A psychodynamic approach
I have a psychodynamic approach to how I work, which means I may give attention to the developing relationship between us and what is happening in the sessions. Psychodynamic therapy can be helpful to people who would like to understand themselves and their difficulties better, rather then helping them to control their symptoms. Research confirms that it can benefit individuals who are experiencing anxiety and depression; recurrent difficulties in relationships; low self esteem and feeling stuck in unhappy relationship patterns and those who have experienced childhood trauma (e.g. loss, abuse, neglect). Although there may be a specific problem (e.g. bereavement, relationship breakdown) that brings you in to therapy, this approach may benefit anyone who feels dissatisfied and/or unhappy with their individual life circumstances.
The therapeutic relationship
Psychodynamic therapy explores the connection between events in your early life (which may be only unconsciously remembered) and current distress. It can help you to access past and present fantasies, feelings, dreams and memories as an aid to healing. The time needed to work through things together can be hard to determine. Particular attention is given to the relationship that develops over the course of time with the therapist, as it is through this that the client is able to re-experience emotional situations from early life and resolve long-standing conflicts that have become a barrier to change and growth. This facilitates awareness and understanding of the core issues for the client in therapy, which can in time be recognised and addressed.
Jungian psychodynamic psychotherapy
Jung was a psychiatrist in the last century whose ideas have been hugely influential to contemporary psychoanalytic and psychodynamic thinking. I am particularly interested in his model of transformation and change in the process of individuation, or essentially becoming all of who we are supposed to be.