A boy sitting on a peak high above the ocean.

On the Importance of Recognising Emotional Injury

If we could take a child’s logic and apply it to the arena of psychological injury we may be better equipped to deal with the emotional pain and suffering that is an inescapable part of being human. None of us is immune to heart ache. We are relational beings and cannot help but be touched…

The chin and suited horse of a Black man.

How do Transactional Analysts work with Anxiety?

In this blog I share my view on how to work with a fictitious client. The “client” James, is a high achieving barrister in his mid-thirties presents with severe anxiety. He has recently started a new relationship and they are thinking of moving in together. Client background The “client” James, is a high achieving barrister…

An armchair in the corner of a room.

What is Existential Psychotherapy? An interview with Dr. Simon Cassar – VLOG

Recently Mark Vahrmeyer interviewed Dr. Simon Cassar on the topic of Existential Psychotherapy. This is the first in a series of interviews and VLOGS into the topic of psychotherapy generally. So, please check out the interview and we would welcome any feedback or suggestions for future VLOGS.

Question marks painted onto trees in a woodland.

Is Psychotherapy about Questions or Answers?

People often arrive in therapy looking for answers to life’s difficulties. This might seem like a reasonable proposition. However, it pre-supposes that there might be such a thing as a simple answer to any of the thorny challenges life presents, and, indeed, that the therapist is an “expert” on life, uniquely qualified in their provision….

Two men shaking hands.

Come and Join our Team

We Need You! Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy is expanding thanks to consistently increasing demand across our Hove and Lewes practices. We are seeking an experienced and motivated psychotherapist who has the clinical training and experiential background to work with individuals and couples, ideally splitting their practice between our clinics in Hove and Lewes. This is…

An open bottle of pills.

The Truth of the Myth of Anti-Depressants

A Response to Johann Hari’s Book – Lost Connections As a psychotherapist, I welcome honest debates about mental health, as they can help reduce the stigma and isolation of many sufferers experience. Recently, a book has been published by controversial author Johann Hari, that has created a bit of a storm, in which he claims to…

A woman's face with her eyes shut.

The Menopause: Women of a Certain Age

For many women in the 21st century, the menopause leads to a sense of freedom, independence and creativity. Of course, I want to celebrate this, but I also want to talk about less welcome aspects. Culturally, the menopause is still somewhat feared and is something of a taboo. It is also open to derision and…

A pair of shoes climbing steps.

New Year’s Resolutions – why is it so difficult to succeed?

Come the New Year, come the idea to make some changes; to get fit, to be happier, to drink less – the list goes on. I am sure it is a well-researched fact that sales of self-help books increase in January, as does gym membership. And yet how often does the resolve dissolve after a…

Two hands holding a pen.

Psychotherapy supervision

The relationship between a psychotherapist and their supervisor is a very important one. Supervision is a vital place to reflect on clinical dilemmas, talk about professional issues and learn from someone more experienced. It can also be a self-care exercise. It feels good to talk to a trusted colleague about our work in a confidential…

A hand holding a lit sparkler.

Is starting psychotherapy a good New Year’s Resolution?

Most of us make some sort of New Year’s resolution, whether overtly or covertly. The new year can feel like an opportunity to put the past behind us and to start afresh. Whether or not we actively name and own our New Year’s resolutions, most of us can also attest to the best held intentions…

An empty chair with plants behind it.

What is Psychotherapy?

In this age of jettisoning the past and continually embracing the new, the answer to the question of how psychotherapy works has remained largely unchanged since the days of Freud. Modern enquiry and comprehension brings the capacity to understand what happens in the brain as a result of effective analysis, psychotherapy, or indeed, good enough…

Therapists chair.

Therapists’ rooms

Andrew Robinson, an MA Photography student from the University of Brighton, recently visited our Hove clinic to photograph our rooms for a project around the therapist’s chair. We are delighted to be able to share some of Andrew’s images on our blog. His artist’s statement can be found below. Andrew can be contacted via baronbouchard@hotmail.com. In…