Therapy types: how can they help?

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

This involves thinking about how your early experiences influence how you are when you grow up, how your childhood experiences form your sense of self and how in adulthood those kinds of experiences are still alive in your relationships. Sometimes they can cause us problems, it is also thinking about unconscious aspects of our experiences as well, I find it fascinating.  The concept of the unconscious mind refers to aspects of our lived experiences that have become buried, perhaps because of feeling overwhelmed at the time.  Memories can emerge as the therapy progresses when you feel safe within the therapeutic relationship.  Therapeutic boundaries are key to developing psychological safety.  The therapy starts on time and ends on time.  

Person centred psychotherapy

This therapy is centred around the individual person, following you and helping you to find your own way of self-actualisation so you can develop and grow in the way that you need.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

It is really noticing how you think and feel in the here and now. How your actions influence your thoughts and your feelings. It is a really helpful approach for you if you have got a really difficult problem to deal with and there are lots of strategies that can be used. CBT works really well for anxiety and for lifting the symptoms of depression.

Dialectical behavioural therapy

Is based on cognitive behavioural therapy, especially adapted for people who feel emotions very intensely.  Learning to understand and accept your difficult feelings whilst developing skills to manage emotional surges.

Group analytic psychotherapy

Group analytic psychotherapy is a longer-term relational therapy.  The group experience can be likened to a hall of mirrors.  The mirrors help us to see the good things in other people, but we are not so good at seeing the good things in ourselves. Through talking about those qualities, we start to have a kinder relationship with ourselves. We can also get really important feedback from other group members, that can be quite tough, but worthwhile in the longer term. People are at different stages in their own group journey, the best moments are when  someone can offer a beautiful sentence or thoughts about what is being discussed and other people are thinking, my goodness that really fits for me, but I just couldn't even find the words.

The size of the group can vary, the maximum is usually around seven or eight members including the therapist, a comfortable space for people.  The group size lends itself to reflections on family dynamics, exploring themes around sibship and parental attachments, these themes can emerge over time.  Cultural and societal differences are also important aspects to explore.  There is no set agenda, apart from the group starts on time and the group finishes on time and within each session I have a curiosity as to where the conversation might go.  Each conversation is very meaningful.  It can take time to settle into a group.  You can share aspects of your life when you feel ready.

Organisational Consultancy and Reflective Practice: How can they help?

Team Staff Support Groups:

This group works well when all members of the team are able to meet regularly either fortnightly or monthly with protected time to attend the sessions.  Sessions last 60 minutes.  The group is invited to talk about anything that is pressing either within the team or relating to the work of the team.

Balint Style Reflective Practice Group:

A Balint group provides a safe space to connect with the emotional impact of the work.  GP’s have found this way of working very helpful and can be used in other settings as well e.g. educational institutions

The group meets regularly once a month for 90 minutes with 45 minutes each for 2 presentations describing an emotionally challenging interpersonal interaction whilst providing a service to a client. The cases are presented informally, there is space to ask clarifying questions before the presented sits aside to listen to the groups response to the material using free-floating associations.  The presenter is then invited back into the group to offer any further reflections at the end of the 45 minutes.

Leadership Support Group:

Managerial roles are often forgotten about in terms of being offered support.  This group can become a precious resource for managers to think together about their professional identities and roles within an Organisation.  To explore and share our personal stressors within the workplace, which can impinge on our personal lives outside of work.  A space that can become a safe-haven to talk, share, listen and learn together.