Psychotherapy

I am a UKCP registered Transactional Analysis Psychotherapist. Transactional Analysis (TA) is an integrative psychotherapy. It combines the traditions of psychoanalytic thinking, cognitive and behavioural approaches, developmental theory and social psychology.

In brief, a TA approach can address:

1. Internal conflict (our intrapsychic process)
2. External conflict (our relationship problems)
3. repetitive life patterns which limit or damage us

Life can be unfair, stressful and difficult at times. A TA therapy approach equips you with the tools and insights to manage life's challenges in a positive way.

I run a private practice in Maidstone where I have been based for 20 years. I also work as an affiliate psychotherapist for the Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust.

My professional body is the Institute of Transactional Analysis , a member organisation of the European Association of Transactional Analysis, and I am also a member of the United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapy. These organisations have codes of ethics and professional practice which I follow.

To contact these organisations click on the links below: (opens new window)

• www.ita.org.uk
• www.psychotherapy.org.uk

If you are local to Kent and Sussex and interested in training as a TA practitioner, contact www.thelinkcentre.co.uk
www.wealdoninstitute.co.uk

I offer the following:

• Initial consultations
• Short and longer term individual therapy
• Couples work
• Family work

Issues I work with include:

• Anxiety and depression
• Eating disorders including over eating
• Low confidence and self esteem
• Loss and Bereavement
• Relationship problems
• Stress and work/life balance
• Childhood abuse
• Life changes
• Motivational issues

I am not able to work with alcohol or drug related issues, or people with psychotic illnesses because of the higher level of support required.

I see all new clients for an initial consultation, with no commitment to continue beyond this first session. This allows me to gain a clearer picture of a client's needs and history, and for the client to experience meeting and working with me.

My initial information sheet which explains this and other aspects of starting out in therapy, is set out here:–

Couples and Family Work: Examples of issues I work with :

• Infertility
• Reconstituted/step families
• Foster parenting
• Couples considering separation
• Families who have experienced loss
• Couples wanting support to change destructive patterns.

When I work with couples and families, I will usually see family members individually as well as together. I encourage positive changes, for example by encouraging individuals to express feelings, to give feedback to each other and to turn complaints into wishes.

By being there as a facilitator of communication, I can help individuals to listen more effectively and identify ways out of repetitive and hurtful patterns.

For some work in this area, I co–work with my colleague John Revell who is an experienced clinical psychologist. Co–working with a male and female facilitator can be helpful in some situations.

Some ways in which I can support couples and family members are to increase an individual's :

• power of negotiation
• empathy with the other, and themselves
• ability to be open and honest
• capacity to communicate clearly
• ability to argue constructively and resolve differences

Sometimes individuals bring complex issues from their own family background, to their current relationships. If these issues get in the way of a person changing destructive patterns then I might suggest that they have individual therapy.