Individual psychotherapy Brighton and Lewes

Seeing a therapist as an individual can be enormously supportive and constructive, whether that is for a short-term piece of focused work, through to a longer and more in-depth period of psychotherapy.

For short-term work, accessing counselling as an individual can be a beneficial way of working through issues that are troubling; creating stress, anxiety or depression and/or impacting on relationships with friends, colleagues or loved ones. There is a difference between counselling and psychotherapy.

Longer-term psychotherapy is an in-depth experience, usually as a minimum once weekly and generally on the same day and time each week.  Your psychotherapist and you form a collaborative alliance to uncover how maladaptive patterns of thinking and behaving have come about, and to work through past losses and traumas that could not be grieved at the time.

There are many different types of therapy, meaning the different ways of thinking about an issue or issues and then working with you in a specific way to resolve your problem.  We have also provided you with a list of the issues we work with which may help you understand why you are feeling the way you are. Lastly, if you prefer, you may browse our practitioners’ page.  All of our clinicians are trained to a high standard and are specialists in their field.

What is individual psychotherapy?

Individual psychotherapy is a form of treatment where a person works one-on-one with a trained psychotherapist to explore their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours in the context of a therapeutic relationship. This can range from mild emotional conflicts to more severe issues. Techniques involved in this type of therapy may include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), humanistic approaches, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), psychoanalytic psychotherapy and more.

Individual psychotherapy offers a relationship in which the client or patient learns to have a relationship with their thoughts and feelings and to understand why they behave in specific ways. The benefits of individual psychotherapy range from improved coping skills and better self-awareness in the short-term to emotional regulation and improvements in self confidence and a sense of agency over one’s life.

Difference between individual, couple, and group psychotherapy

Unlike group and couples therapy, individual therapy is a one-on-one session between a patient and therapist. Couples therapy involves two people whom the psychotherapist works with to improve their relationship or resolve conflicts. On the other hand, group therapy involves a group analyst leading a small group of people who work together as a group to work through relational challenges and dynamics.

As an example, individual therapy is great for someone struggling with their self-esteem, whereas couples therapy can help both partners improve their communication with each other.

How can individual therapy benefit me?

Individual therapy can be anything from a safe supportive environment where emotions can be expressed through to a life changing, and at times a life-saving experience.  Where individuals are stuck in painful, traumatic or self-destructive patterns, psychotherapy can be invaluable as a process through which the underlying drivers can be brought to light and worked through.

What issues can individual therapy help with?

Some of the common areas individuals seek support with include:

• Abuse – therapy can help individuals through the trauma of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse by providing a safe and supportive space.
• Addiction – therapy can help individuals get to the root cause of their addiction. For example, underlying trauma or unhealthy coping mechanisms.
• Affairs
• Anger management
• Anxiety – individual therapy can help individuals with anxiety identify triggers, challenge negative thoughts, and develop coping techniques.
• Bereavement and loss
• Cross-cultural issues
• Depression
• Family issues
• Food and eating issues – individual therapy can support individuals who are struggling with disordered eating and help them through their relationship with food and body image.
• LGBT+
• Self esteem issues
• Relationship issues – individual therapy is a safe space to address patterns of conflict, attachment issues, and low self-esteem within their relationship.
• Sexual problems – individual therapy offers a safe, non-judgmental space to explore questions or concerns relating to sexual orientation, gender identity, and intimacy.
• Stress – through therapy, patients can learn to recognise stressors and set healthy boundaries to reduce stress in their lives.
• Anger – therapy can help individuals understand the root cause of their anger and develop healthier ways to express this emotion.

All of the above as well as more serious mental health problems such as personality disorders.

Many of our practitioners are also trained to work with PTSD and Complex Trauma.

What to expect in individual psychotherapy

At the initial consultation for open-ended psychotherapy, it is the job of the psychotherapist to conduct a thorough assessment of the client or patient so as to ascertain whether they are suitable for therapy and to understand how they may be helped. From this a treatment plan can be agreed. And it is the client or patient’s role to work out during that initial consultation whether they feel comfortable enough working with the psychotherapist they have chosen. A potent psychotherapy relationship is one in which a strong alliance can be built where the patient feels safe enough to open-up to their therapist but also expects to be challenged where appropriate.

Throughout the sessions, intense emotions may be stirred up and it’s possible for patients to become upset, angry, or sad. The therapist can help guide patients through these emotions to help them build confidence and become more comfortable. Therapists may also assign ‘homework’ to help build on topics discussed in therapy.

At Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy, our sessions are kept completely confidential, unless there is an immediate risk of harming themselves or others. It’s also important to understand that sessions are unique to each person, and progress varies.

Areas we cover

We offer our individual therapy services to people all around the UK. Our Brighton and Lewes practices are easily accessible if you’re arriving by train, and we also offer online psychotherapy sessions if you’re from somewhere further afield or are unable to travel.

Our psychotherapists

At Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy, we have an incredible team of highly skilled psychotherapists who are dedicated to helping individuals overcome their personal issues. All of our clinicians have been hand picked by us before being invited to join our team and some have been with us since we started – over a decade ago!

If you’re interested in finding out about each practitioner, you can use our practitioner search or contact us today for more information.

Why choose Brighton and Hove psychotherapy?

Our practice was founded in 2013 to provide high-quality psychotherapy services to Brighton, Hove, and the surrounding areas. Over the years, we’ve built a dedicated team of highly trained practitioners who bring extensive education and experience to their work. To ensure we continue to offer the best possible care to our clients, we collectively attend regular meetings to refine and enhance our approach. Unlike other ‘collectives’ of psychotherapists, we work tother as a team meeting regularly with each other and cross-referring to each other where appropriate.