Psychological problems are common
Most of us will experience psychological problems over the course of our lives. For some, the experience will be short lived and for others, they may deal with challenges for many years. My experience of working in the HSE for over 15 years has shaped how I approach the range of mental health problems in my own practice. Having trained in a range of therapy approaches (CBT, DBT, mentalisation based therapy among others), I often felt that shorter term approaches, while helpful for short lived and less complex difficulties, often didn’t meet the needs of those with long-standing psychological problems or for whom shorter term therapies had not helped. For this reason, I trained as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist so that I would be able to meet the needs of the people seeking help.
What has happened before shapes our present experiences
The architecture of our minds is shaped by all the experiences that have carried us to this moment. Who we are today is a reflection of everything we have lived through. A robust body of evidence shows that many psychological challenges in adulthood are rooted in early childhood experiences. By exploring the depth of a person’s story and truly understanding how their past has shaped their present, it becomes possible to move beyond unhelpful beliefs and emotional patterns and open to new ways of being in the world. This doesn’t require an intensive or exclusive focus on the past; rather, it involves learning from earlier experiences in order to create greater freedom, clarity, and choice in how one lives today.
A thoughtful and individual approach
Given my experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults of all ages, and in my training in a broad range of psychological therapies: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), Emotion focused therapy (EFT), Compassion Focused therapy (CFT) and Mentalisation Based Therapy (MBT); I approach each person with an open mind and in working with them, I can draw on my wide range of experience.
What to expect in the first few sessions
The first and most important step in getting the support you need, is finding a therapist that feels right to you and one who has the right expertise. You can expect therefore, that we will begin with a thorough assessment to understand the nature of your difficulties, to consider what the most helpful approach might be, and whether I might be the right person to help. These early sessions should give you a sense of me and how I work, and what might be expected of you in the process. If I am not the right person to help you at this time, I will aim to connect you with someone who can.
I may be able to help if you are:
• seeking support for a long standing mental health difficulty
• looking for help with a physical health problem that may have psychological components
• if you find yourself stuck in patterns in your life that you are unhappy with
• or if you are interested in deeper personal exploration