Psychodynamic Psychotherapist in Cornwall
My overall approach is psychoanalytic, yet includes varying emphasis from other therapeutic modalities, according to need and presenting problem. I believe different therapeutic approaches have strengths and weaknesses, and there is no single approach that suits all needs. The aim of psychotherapy is to help people towards a deeper understanding of themselves and others, break self-defeating patterns of behaviour/relationship, and relieve distress.
Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy offers a consistent and confidential setting in which difficulties can be explored. Difficulties experienced throughout life, and especially during childhood, can have lasting effects on how people think and feel and relate to others. Some of these links maybe easy to understand, but there maybe others that that people are less aware of. This can lead people to feel and behave in ways they don’t like and don’t understand, but which they seem unable to change. Psychotherapy aims to help you understand what your past relationships and life experiences mean to you, and the ways in which they may be affecting your life now. Because psychotherapy works at a deep level, often with what is not fully conscious, it is often helpful when other therapies have not been helpful. It can be particularly appropriate for long-standing or complex difficulties, maybe where a person has a range of interrelated “symptoms.” More simply however, it is appropriate if people simply want to understand themselves and their relationships in greater depth.
A consistent finding from the research is that patients who undergo psychodynamic psychotherapy appear to be making considerable psychological gains long after treatment has ended. By contrast, the benefits of other therapies tend to decay over time. For more information see: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-65-2-98.pdf.
If you would like to know more about how psychoanalytic and other therapies compare, an e-publication entitled ‘What is psychoanalytic psychotherapy’ is available as a free download from the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) – http://www.bpc.org.uk/sites/psychoanalytic-council.org/files/Mind-opt.pdf
Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on how your thoughts influence your emotions and actions (and how your actions influence your thoughts). It therefore seeks to identify and evaluate unhelpful thoughts and behaviours that perpetuate problems (or symptoms). It also often involves approaching avoided or feared situations in a controlled, manageable way, using cognitive and other techniques, in order to break vicious circles of thinking and feeling. The idea behind CBT is that by changing the way we think or behave in a situation, we can change the the way we feel. It can be very effective in quickly reducing distressing symptoms.
Mentalisation Based Therapy (MBT)
In Mentalisation Based Therapy, the therapist focuses on the client’s understanding of their own intentions and assumptions and those of others (their mentalising capacity), aiming to developing accuracy and understanding. This can be severely compromised in some people, and especially at times of high stress or close interpersonal conflict. In turn this can often lead to relationships breakdown and/or self-harming behaviours. Therapy aims to develop improved interpersonal judgment and stability of mood.
Counselling
When appropriate (e.g for more mild, transient difficulties) I can offer counselling.
