What is Psychotherapy?
Will psychotherapy suite me?
Psychotherapy is a confidential relationship space where we can reflect on the way that we lead our life and how we relate to our experience.
We can reflect on our desire to create changes so that we can lead happier more fulfilled lives.
Before we decide to go ahead you can ask lots of questions to make sure that going ahead with me is right for you. Psychotherapy is usually for a longer period than counseling.
What sorts of issues can you talk about?
You can talk about anything at all. Subjects you may wish to explore might be any of these:
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a vague or clear sense of unhappiness
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stress, anxiety, fear, panic attacks and post traumatic effects
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depression or anxiety
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overwhelming or traumatic incidents in your life
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problems with sleeping or with dreams
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where you feel that you are not as in control of your feelings as you would choose to be: like getting angry, stressed or having feelings of guilt or shame.
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loss, disorientation, bereavement & sudden changes that have caused you shock
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family relationships from childhood, the past or the present, or domestic, sexual or other abuse
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wanting to know yourself more deeply within a confidential & reflective relationship
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issues that are embarrassing or confusing perhaps related to relationships or sexuality.
Over the years as a doctor, I have worked with people who are living with challenging conditions. In psychotherapy I believe there is so much more opportunity to explore and resolve these issues over a longer period of time.
I have found that many people discover that in spite of a unique experience of struggle and suffering they are not alone. They feel less alone and find there is relief through sharing. They discover that a lot of what they experience is a common reaction to suffering and distress.
What will we do during the sessions?
I intend that the sessions will be an an opportunity for you to tell you story and to explore more deeply issues that are important to you.
It is my intention to believe in you, have no agenda for you, to respect your views, to be honest, and to treat you kindly.
I will encourage you gently to be in touch with your feelings and help you to be comfortable doing this..
What will happen when difficult things need to
be talked about, things which you might prefer people not to know
about.
How will I treat this information – will it be
confidential with me?
I have a long experience of keeping confidentiality. I will treat what you tell me in confidence. We will discuss confidentiality at our first meeting.
I am bound by a code of ethics and my institute requires that I keep the confidentiality of my clients. As a student of the Karuna Institute I abide by their code of ethics.
How often, for how long and how many meetings?
Meetings are usually weekly for one hour
After an initial meeting for which I do not charge, we would meet weekly for six weeks. If we both decided to continue after this, we would review progress and contract together for a longer period of a few months after which we would have another review..
How much does it cost?
I think that psychotherapy should be affordable and I will happily consider reducing fees depending on your ability to pay.