What is Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy?
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is an open-ended and explorative clinical treatment in which you are invited to speak openly, in a confidential and non-judgemental space, about your experiences – to say whatever is on your mind.
Why come to therapy?
People come to therapy for all sorts of reasons, not all of which may be clear at the start.
It might be that a difficult or distressing life event prompts you to seek help. This could be a relationship breakdown, a bereavement, a period of illness, or something that has challenged your sense of who you are. But there may not be a particular recent crisis. You might just feel you have struggled with your mental health (perhaps anxiety or depression) for some time and want to explore the possibility of feeling differently. You might want to understand the repetition of destructive patterns in your relationships, or in your relation to yourself. You might just feel that now is finally the time to return to deal with a difficult moment from the past. You may simply want to discover more about yourself, your desires, your identity or sexuality, and seek a new means of self-realisation. Your reasons will be your own, as is your therapy.
What kind of therapy do I practice?
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a form of ‘talking therapy’ founded on listening. It is based on the idea that our conscious thoughts and feelings are often driven by unconscious affects and desires – aspects of ourselves that may appear compulsive, elusive, unsettling or unshifting. Such dimensions of our mental life may not only exist outside our normal awareness; they may conflict with our conscious beliefs and wishes, causing pain and confusion. Through a process of exploration and discovery, the therapy provides a unique space for reflection and for uncovering the singular meanings of experiences and suffering.
My practice is informed by the psychoanalytic tradition. Together we will explore the issues that you bring, working collaboratively and creatively to think about them within the context of your life and your unique personal history. Rather than examining problems in isolation, the therapy is curious about the roots of patterns of behaviour, about symptoms, inhibitions and their interrelationships, as well as the social context in which they become meaningful for you. By carefully following the threads you bring, we will aim at weaving new creative forms of living, helping you to understand yourself in new ways.
How Often and for How Long?
Psychoanalysis is different from other types of mental health approaches that promise a ‘quick-fix’; it takes its own time. Whilst some people may choose to come for a few months to focus on a specific concern, many choose an open-ended approach.
I offer both short and long-term treatment. Sessions last 50 minutes. We will decide on a weekly or twice-weekly fixed- time for our sessions depending on individual needs and circumstances. It is important you find the right therapist for you, so we can start with a few trial sessions to see how the work goes. I generally like to work with people on a twice-weekly basis, as being more fruitful for the work.
Fees
My standard fee is £70 per session. I have a limited number of reduced fee places available. Missed sessions (cancelled less than 48 hours in advance) are due in full.