My Approach
While my approach is primarily Existential and Humanistic, it is informed by other therapeutic approaches such as Gestalt, Person Centred and Psychoanalysis.
The starting point of Existential Psychotherapy is your experience; this means that I focus on your unique experience of yourself and the world, and your meaning-making processes. We all have a natural inclination to find connections and make sense of life, but sometimes, in our attempts, we may tie things together that aren't truly linked. I like to call these connections 'obstructive meanings' or 'knots.' In our sessions, we'll work together to spot these knots, deconstruct them, and create healthier connections. The goal of therapy is to craft a narrative that resonates with you. As your therapist, I will actively participate in our sessions, helping you explore different perspectives of your life story.
Existential psychotherapy is a relational approach, examining in detail our relationship patterns with ourselves (our bodies and lived experiences), others, and the world around us. Rather than viewing individuals in isolation, I see them within the rich context of the world they inhabit. This holistic perspective proves especially powerful in navigating relationship challenges, steering away from treating individuals as an isolated entity that needs to be fixed. I find this approach particularly effective when addressing issues related to Narcissistic Abuse and relationship difficulties.
The existential approach sees you as the writer of your own life story, with all the freedom and responsibility that comes with that. We all face big life questions about death, freedom, loneliness, and finding meaning—these can be scary to think about, but they're also chances to live more authentically. In our sessions, I create a relaxed space where you can explore these things, face your worries, and discover new ways to make your life more meaningful.
For couples, this approach works really well because it looks at your relationship as two unique people sharing life together. Instead of just trying to fix problems, we explore how your patterns as a couple reflect each person's way of dealing with life's big questions. This helps you both see how you're creating your relationship reality together, allowing you to develop a shared understanding that honours both your perspectives while embracing the complexities of your lives together.
When suitable I incorporate bodywork to facilitate trauma healing. Through guided meditation practices, we will explore how emotions and experiences are physically stored within your body. This somatic approach recognises that trauma isn't just remembered—it's embodied. By gently bringing awareness to physical sensations, we can access deeper layers of experience that may not be available through talk therapy alone, creating new pathways for healing and integration.
Furthermore, I use inner child work to help clients become aware of their internal dialogues, understand the way that they relate with themselves and foster healthier self relationships. This approach acknowledges that different parts of ourselves developed at various life stages, often in response to our environment. By identifying these parts and how they interact—whether as critical parent, wounded child, or protective guardian—we can develop more compassionate ways of relating internally.
Often our internal dialogues are contaminated by negative self talk. The objective of therapy would be to shed light in these internal dialogues, understand where they come from and how they came to be incorporated on our sense of self, and slowly start building a new, more self aware, inner voice. This process invites you to become both the observer and the observed, creating space between yourself and these internalised patterns, making room for choice rather than automatic reactivity in how you respond to life's challenges.
