Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: What and why?


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"Time present and time past

Are both perhaps present in time future,

And time future contained in time past”

T.S. Eliot.



The aim of Psychotherapy is lasting psychological change brought about by increased insight. It is a process of gradually coming to understand how your  feelings affect the way you think and behave. Being held in mind by a trained psychotherapist will allow the development of a deep self-understanding and what drives your actions. The benefits of this work can bring about a steady self confidence, enhancing both personal and professional relationships as a consequence.


The content of our mind affects everything we do and feel. Unresolved conflicts and difficulties that have never had chance to be thought about can lead to unbearable feelings, which get expressed in actions or powerful emotional states. Within these states of mind people often experience their relationships as unsafe and insecure, the distress leaving them feeling confused, isolated and struggling to reach their potential in life. Left alone with these difficulties people, understandably, try to avoid the feelings, sometimes resorting to unhelpful ways of coping. These coping strategies can be damaging to themselves or others, born from an unconscious repetition that expresses a wish for the un-thought feeling to be considered and resolved.


Even though these ‘ways of being’ might not be wanted the repetitions form a cycle whereby they bring some relief at the same time as adding to feelings of guilt, shame, fear and confusion. The process is often driven by things kept outside of the conscious mind because they are troubling. A safe, secure and thoughtful relationship, such as that with a Psychotherapist, offers space for these troubles to be expressed, thought about and understood. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is underpinned by Psychoanalytic theory, a technique and model of understanding that provides a space in time where people can work through the isolated and unbearable feelings.


My training has given me a solid understanding of the value that the psychoanalytic situation offers. I can offer an initial consultation where therapy of up to twice weekly can be discussed. Therapy sessions last 50 minutes and take place at the same time in the same place each week. This arrangement is carefully protected in order to form a foundation where memories and experiences can be recalled without a sense of pressure, allowing for their gradual unfolding, exploration, analysis and understanding.



I also offer short-term, 16 session, psychotherapy. This approach can be used to focus on one specific problem and may provide insights into other areas of a person’s life.