What is "Integrative" Psychotherapy?
The type of therapy I offer is called integrative psychotherapy. What does that mean, exactly? It means I work with a careful blend of well-established psychotherapy approaches, rather than relying on a single method and expect it to suit everybody, all of the time. I start by building a solid, professional relationship with you, where you can feel that you are taken seriously and treated with respect. Without this, I can’t expect you to trust me and feel comfortable enough to discuss and work on what brings you to therapy. We will explore how your past experiences may still be influencing your reactions and your relationships today, because that’s important; but don’t let depictions of psychotherapy in popular culture mislead you, therapy is not all about digging into your childhood and blaming your mother! It is just as important for us to pay close attention to what is happening in your life right now.
Sessions are a space to think clearly and to focus on understanding what is actually going on for you — how you think, how you react under pressure, and how your past experiences may still be shaping present-day emotional patterns, decisions, and relationships. My therapeutic approach is both practical and flexible; it evolves with you as you make progress, so that we can address what you need at different stages, with the ultimate aim of increasing your wellbeing and self-understanding, make better-informed choices, and gain more confidence in how you respond to life and to others.
Some of the things we can look at include:
-
Repeating patterns in work, relationships, or decision-making
-
Emotional responses that feel disproportionate or hard to control
-
Internal conflicts, such as knowing what you should do but feeling stuck
-
Your defence and coping mechanisms, why they were once useful/necessary, and whether they are still beneficial now
-
Questions around meaning, direction, or identity, particularly during periods of transition
-
What is happening in the room and/or between sessions, as a practical way of noticing and better understanding your habits and reactions
If this all sounds daunting, let me be clear: none of this is about being analysed, criticised, or judged. It is about helping you develop clarity, revisit how you view yourself and others, make more deliberate choices, and gain a stronger internal footing, so that you can respond to life with more intention rather than repetition.