Increasing confidence in personal abilities
- Increasing understanding of self and others
- Recognition and ability to tolerate a wider range of emotions
- Gradually becoming more able to face issues and difficulties
- Benefits that endure and increase with time
How does it work?
- Focusing on recognizing and expressing feelings
- Recognizing how we try to avoid thoughts and feelings that are distressing
- Identifying recurring themes and patterns
- Talking about past experience and how it might impact currently
- Exploring how we relate to others
- Looking at themes that arise in the therapeutic relationship may reveal useful information
- Encouraging free expression and exploration of whatever comes to mind (source: Talking Therapy Psychotherapy and Counselling Centre)
My approach
I believe that no issue is too small nor too great to bring to therapy – if it causes you pain or problems, you will benefit from opening up about it. I see all presented themes as material for exploration and everyone’s internal world as something that needs to be approached with curiosity and openness. I support clients non-judgementally, on a journey of self-exploration and try to help identify tendencies and patterns that might be causing them distress. My approach is suitable for adults of all ages and backgrounds and also LGBTQ, kink and poly-friendly. I work in a clinic which is actively inclusive and open to diversity.
I openly stand against conversion therapy of any sort. While everything remains open to exploration and deep thought in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, I am well aware of the dangers of overly challenging and inappropriately questioning sexual and gender identities (even when they are still forming/emerging) and I consciously work with special caution when it comes to these areas.
I normally work on a long-term, open-ended basis, seeing clients (same day and time every week or twice/three-times weekly) and staying with them until they feel they have resolved their issues.
It is also possible to contract short-term counselling (12 sessions) if you are coming with a particular theme or issue you want to explore and focus on.
I do not offer fortnightly sessions or recurrent one-off sessions booked ad-hoc.