Who I Treat
My patients are ‘too much’ - too emotional, too intellectualising, too talented, too honest, too sensitive, too stubborn, too avoidant, too needy, too angry, too something. Or at least this is what they feel about themselves, or have been told by others a little too often. They suffer greatly under the weight of these declarations, and this suffering expresses itself in different forms - depression, anxiety, a lack of direction, burnout, or perpetual struggles with creative and energetic stuckness. They often feel lonely, even when it seems they shouldn’t be, and they can struggle to find a place in their relationships where they feel safe, fulfilled, and understood. Therapy can begin with a prolonged investigation into their ‘too much-ness’, as this often holds the secrets to their greatest gifts, deepest longings, and the recovery of wellbeing and good feeling towards themselves, sometimes experienced for the first time.
My patients have often tried other types of therapy before, but have not found satisfaction or relief in cognitive and strategy-based interventions. They typically have an interest in spiritual and existential concerns, and are searching for a more holistic container in which they can engage in the courageous task of really coming to know themselves deeply.
I treat people from all walks of life, but have a particular affinity with people in the health, corporate and business worlds (including fellow therapists) who feel as though they are operating ‘undercover’. I am also experienced and qualified in the treatment of trauma, eating disorders, and psychotic experiences or ‘spiritual emergencies’, although I do not treat people who are acutely suicidal or at high risk of harm. I do not currently offer couples therapy, but often see people who are in a relational crisis (i.e. ongoing conflict with a partner, a break-up, the revelation of infidelity, or the loss of a pregnancy) for individual therapy.
Who I Supervise
My supervisees are helping professionals of all kinds - often psychologists, but also social workers, psychiatrists, mental health OTs, and counsellors. They are typically highly sensitive, highly conscientious, and at a stage in their careers where they are looking for support integrating the concepts (and constraints) of their earlier training with real-world practice, and their own particular personality, life experience, and nature. Like many early and mid-career helping professions, they are often hard on themselves, and benefit from a space where they can tease out unhelpfully unrelenting personal standards from genuine integrity in their practice.
Supervisees often reach out to me for supervision with these kinds of aspirations:
Finding confidence in their own personal clinical style and decision-making compass within the framework of psychoanalytic thinking;
Dealing with negative feelings and reactions in their work and utilising these to understand their patients more deeply;
Thinking more broadly about themselves and their own experiences and beliefs as a means of understanding what they bring to the therapy room;
Addressing or mitigating burnout to ensure their longevity in the profession;
Transitioning into their own private practice;
Navigating broader issues of career and professional and personal identity.
Who I Consult
My consultation clients are usually fellow therapists or people in other helping professions. They’re independent, imaginative and creative folks who are usually looking for a brief consultation for information or guidance about a specific issue. They may have had a history of helping-seeking or even be in therapy presently, but are looking for expertise from a fellow traveller in areas such as business development, therapeutic space design, transitioning to private practice, or starting a creative project. Their issue might be urgent, but they’re not in crisis.
