It’s a common misconception that counselling (or therapy) is something that is done to you. The Psychologist assesses your ‘problems’, gives you some tools and strategies to use and how well you implement these is up to you, however this is only half the picture. Counselling is a dynamic interpersonal process, whereby client and therapist work together to a) understand the problem better b) clearly define goals c) uncover clients unique skills and attributes d) learn and practice cognitive, behavioural and experiential techniques inside and outside of session and e) continuously work to build and maintain motivation for change.

I have been trained in and use cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and motivational interviewing, however I prefer to use schema therapy in my practice. Schema therapy is a type of CBT which seeks to address the root cause of the problems that people bring to therapy. These problems can range from clinical diagnoses (depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder etc) or various social, behavioural and emotional problems, such as difficulty coping with anger, relationship issues, self sabotage, addictions and problems with self esteem. The cause of these issues can be from our early life experiences, where we developed problematic, entrenched ideas about the world (called schemas) which continue to play out in our lives. Schemas are more than just thoughts that you can change using cognitive strategies. They are programs that operate outside of our conscious awareness and require lifestyle changes, corrective emotional experiences, new behaviours, as well as cognitive techniques to resolve them.

I work with clients using this approach to help them to understand themselves better, make healthier choices for themselves and feel more in control of their lives.