How We Can Work Together
My work is grounded in a Humanistic belief: that we all have an inner capacity and desire to live our lives well. Sometimes, life's challenges, setbacks, or past experiences can obscure our path or make it hard to see the way forward. In our sessions, we'll explore what's happening for you now, often making connections to your past experiences and identifying patterns that might be holding you back.
Taking the First Steps
Our initial meeting, whether online or in person (which we'll agree beforehand), is a chance for us to discuss what brings you to therapy and what you hope to achieve. Importantly, it's also an opportunity for both of us to see if we feel we're a good fit to work together. If we decide to continue, the number of sessions will be tailored to your individual needs and circumstances. We'll also regularly review your progress together, ensuring the therapy continues to support you effectively.
Your Journey, Your Space
My approach is always client-led. This is your therapy, your space, and I deeply respect your experiences, wishes, and decisions - after all, you are the expert on your own life. My role is to walk alongside you, offering support as you make sense of things that have happened, process past difficulties, and feel empowered to make choices that feel right and meaningful for you, both now and in the future.
Influences on My Humanistic Practice
My Humanistic approach is enriched by several perspectives that help me tailor therapy to you. Here are a few that inform my work and resonate deeply with me:
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Person-Centred Therapy:
This approach emphasises your innate wisdom. For me, it's about creating a supportive and understanding environment where your own insights can emerge. As Mearns & Thorne (2013) beautifully put it:"The task of the counsellor is to be the kind of companion who can relate in such a way that the client can access their own wisdom and recover self-direction."
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Gestalt Therapy:
Gestalt therapy highlights our potential to solve problems and overcome difficulties, even when we feel stuck. It focuses on increasing your awareness of your present experience to find new ways forward. Joyce & Sills (2014) capture this well:"Gestalt therapists believe that people potentially have all the necessary abilities to solve their problems or face their difficulties. However, sometimes they get stuck and need some assistance."
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Transactional Analysis (TA):
TA offers valuable tools for understanding our patterns of communication and behaviour, empowering us to take responsibility and transform our relationships. As Hargaden & Sills (2002) describe:"Transactional analysis has a way of understanding and intervening in human behaviour, of empowering people to take responsibility for their lives and transforming their relationships."
Have Questions?
If you have any questions about my approach to therapy or how we might work together, please feel free to get in touch. I'll be happy to answer them.