PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND CONSULTATION

If you have a sense that something is not feeling right but you are unsure what the issue is or what might help, then this option might be a helpful starting point for you. I offer psychological assessments, one-off and extended consultations as well as exploratory counselling to help you think about yourself and clarify what might be contributing to how you are feeling. Sometimes this can be enough to help you understand what needs to change and how to go about it. Other times it can lead to us agreeing to meet for a longer period of time for a more focused psychological therapy, or to an onward referral to another service. 

Schema therapy helps you discover unmet childhood emotional needs, which may be driving problematic life patterns ('schemas') in your adult life, such as repeatedly choosing unavailable partners, overworking, holding yourself back, or engaging in addictive or compulsive behaviours. It increases compassionate awareness of different parts of the self ('modes') that are involved in maintaining these problems and helps you develop your capacity to address your emotional needs in a healthy, fulfilling way. Schema therapy goes beyond giving you an intellectual understanding of your life story. In the course of your therapy you will engage in experiential practices, which will help you break distressing patterns on a deep, emotional level and enable you to live a more expansive life.

MENTALIZATION-BASED THERAPY

Mentalization-based therapy is a psychodynamic therapy, which focuses on developing the capacity to reflect on internal mental states as they unfold in interpersonal interactions and relationships. Mentalizing means being able to understand what is going on in our own minds, as well as seeing ourselves from the outside (how thoughts, feelings and behaviours might be understood by and influence others) and others from the inside (what their intentions, thoughts, feelings, wishes and desires might be). Mentalizing mostly happens automatically, outside of our awareness. It is only when something unexpected happens that we pause and ask ourselves, ‘Why did I do that?’ or ‘What did he mean by that?’ Being able to mentalize is crucial for a stable sense of self and for good relationships with loved ones, friends and colleagues. Fulfilling and healthy relationships are based on being able to take perspective and have curiosity about oneself and other people.
The capacity to mentalize can get inhibited by early trauma and high levels of stress. Mentalization-based therapy focuses on strengthening the ability to reinstate mentalizing whenever it breaks down. It has been shown to be an effective intervention for emotional instability, family conflict, eating difficulties, depression, and suicidality.