The rise in diagnosis Talking therapies are a well-established means by which we think about and work with mental health. They don’t sit in a traditional clinical framework where we think of consultation, diagnosis and treatment. They offer a much more nuanced approach which breaks down the dynamic of specialist and patient. It is more…
We can get confusing mixed messages when it comes to understanding vulnerability. Some people tell us that it’s vital to show our vulnerable side in our relationships, though for reasons that often seem less than clear to us. Whereas our typical response to vulnerability might more realistically be to run away as fast as we…
After many years of hard work, when life was finally falling into place, does it feel like everything is suddenly changing? That you’re blinking into a life transition you neither asked for nor saw coming? In this article we’ll be discussing life transitions: how they can challenge us at a deep and even existential level,…
The importance of boundaries in psychotherapy I think it’s probably fair to say that all models of psychotherapy view boundaries as important. Analytic therapies particularly emphasise the role of boundaries and see them as integral to the psychotherapeutic process. There are many ways of understanding why boundaries are crucial. When I reflect on my work…
There is currently a great deal of noise and speculation about whether artificial intelligence (AI) can provide therapy. There are strong advocates on both sides of the argument, and evidence would suggest that, at least to some degree, AI can provide what some describe as ‘therapy’. The NHS, in part driven by its chronic funding…
This is a question that I am often asked. Everyone overthinks sometimes however for some people this can feel like a constant. Some people worry a lot about what others think of them, they can rehash conversations they’ve had, worry about what they’ve said and if they should have said this or that or whether…
For many people the word ‘homework’ stirs up rather negative memories of being forced to stay in when the sun was shining, or toiling over the complexities of maths equations rather than enjoying computer gaming or other hobbies. But in psychotherapy, engaging in relevant tasks connected with mental wellbeing during the week between sessions can…
This is a common question clients ask therapists. Sometimes clients describe having mood swings, one minute they are feeling fine and the next are feeling very low, and for others it can be suddenly feeling irritable or angry. Sometimes there is an obvious trigger to the change in mood but often clients report no trigger,…
When working with trainees and supervisees, I frequently refer to the need for a psychotherapist to ‘stay in their chair’. Let me explain. Psychotherapy is a relationship. It is a very intimate and unique relationship between the clinician and their patient, which is principally about the needs of the patient. This, however, does not mean…
In the journey of personal development and mental wellbeing, the concept of a growth mindset has emerged as a powerful tool. Have you ever faced a challenge and felt like giving up because you thought you were not ‘good enough’? The idea of a growth mindset, coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, offers a different perspective—one…
In my two previous articles, I have defined a cult and the mind-control process. Now, I would like to talk about what makes people join a cult and why we should care. No one joins a cult Firstly, people don’t join cults: they join a course, an activity, a personal development workshop, a meditation class,…
As a psychotherapist, I’ve come to understand healing as a profound journey—not unlike the transformative experience described in the photo of the welcome sign below, sent to me by a colleague who has recently walked the Camino de Santiago. Just as pilgrims leave behind their familiar comforts to venture into the unknown, therapy invites you…