My approach

Often, patterns develop early in life and continue to operate outside of our awareness, influencing how we respond to situations and relationships much later in life. 

Rather than offering advice or techniques for managing symptoms, psychotherapy provides a space to explore the deeper roots of emotional distress, which can offer change that feels more lasting and meaningful, rather than simply coping from one situation to the next.

My approach is informed by psychoanalytic ideas, drawing largely on the work of Freud, Klein, Bion and Winnicott. Their work helps us understand how our emotions develop and how unconscious processes influence the way we experience life and relate to others. 

What’s psychotherapy like?

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is unstructured, so I don’t direct you and generally leave space for you to say whatever is on your mind. This might be a thought you’ve had between sessions, a dream, an event that’s taken place, or something that’s concerning you. 

Throughout the sessions, we aim to explore these emotions and anxieties together, building a greater understanding of the patterns in your emotional life and where they may have come from or developed.

You don’t need any prior knowledge of this approach – the work is guided by what you bring to the sessions and what feels most relevant to you. You also don’t need to have a mental health concern or diagnosis to get something from therapy; sessions reflect on all aspects of life and professional development and to simply learn about oneself is a fair reason to engage. 

Who is psychotherapy for? 

Psychotherapy can be effective for people experiencing a wide range of difficulties. 

Sometimes people come to therapy for help with specific issues, such as anxiety, obsessive behaviours, phobias, sexual dysfunction, panic attacks, addiction, work performance, trauma or relationship troubles. 

Alternatively, some will have more general challenges that they’d like to explore, such as depression, low self-worth, confidence issues, lacking in purpose or identity, anger issues or feelings of emptiness. 

In addition, people often come to psychotherapy after having had short-term counselling or CBT, which has left them with lots of unanswered questions about themselves that they’d like to explore further. 

How long does psychotherapy take?

Psychodynamic psychotherapy can bring about real, long-lasting positive change in your life, wellbeing and relationships. It does, however, take time, commitment and money, and it can be helpful to think of therapy as an investment in yourself and your future.

I can’t give a specific timeframe for how long therapy takes, as this varies from person-to-person, though it is generally most effective as a longer-term treatment. I am also open to working with those over a shorter or time-limited period, who have a particular issue or difficulty they would like to address. 

Shorter-term work can support change around specific challenges, while longer-term therapy allows for deeper exploration and more sustained change over time.

We can discuss what feels most appropriate for you at the outset, and review this together as the work progresses.