Would counselling or therapy help?
I have seen many people over the years, both for short term counselling and longer term psychotherapy. There is no guarantee of success in this work, however in my experience, just having time and space to give attention to ourselves and what is going on in our lives, is always helpful. So I’m confident that trying the experience would at least help you clarify where you are.
Information for New Clients or those who may be new to counselling or therapy. This page provides details about my practice.
Whether working in a shorter or a longer term, all outcome studies for the effectiveness of psychotherapy show that what’s important for its success is the quality of therapeutic relationship. If a relationship develops between client and therapist of trust and respect, then it is possible for the client to work towards their integration and increasing freedom.
What happens in a session?
Sessions take place at my house and various appointment times are available during the day and evening.
The first session is an assessment session for you as well as for me. Do you want to work with me? I am the right person to work with you?
At the beginning most people are concerned with talking about their wishes and expectations, about their concerns and current experience. Often being worried about what is happening to us is the most urgent issue. Understanding that we are not "mad" or "bad" can be the first step.
Choosing someone to work with can be a difficult process. To me it’s important that you feel on some instinctive level that you trust and want to work whoever you choose and that you are respected. It is your life, you've survived the best way you could, and there is no blame or judgement in that. Only you know about you, what your experience is and what you need. The therapists role is to support and help you, in the process of becoming more aware of yourself and through that awareness to build your understanding of what's happening within you and your relationship to the world.
How long will it take?
This is an impossible question to answer, it is a journey of discovering what is unknown.
However in my experience, certain difficulties, such as unacknowledged grief, can sometimes be worked through quite quickly, over a period of a few weeks. Those issues connected with lifelong entrenched habitual ways of being, often need a long time. And there are all the stages in between. This journey takes as long as it takes to get where you want to get to. No ‘one size fits all’ approach allows for the fact that everyone is different, with different needs and wishes and goals.
How much does it cost?
As I have yet to finally complete my training (MA / UKCP registration), I charge a slightly lower rate of £35. £10 more for couples.
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Jim Robinson - Gestalt Psychotherapist
