my approach to therapy
I believe that no matter the size of the problem, or how long it has been there, that every human being, if given the right conditions, can change, heal and grow. This is my deepest and most heartfelt belief and it guides all of my work as a therapist.
Beyond this, in therapy my first (and I hope obvious) aim is to always act in the best interests of my clients. This means providing all clients with a course of therapy to the best of my professional ability, as well as completing the course of therapy as effectively and as quickly as possible. It also means acting with integrity, honesty, and care, maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, and respecting every client’s right to complete confidentiality.
I see the process of therapy as a collaborative and co-operative venture between client and therapist. Clients are therefore encouraged to participate as fully as they are able in their therapy, and most clients find the process to be an interesting and even sometimes an enjoyable one. Really, it's true!
Thus we set out on the journey from where you are to where you want to be. This journey can be short or long - it all depends on the problems or concerns that we start from. In travelling we always try to move forward at a pace that the client is comfortable with, while at the same time making sure that definite progress is being made. Either hurrying too quickly through issues, or dragging our feet to avoid them, can be equally counterproductive.
All along this therapeutic journey the client is helped, by various means, to understand and help themselves. I am happy to do most of the helping (it is my job) until the client begins to experience change, but at some point the client does begin to feel better and we both know that the end of this particular journey is near, and that soon I will not be needed any more.
It is also important to know that therapy never involves any ‘judgment’ of you in any way. We all get problems, after all. So I only seek to listen, understand and assess, and then help in the best possible way for you.
