My Approach
I work in a relational, humanistic way that values the unique nature of every human being. My approach is psychodynamic which means we will explore the present in relation to your past and the experiences and beliefs that have shaped you. I draw upon neuroscience and our understanding of the brain’s impact on the nervous system encouraging a more mindful connection to our bodies. I believe that therapy makes the biggest impact when it reaches beyond the limits of the intellect and engages with our emotional and intuitive selves.
Using the Arts
I am trained in arts psychotherapy and believe the arts can support growth by giving access to our inner resources, creativity and imagination.
You may prefer talking therapy and can choose whether or not you would like to try using the arts in our sessions. You don’t have to be artistic, just open to exploring. Working with images and metaphors often surprises with its’ power to communicate what would be hard to put into words.
Working with the arts may involve choosing images or figures from my collection, or we might explore a myth, dream or story that’s important to you. You may want to try using the art materials. The emphasis is on exploration and curiosity rather than the finished product.
I encourage spontaneous expression, which can foster a growing sense of agency, aliveness and authenticity. Qualities that can then be transferred into your life beyond therapy.
The Body
The body can often tell us what has happened in the past, and what’s needed in the present. I encourage curiosity about our physical experience, working with bodily sensations to recognise, explore and release pent up feelings, and to support a mindful sense of grounding.
Over time we can expand our own tolerance for difficult feelings, and become curious about the experience of others. In doing this we foster a more fluid, empathic understanding of ourselves and others, and dissolve fixed, repetitive behavior based on expectations from the past.
