Online psychotherapy is not a new concept; it was around before the pandemic and successfully used as a medium for delivering psychotherapy, counselling and coaching. However, what is new is how nearly all of us were obliged to work online to maintain continuity of sessions for our patients and … [Read more...]
The Challenge of Change
While it might not be explicitly named, ‘change’ is often alluded to as a desirable outcome of psychotherapy. Thoughts about feeling, being and living differently are expressed and the client is invited to understand what it is that they want. The ‘wished for’ life can often feel desirable and easy … [Read more...]
The Challenge of Change
While it might not be explicitly named, ‘change’ is often alluded to as a desirable outcome of psychotherapy. Thoughts about feeling, being and living differently are expressed and the client is invited to understand what it is that they want. The ‘wished for’ life can often feel desirable and easy … [Read more...]
Loneliness and CBT
People feel lonely for a wide range of reasons. Loneliness can be linked to mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety, social anxiety, perfectionism, low self esteem or eating disorders. It can also be linked to autism, loss, difficulties disclosing, early adulthood, elderly. This is … [Read more...]
Thinking about origins
Where do you come from?It’s a question that many of us will have either asked, or been asked. What do we actually mean when we ask that of someone? Are we merely searching for a reference point as a means of friendly inquiry, or are we seeking something else?When we think about identity and … [Read more...]
“I’m interested in therapy but isn’t it a bit self-indulgent?”
Some of the people I see exploring whether to begin therapy, often express doubts as to whether their troubles are significant enough. I often hear the refrain – “nothing that bad has happened to me, maybe I’m just being self-indulgent, or isn’t this all a bit naval gazing?.” I think simplified, … [Read more...]
The Process of Joining a Therapy Group
Below, I am going to outline the process for joining a therapy group. It is important to say at the outset that I am describing my own practice and while the underlying principles will generally be shared by other group analysts, the specific processes and procedures will be variable. Taking the … [Read more...]
Some thoughts on becoming (part two) …
“‘This - is now my way - where is yours?’ Thus did I answer those who asked me ‘the way’. For the way - it doth not exist!”(Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra)Nietzsche (1961) conceives of people as a process of becoming and thus creative and transformative in nature. Nietzsche (1973) calls … [Read more...]
How are you?
How are you at just sitting down quietly by yourself? Some years ago I completed a mindfulness meditation course and first encountered the philosopher Pascal‘s assertion that, ‘all the misfortunes of men derive from one single thing, which is their inability to be at ease in a room’. Our teacher … [Read more...]
Some thoughts on becoming (part one) …
“First we are written and then we write." These words resound in my head daily. Helene Cixous, the speaker of those words, was immediately given special and spacial status in my lived experience. Her words speaking to the many dynamic forces that seemingly make up my lived experience including … [Read more...]
Demystifying Mental Health Issues
In the last few years there has been increased awareness of mental health issues in the media, way before the pandemic hit. Mental health professionals are seeing a growing mental health epidemic which has become significantly worse due to the human and financial cost of Covid-19, prolonged … [Read more...]
Understanding Sexual Desire
All couples in long term pairings know something of the vicissitudes of desire. The sexual intensity that more often typifies the early stages of a new relationship cannot remain the same over years of familiarity. The up close and personal experience of day to day coupledom means witnessing one’s … [Read more...]
Thinking about the menopause in energetic terms
I often have women clients who are going through the peri-menopause or who are post-menopause and I am curious about how I might better support them therapeutically. I want to share some thoughts from a recent talk by Joanna Groves where she invited us to think about the peri- and post-menopause in … [Read more...]
Out of sight, out of mind
Available entertainment over the recent end of year break included the chance to laugh at the prospect of us all being killed. The climate crisis satire, ‘Don’t Look Up’ presented a mirror of our times, with scientists struggling to communicate imminent planetary annihilation by comet to a … [Read more...]
Pornography and the Online Safety bill
Having just come off a phone call with the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Policy Lead, my thoughts have been drawn to the enormity of the problem we face with pornography and the ‘pornification’ of society, particular the world of young people.Pornography use has become ubiquitous and … [Read more...]
