My Approaches to Therapy
My approach to therapy is influenced by 'mindfulness' which is the practice of focusing attention on the present experience in a way that is non-judgmental, and such as “mindfulness and awareness of thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and the surrounding area through a gentle nurturing lens”. Reality is only ever experienced in the present, and mindfulness-based therapy in particular brings us back to this, allowing for us to be with whatever is happening for us in the here and now, in our bodies and minds. It is in working through what is present for us at any given moment through our direct experience that real opportunity for change and personal growth occurs.
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Our past influences our present, and by exploring the past we can often start to understand our present day struggles, including that of anxiety, shame, anger, depression or feelings of helplessness, in a different more helpful way. I believe we are all born with inherent health, but this is ‘clouded’ or obscured by our learned patterns of behaviour. Being mindful or aware of our ‘stuff,’ can help us to re-engage in and transform our lives.
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Our patterned or 'conditioned behaviour' can keep us stuck or going in circles in our lives. The painful emotional 'wounding' or trauma that we may have experienced in our early lives is often deeply buried in our unconscious mind or held in our body. This is where working on a deeper level and bypassing the conscious mind is needed.
Identifying emotional patterns and habits and exploring the reasons they were formed can be an illuminating experience, which can be helpful as we try to unhook and process our 'old' habits from the past. A "process" is simply a term used to describe a facilitated exercise that takes you past our 'conditioned' conscious mind, and helps you to dive deeper into exploring what is actually at the root of your issues - and healing it.
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I work both psychodynamically and intuitively and believe that therapy is not about any particular 'technique,' but ultimately that healing occurs through a safe and trusting relationship -and therefore our therapeutic relationship. It is vitally important to me and to your healing process, that I am myself in the therapy room and this means being professional, authentic, open and honest with you.
Together, we can explore and make 'sense' of your difficulties and challenges and the way you are dealing with them. In this way, a space is created for you to reflect, increase awareness and discover better choices in how you respond rather than react to life’s difficulties. We will explore deeper-seated patterns of behaviour, feelings, and meaning, so you can expect to learn more about yourself, build greater awareness of your thoughts and feelings, and understand how this affects you and the people around you.
Located on Clapham High Street, a short walk away from either Clapham North or Clapham Common tube stations. It is also on several bus routes.