Together With The Client

Depression

The Royal College of Psychiatrists list the following presentations associated with depression:
*Persistent sadness or low mood
*Not being able to enjoy things
*Losing interest in life
*Finding it harder to make decisions
*Not coping with things that used to be easy
*Feeling exhausted
*Feeling restless and agitated;
*Loss of appetite and weight
*Difficulties getting to sleep
*Loss of sex drive
*Thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE.gov.uk statistics) reports "526,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing) during 2016/17". 

Narcissism  (Narcissistic Personality Disorder - NPD)

Perhaps many of us have met narcissistic people and didn’t realise. Some of us have narcissistic family members and some have / had narcissistic friendships, some formed relationships with narcissists, and others have married narcissists. 

Being in receipt of negative narcissistic behaviour either short or long term has the ability to render a person feeling disempowered, fearful and seemingly dependant on the narcissist. A person can also feel fragmented and questioning their abilities regarding decision making and sometimes severely limiting their self-esteem and confidence.

A person’s healthy belief system of themselves and identity can change over time, developing a sense of never being good enough, with the narcissist taking control over them either covertly or overtly. The person can then find themselves asking permission to do activities they may enjoy, or perhaps feeling their position in the home or work place is belittled and worthless. 

By applying an integrative therapeutic approach to this subject, there is an opportunity to learn about our responses and behaviours to those who take control around us, win our life back and become empowered.  

Borderline Personality Disorder - BPD / EUPD

I specialise in working with clients living with Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder (formally known as Borderline personality disorder), using elements of Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) applications and Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).

In conjunction with the above therapies, I apply Transference focused psychotherapy (TFP). This therapy can allow for a co-created relationship between myself as therapist, and client, offering a greater understanding of self and the dialectic that exists in the world round us. DBT and TFP offers an opportunity to bring a person more into their own reality, and to live with more choice of how they wish to be in society, how they wish to experience relationships, and how to move into a position of self empowerment. 

Having had personal experience of the criteria of borderline personality disorder, I have gained insight into anxiety, chaos, disorder and depression, therefore I feel well placed to treat clients suffering with combinations of unsettlement in their lives.

There are three main DSM-V categories for personality disorders, they are grouped into "Clusters"

A: Odd and eccentric disorders
Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal.

B: Dramatic, emotional and erratic disorders
Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic.

C: Anxious and fearful disorders
Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive Compulsive.


Rape, Trauma and Domestic violence

I work with patients who are victims of severe traumatising events. Often these experiences leave a post traumatic disturbance on the the individual, family or group. Those affected frequently have a feeling-memory of the event, that can invade their life on a daily basis. Using Integrated Psycotherapy and Counselling, I am able to work with people sensitively, in order to help them begin working through their critical experience, and start to build a stronger sense of self.

Sex and Relationships

I work sensitively and informally with individuals with issues around sex. Exploring the background to problems being faced, what is currently being experienced, and what ideally would be a goal to work towards. Sex is often core in a relationship, and can all to easily become problematic by virtue of not communicating effectively and revealing feelings, needs, fantasies, affection and closeness.
Working step by step with difficulties surrounding sex, can lead to a more liberated confident relationship, with both self and partner.
I promote open and frank descriptions surrounding this subject, in order to begin to find the voice that needs to be heard, accepted, and appreciated. 

Transgender

Increasingly, more teenagers and adults are requiring assistance with gender issues. This subject is often surrounded with confusion and fear, leaving an individual feeling alone and misunderstood. I assist individuals with the dilemmas of who they are, integration into society, and how they wish to live their lives. I understand the process of transition to the chosen gender, and through to sex reassignment surgery, if that is the chosen route.

The NHS explain gender dysphoria:

"The exact cause of gender dysphoria is unclear. It was traditionally thought to be a psychiatric condition, with its causes believed to originate in the mind. However, more recent research suggests the condition may actually be the result of the abnormal development of a baby while it is in the womb, possibly as a result of genetic or hormonal factors, which causes the brain to develop a gender identity that is different to the baby's sexual organs"

Learn more about this subject
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Gender-dysphoria/Page...
How I work

My model of working: 

Working relationally I Integrate Transference Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) applications, CBT and Metalisation techniques. 
I work informally and practically within my practice in Maidenhead. This combination of therapeutic models are traditionally known as Integrative Psychotherapy.

From the traditional theorists I work with Psychodynamic theory, Existential philosophies, Humanistic Person Centered theory and Transpersonal philosophies.
I have a particular interest in Psychodynamic theory, the work of John Bowlby and his concepts surrounding attachment theory and secure base, this forms my foundational model of working with clients. 

If appropriate to the client, spiritual perspectives of Buddhism and Transpersonal theory can also be worked with. Practical exercises of meditation, visualisation, and working with the concept of mindfulness can be explored.
The mind and body are often thought of as joined, with this view, the concept of self-healing can be worked with and explored from a holistic perspective.

With these models of theory we can explore what is being shown in the present moment, how we relate to the world around us, how we relate to ourselves, and our acceptance of self.
We can study what happens to us repetitively, our associations and trigger points, and our early years growing to adulthood.

Goal setting and cognitive approaches are techniques that can be introduced into therapy, if appropriate to the individual.
These practical and theoretical methods are tailored to each individual client; we have all grown in many different ways, and with the integration of theory and practice we are able to begin the search for meaning and settlement in our lives.

I offer my services to business and healthcare professionals, applying therapy models of learning in order to assist a staff team to grow and bring strength to them selves and their workplace.