It was a decade ago that was listening to the radio when I heard this line being spoken for the first time by a mother who was describing the time the police came to her house to enquire after certain pornographic material which had been downloaded using the family IP address. She described the … [Read more...]
What makes Psychotherapy Different?
“The Patient who will not suffer pain fails to suffer pleasure.” Wilfred Bion 1970.One of the best things about being a therapist is the demand for us to stay awake and alive. There is constant training meaning our development is always a work in progress. What Makes a … [Read more...]
Is that a fact or an opinion?
Now we are all starting to go out more and socialise again, I wanted to acknowledge how we can all experience anxious or self critical thoughts.I have noticed, when meeting up with various girlfriends recently, how we’ve all shared thoughts of feeling slightly anxious about how others are … [Read more...]
Using empathy to re-build connection with children and young people
This last year of global pandemic has been a time of massive disruption to almost everyone. With it has come disconnection in various forms and the challenge of reconnecting at points when restrictions have lifted. Children and young people have faced their own particular challenges with school … [Read more...]
Care for a Dance?
The considerable volume of writing on relationships is littered with metaphors to explore the intricate connections between people. Most frequent might be images of journeys (‘we had come to a crossroads - an obstacle’, ‘it always seems uphill’); of chemistry (‘I felt the spark had gone’; of sport … [Read more...]
Poetry: A space to ponder
How many of us feel we don’t want to be known beyond what we present to the world and are relieved when our presentations are not tested? When we’re not found out.The poem below by the American poet Jane Hirschfield, is an uncomfortable look at our response when we read about the shameful acts … [Read more...]
Name That Tune
How can an old parlour game help us reflect on the way we communicate? Quite a lot it would seem.Many of us will have played the game where we tap out the rhythm of a tune or song and ask our partner to guess the name of the piece. The challenge for the person doing the listening is that they … [Read more...]
Football, psychotherapy and engaging with male clients
I recently read that an English professional football team has a resident psychotherapist. Whilst the connection between clinical psychology and sporting outcomes is well established, having a team psychotherapist is something new. The therapist explained that they’re there to support the players, … [Read more...]
‘The Wisdom of Trauma’ a film by Gabor Maté – A Critical Review
Both the name, Gabor Maté, and the word, trauma, have become synonymous and ubiquitous in recent years.Dr. Maté is a Hungarian born physician and author of ‘In The Realm of The Hungry Ghosts’, which was first published back in 2008 and offered a compassionate and insightful understanding of … [Read more...]
Is a Therapy Group Right for Me? Am I Right for a Therapy Group?
Are you finding it hard to know if group therapy is what you need or want? Below, I outline a few of considerations that might be helpful when thinking about joining a group.Considering a Therapy Group? You may have had a group suggested to you or know someone who is in or has been in a group. … [Read more...]
Do Psychotherapists Need to Love Their Clients?
Freud is an extraordinary and greatly misunderstood individual (and mental health practitioner). Many believe we have ‘evolved’ beyond his ‘outdated’ theories and indeed, there are views and theories of his that are no longer literally relevant. However, to dismiss him on this basis is myopic and … [Read more...]
Are our emotions shaped by our relationships?
This particularly influences us during infancy, childhood and adolescence. These early experiences can be activated if they have led to the development of unhelpful defenses. The lack of attunement in parental relationships can result in an infant developing an unhealthy attachment style, divorced … [Read more...]
We have moved! Welcome to our new premises in Lewes
After 5 years of running Lewes' only dedicated talking therapy clinical space - The Barn, the time has come for us to move on!From Monday 14 June we are now located at The Hive at 66 High Street in central Lewes.We are continuing to offer the same high quality of short- and long-term … [Read more...]
What The Role of the Therapist in Therapy Groups?
This piece is part of a series offering thoughts on the experience of being in a therapy group. It may be helpful to read if you are thinking about joining a group or running groups or if you are already in a group. When I am discussing with someone about joining a group, a common question is … [Read more...]
Group Analytic Psychotherapy – the slow open group
The name 'Slow Open Group' was adopted to reflect the nature of the psychological process of opening ourselves to our collective experience in our families, culture and social milieu. Slow, because it takes time, Open because people will come and go over time as they do in our lives.The global … [Read more...]