How Therapy Helps

 How does heightening connection to our bodies help in therapy

​ My own journey has taught me that therapy is about so much more than just talking; it’s an invitation to connect with our feelings, our sensations, and your body. Brains are remarkable, but they can sometimes work too quickly, overlooking the deeper truths that reside just beneath the surface, in the words of well-known traumatologist Bessel Van der Kolk, 'it's the Body that keeps the score' of things we received too much of and things we didn't get enough of.

 

As we slowly, carefully and respectfully explore how your body, nervous system, soul and spirit functions- we allow the possbility for those parts of yourself to work together rather than either against each other or in 'silos of silence' which offer contribute to a compartmentalised life.

 

Whether, we work together in the room or online, the therapeutic relationship creates a unique space, a 'reverie' between therapist and client (Thomas Ogden)- it is in these moments where we can connect to our experience of life before and beyond words. Because the therapeutic journey exists in this space which words cannot fully describe, much of our evolving work will be felt, enacted and witnessed, sometimes in words, sometimes in shared silence and presence. 

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How do images and metaphors help in psychological integration?

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I've learned to listen for the images, metaphors, and symbols that can help us find a richer and more creative way of understanding ourselves; the living, growing part of ourselves rather than the parts that are easily put into boxes or labelled. This is where the work of therapy becomes truly creative and liberating—a way of discovering a new narrative for your life when old ones feel limiting or painful. I adopt this  symbolic way of approaching life and therapy through the influence of Carl Jung, see here, and also means that I can work with you on your dreams.  

 

How navigating life's transitions brings up our shadow side 

 

The process of becoming your own person can be challenging, especially in a world that often presents us with uncertainty and pressure. It's not uncommon to feel like you're still waiting for your life to begin, all the while counting the cost of past hurts.

​At different points in life, we need to develop different capacities, sometimes we need to bask in the light of acceptance; sometimes we need to butt up against limits, griefs and limitations. When we go deeper and connect with those parts of ourselves that we've not developed either because we didn't feel skilled or confident or that our early environments demanded something different (these parts often show up shamed, neglected and enacted in dreams, symptoms and addictions).  As a therapist, I work developmentally, which means that I keep those 'parts' of you in mind as we work together, to encourage their integration and dialogue. 

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The importance of consisitency of the therapeutic relationship

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In our work together, I'll take the time to truly listen to your needs, desires, dreams, and dilemmas. I will also hold space for the losses and disappointments that are part of every life. The aim is not to 'fix' you, but to provide a secure and consistent relationship where you can explore these feelings and in time, find a renewed foundation for the relationships that matter most to you—at home, at work, and in the wider world.

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