Experience and approach:

How I work

 

 

 

I am an integrative therapist, which means that I work within a humanistic, relational, and developmental framework.
For most people that doesn’t mean very much, so here's a brief explanation.

 

 

 

Integrative

 

 

 

Humanistic therapies are all based on the beliefs above, and there are many theories and ways of understanding people that have stemmed from this.
But there are also lots of other ways to approach this. I don’t stick rigidly to ‘a way to do therapy’ but incorporate aspects of many different theories including some of the ‘non-humanistic’ ones. I do this because I believe that they are useful and helpful to the work of therapy.

 

 

 

Humanistic

 

 

 

My basic beliefs about people:

 

 

 

• • • • everyone has essential worth

 

 

 

• • • • people are not 'good' or 'bad' – we all have the potential for both

 

 

 

• • • • we all have the capacity to choose

 

 

 

• • • • people are responsible for themselves

 

 

 

• • • • people have the power to change and grow

 

 

 

• • • • we exist in relationship with the world around us

 

 

 

• • • • the truth about people is more than the sum of all the parts

 

 

 

Relational

 

 

 

I place particular importance and value on the relationship that develops between myself and the client. I believe that we all exist in relationship with the world around us, and so when we are trying to make changes, or solve problems, or make sense of our experiences, we also do that in relationship. Therapy is very different from most other relationships you may have – that’s part of its value, but it is still a relationship.

 

 

 

Developmental

 

 

 

I believe that we form fundamental beliefs about ourselves and others from the very beginning of our lives. As such, I pay attention to the developmental processes that were (or were not) formative in the individual's experience, which can then guide future therapeutic work.