There are many approaches and disciplines covered by these terms but they all basically describe a process of talking over issues and arriving at solutions to or better understanding of issues, clarity and insight into personal issues, and a greater sense of well being. It is crucial that you get the time and space you need to fully explore your issues with a trusted supporter.
You can expect to get a better sense of self understanding, what causes psychological and emotional disturbance in your life, and how to antidote that. You should derive a better sense of personal peace, self control, well being, better relationships, generosity and kindness to yourself.
You may have internal conflict or tension causing sides to your self or personality which need to be understood and balanced. You may have experienced trauma in the past which has stayed with you somehow. You may have patterns of thinking or behaviour that are problematic to you and that you would like better insight into. These kinds of issues can manifest in all sorts of ways including in relationships, mental health problems, emotional disturbances, psychosexually etc.
You dictate the nature of the session as much as possible in terms of what content you bring, how rapidly or deeply you go into it, what you want to do with it and when to break or stop. You’ll be given options and offered perspectives and ways to think about the issues you bring that will help you to come to terms with them and make healthy relationships with your issues and ultimately yourself.
Fundamentally we talk and you have the time and space to talk over what’s going on in your life and what’s interesting you, troubling you, upsetting you or what you want to change. So careful listening is the most important aspect. If you decide to take a more structured approach we can use cognitive behavioural techniques to work on different patterns of thinking, talking and behaving to bring different outcomes in life. You might be seeking a supportive coaching type relationship which can also be offered. It depends on where you’re at in your journey and what you feel will most suit you. I will make suggestions but ultimately you are in charge of what will happen.
Yes, everything that is said and happens is completely confidential and will never be communicated anywhere else in an identifiable way. There are occasions when I may need to talk about my work to the therapist I attend for support and supervision. This will always be done in a confidential and anonymised way.
Very rarely. The only reason ever to do so would be if you or another vulnerable person are in danger or at risk of significant harm.
Face to face sessions are held at my office in the Scarcroft area of York, YO24 postcode. The address and details will be provided when we book the first session. This is a private and discrete space where you cannot be overheard, interrupted or disturbed.
Yes. On negotiation we can agree to meet elsewhere with consideration needing to be given to travel time and convenience. It is also possible to arrange telephone support or remote sessions utilising services such as skype or facetime.
WHATIS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?
The cancellation policy is half fee if cancelled within 6 days and full fee if cancelled within 48 hours).
NARRATIVES.
A lot of my clients and people generally ask what is the point of talking about the past in such depth? Is it about blaming others or finding out what caused the problems or issues we face? The answer is ‘not at all’.
The point of developing the narrative of our lives, the story line that we tell ourselves, and maybe others, to explain who and how we are is to develop a multi-dimensional sense of who we are that works for us.
A well developed narrative explains to us as individuals what has happened and why we are in a way that makes great sense and is logical and comprehensible. We're not looking for magic or missing parts of the jigsaw, just simple understandable cause and effect reasons for being.
This helps us greatly in a number of ways:
To work out what forces we might be up against in our attempts developing inner peace and self control.
To develop compassion for ourselves and others in knowing that everything has occurred for very good and comprehensible reasons.
To work out methods in anti-doting sometimes distressing, self destructive, damaging or difficult to understand tendencies.
To reality check with the present moment and see, hear and most importantly feel into what is moving us, affecting us, arising in us and to see if it makes sense in line with the narrative.
To bring inner peace and calm when before there has been turbulence, inner conflict, tension and distress.
Narratives are important and to be celebrated. I hope you have great joy, love, compassion and peace as a result of getting clear about your life your narrative.