Strongheart approach
I use an integrative approach in my counselling which, as the name suggests, means combining a number of different therapy styles. These depend on you, and what I believe will best support you. We are all different, and part of the counselling experience is about realising that many of the answers and solutions we seek are already inside us. Talking to someone in a therapy context can help us to uncover them.
In our sessions together I encourage clients to reach a point where they feel they can talk freely about their concerns; an approach known as ‘person-centred counselling’. At other times, experiential therapy - using exercises that give you an experience of being in deeper feelings, or feeling the feelings rather than talking about them - is more appropriate.
Our past can influence our present, often in subtle or unconscious ways. Where it’s useful, we might devote time to exploring past experiences - or ‘psychodynamic therapy’, as a therapist might say. Sometimes it can help to explore dilemmas in the context of the wider family in which you grew up or your current family setup; or in therapy-speak, ‘family system theory’. I’ve written more about the therapy styles I use in a blog post - feel free to have a read.
As counsellor and client, we are each simultaneously teacher and student. Together we’ll set goals for what you would like to achieve from your sessions and we’ll work at your pace. Nevertheless, it won’t always be easy. You might experience obstacles and painful emotions as you go through the counselling process. But be reassured that such moments are a necessary part of healing and, as your therapist, I commit to stand beside you throughout.
A NOTE ON CONFIDENTIALITY:
In order to feel safe to talk openly, you need to know that it will go no further. Everything you discuss as a client in session remains confidential between us. There are a handful of extremely rare circumstances where there may be limits to confidentiality; we can discuss these before we begin.
I am a member of various professional associations which demand that all therapists meet certain standards of ethical practice, including regular supervision. Supervision is a form of quality control for you and a form of consultative support for me. All cases discussed in supervision are anonymised and discussed in general terms so that client’s identity is never revealed. A supervisor is also bound by strict rules of confidentiality.
