Individual Therapy

“We can let ourselves be carried by the river of feeling - because we know how to swim.”

~ Jack Kornfield

My Approach:

My approach in working with individuals is Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), which is privileges engaging with emotion and is grounded in attachment theory.

If we look at life being at the beach and you are swimming in the sea, and our emotions being the water that rises and falls, and waves being the challenges in life - EFIT helps you to find emotional balance - to be able to swim in the sea (of emotion) and be confident that you will be able to handle it, and not be overwhelmed, whenever a wave comes. As Jack Kornfield said, “We can let ourselves be carried by the river of feeling, because we know how to swim.”

I consider the formative events and your early life to see how you see the world and how you see yourself, in order to understand how you relate to yourself and to others in your life. We each carry our wounds into our relationships and this becomes part of the environment we unconsciously create. I try to understand the unmet attachment needs and survival strategies you have formed, which are sometimes counter-productive (and we all have them), and to help you heal and grow beyond them.

EFIT enables you to heal from your deepest wounds, help you care for yourself better and with more kindness, as well as enabling you to have better relationships with people around you - and it is wonderful to be able to facilitate that.

Why I use EFIT in working with my clients:

Change through emotion - EFIT works by engaging with our emotions - it is corrective emotional experiences, not simply insight or cognitive awareness, that enables change.
Structured - EFIT is a relatively short to medium term therapy within a definite framework that is effective in bringing change.
Effective - EFIT is particularly effective in dealing with anxiety, depression and trauma.

What happens during therapy?

Alliance - I will endeavour to form a good alliance with you and create an environment where you can speak freely without judgement and feel affirmed and understood.

Your Patterns - I will help you track and understand the recurring patterns in your emotional regulation and the underlying attachment issues that contribute to your distress.

Formative Experiences - I will help you explore the core emotions and experiences that shape your current emotional responses and longings. We all often have memories of formative events and key persons in our lives and we will explore their impact in forming your current habitual thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Corrective Emotional Encounters - I will guide you in reshaping the emotional responses through corrective emotional encounters, these corrective experiences change the way you see yourself and others and fosters greater confidence in your ability to deal with challenges.

Regulating Emotions - I will help and empower you in managing your emotions at times when you feel anxious and overwhelmed.

Emotional Security - Through this process I will help you build greater emotional security and resilience, and healthier ways of coping with stress and challenges.

What can I get out of therapy:

Strengthen relationships - You strengthen your relationship with yourself and your relationship with others.

Confidence - You gain greater fluidity and flexibility and confidence in facing the challenges in life.

Process past trauma - You can process and neutralise the pain from past events and trauma.

Peace - You experience less anxiety, more peace.

Fulfilment - You are more in tune with yourself and more able to communicate and go for what you need, and more able to give and receive love.

Space within - You are not so overwhelmed by circumstances, you build space within you - as Buddha describes it, “Pain is inevitable in life, but not suffering”.

What issues can be addressed?

Any issue can be engaged with, such as:

Anxiety
Depression
Trauma / PTSD
Loss and bereavement
Childhood Issues
Relationship issues
Cultural Issues
Panic attacks
Eating disorder
Self-harm
Serious illness
Parenting issues
Suicidal thoughts

I have a special interest in:

Corporate World - Helping clients in the corporate world who are stressed and anxious and under pressure find greater satisfaction, meaning and peace in their lives.
Cultural Differences - Helping clients who are facing cultural differences in different situations
Moved Countries - Helping clients who have moved countries and the issues relating to this transition.
Narcissistic - Helping children of ‘narcissistic’ parents
Young Adults- Helping young adults with difficuties in their relationships with their parents or other issues in their launch into the adult world.
Parents - Helping parents who struggle with or are estranged from their adult children
Healthy Love - Helping single clients who are looking for healthy love relationships and looking to deal with any personal obstacles that might be in the way of this.
Dying - Helping people who are facing terminal illness to face death and to die well, and supporting their families.

I am well versed in working with people who struggle with suicidal ideation.

I am a relationship therapist and am interested in helping people with their relationships – be it with themselves, their partner, parents, children, colleagues or others in their lives.