The type of therapy that I offer, psychodynamic therapy, is sometimes referred to as “depth therapy”. This is meant to denote the fact that a psychodynamic therapist looks “beneath the surface” of what is apparent, trying to understand what might be going on underneath a particular problem, struggle, worry or difficulty. This approach can help to deepen your understanding of who you are and what your issues might be about, and, in doing so, allow you to navigate the world in a better way.

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While staying true to the psychodynamic way of working, every therapist has their own unique way of approaching the work. My own approach is that of curiosity, coupled with clarity and kindness. Within the safety of the therapeutic relationship, we will explore whatever might feel important for you. You will lead the exploration by saying anything that comes to your mind and feels important, and I will convey back what I am hearing. I will be respectful of the pace and direction of the exploration, but I will also be curious about what might be going on underneath what you say, gently nudging you and pointing out any patterns or links I observe. My approach is rooted within the belief that the parts of us that know where we need to go and what we need to address are often outside of our awareness. I therefore see my task as that of creating a space in which these parts can come out and be heard. To achieve this, I believe good therapy needs to provide a combination of empathic caring and support with gentle nudging and challenge, and we will work together to find the right balance between these two.

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The way I envision my role in your therapy is that I walk alongside you while you explore your inner world. I am not there as guide – I do not give directions or suggest going a particular way. Instead, I trust in your (often unconscious) capacity to guide us where you need to go, and my job is to enable you to tune in to it. I also trust that wherever we end up going, we will find some clues: something useful that will help you to make a better sense of your difficulties. In this way, I see my role as that of a knowledgeable companion: of someone who has a good working knowledge of the general terrain of the human mind and can thus help to spot the important hidden features of the landscape and provide support when the terrain gets particularly difficult.

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In practice, this means that instead of offering advice or telling you what to do, I will help you understand yourself better and, through that, make better sense of your difficulties. I am committed to helping you explore what makes you you without telling you what to do or making you feel like you ought to be different. In relation to what makes us who we are, I have experience working with people whose difficulties are around their identities as well as with people whose identities are unrelated to what they come to therapy for. I also believe that who we are and how we are seen by those around us has a direct impact on how we move through the world and feel about ourselves, and I am thus deeply committed to anti-oppressive practices, inviting all aspects of self to the therapy room.