Psychotherapy
What is psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is an opportunity to speak to someone in confidence about your difficulties. In psychodynamic psychotherapy you speak freely about whatever is on your mind and you both think together about the meaning of this.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a depth psychological treatment which is less interested in symptoms and behaviour and more focussed on underlying mental processes. It is based on psychoanalysis, discovered originally by Freud and developed by others including Melanie Klein, Wilfred Bion, Donald Winnicott, Ronald Fairbairn and others. Current psychoanalytic theory and practice has been led by John Steiner, Betty Joseph, Otto Kernberg, Edna O’Shaunessy, Herbert Rosenfeld, Ron Britton to name just a few.
Speaking openly with your therapist about your experiences – present and past – will help you to be able to think about how your difficulties may have causes that you were unaware of. In time you may be able to gain insight, bear painful realities and make some changes that could lead to a fuller life.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy can be short term – around 16 weeks – for a specific difficulty, or it may be long term, for many years, when seeking more profound personality changes.
The psychoanalytic method works on the understanding that most of our mental functioning is unconscious, whilst at the same time relationships are paramount in shaping our mind and experience. How well we cope in life as adults is significantly shaped by the help we had as infants and children to manage the powerful instinctual drives and interpersonal relationships. The patterns of relating we internalise play out in the here and now.
How often do I come?
I would see you once weekly on the same day at the same time. The regular commitment and continuity is part of the clinical method.
Where do I start?
You can arrange a consultation by phone or email. I normally suggest between three to five consultations to think together about your difficulties and whether I feel that psychotherapy can help. This is a chance to see whether we feel we can work together. If I feel that I may not be able to help you or you would like a different approach I may suggest some alternatives, such as CBT, CFT or DBT.
Does it work?
Psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapies have historically invested less intensely in research than some other therapy types such as CBT. This was due to a desire to privilege the uniqueness of each personality rather than see people as scientific subjects. However a growing understanding of the need for evidence has resulted in some large scale studies such as the Tavistock TADS study, and others such as those by Abbas (2006). Evidence is emerging that psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective in treating mood disorder comparative to other treatments. There is also evidence of its effectiveness in treating complex mental health conditions such as Personality Disorder. This link provides further information.
What about fees?
My normal fees are £60 per session. In psychoanalytic work money carries a powerful meaning and we would think together about your circumstances and what you might be able to afford. This would be a discussion during initial consultations. Once we have agreed ongoing therapy, fees are payable monthly.
My standard fee for consultations is £60 or each hour long appointment.