The body expresses what the mind suppresses.

I continue to be deeply interested in understanding the unique struggle each of us undergo throughout our lives, sometimes more than once. In psychotherapy, we are co-creating a relationship, together we craft an emotionally safe environment within which a process of unfolding, unlearning and enabling new self-learning, then an exploration can take place between us. I am trained and experienced in Body Psychotherapy. Through greater understanding of our innermost self, our trauma, then together we can begin to allow the possibility for change to emerge within therapy. I am also trained as a body psychotherapist, this is a crucial part of my therapy work with clients, where our bodies hold many of our untold and unconscious stories awaiting to be heard, processed and gradually integrated.

Many people wonder how and why psychotherapy may differ from counselling and if there is much difference.

There is a very significant and important difference between the two professions.

The analogy and image of an iceberg may be helpful to differentiate between the two.

Counsellors

would usually work with the tip of the iceberg (or what is usually already in

the conscious mind) and already available in our awareness. This is why some

counsellors might offer a more solution-focused, time-limited, CBT and goal-orientated

approach. A more solution-focused counselling approach would be most suitable

for people who are struggling with a specific issue that is well

identified, known and affecting a minor aspect of life.

Psychotherapists

undergo their own personal psychotherapy process during and alongside their

deep, intense and integrative training for about 10 years to explore, to be

curious and co-create a deeper insight and help you to find meaning into what

is below the surface (our unconscious body, mind and Self), where we can begin to make

sense of our relational patterns, our adaptive ways and ‘self-soothing’ habits

which may have become unhelpful and that no longer serve us. Working closely and

deeply with a trained, registered and accredited psychotherapist has demonstrated

a neurological rewiring of our central nervous system, most often this happens

in the minutia of verbal and non-verbal processing we co-create. A psychotherapist

will be a much better relational fit to explore multi-faceted intricacies and complexities

which have made life a struggle; psychotherapists can navigate emotionally and somatically

attend to the deeper complexity, multiple difficulties and presentations and

when a person needs to make sense of their lived-experiences, relationship

orientations and their sense of Self. 

As part of my ongoing and yearly CPD, this academic year, I am embarking on a course in Systemic Family Psychotherapy with Bath University, to further enhance my professional repertoire.