Psyche – the soul/mind.
Therapy – a service, especially one that provides healing and treatment.
Psychotherapy - a service that provides understanding treatment, and healing, for your mind.
At its most simple level, psychotherapy is talking to a clinician at a scheduled time, about oneself. However, psychotherapy is also much more than this.
Psychotherapy is an evidence-based way to understand how and why your mind is the way that it is. It can be a way to help nurture your mind towards a desired direction and to have the support and space to hold, explore, and process feelings and thoughts. This can be helpful for someone when they are experiencing mental suffering. Ultimately, psychotherapy provides a professional and regular space dedicated for you to understand your mind and what you are feeling.
Psychotherapy is for anyone that wishes to understand their mind or seek support for their mental health. Psychotherapy is typically thought of asa way to help someone when they are being affected by stressful life events, psychiatric diagnoses, poor mental health, etc. Psychotherapy can help a person with such experiences, but one need not have a particular life stressor or diagnosis to do therapy. Psychotherapy is a beneficial and rewarding service for any person, regardless of their mental state or stage in life.
This is because the business of our lives rarely affords us the time to seriously reflect on how we see or have seen the world, let alone the time to reflect on how we feel. Unfortunately, when we do have the time to consider ourselves, it may be challenging for many reasons; perhaps it is overwhelming, confusing, or even painful. Further, it is difficult for anyone to take a good look at their own mind, because they must do so through their own mind. There may be aspects of yourself that are obvious to others, but imperceptible to you. This is how a friend, a close loved one, or even a casual acquaintance may recognise something about us that we ourselves have not known, despite years of thinking and reflection.
There are many ways that seeing a psychotherapist is different from talking to a close friend or loved one. Importantly, a psychotherapist only has a professional relationship with you. This means there is no other vested interests influencing how we interact with or listen to you, as would be the case with a friend, family member, etc. Additionally, a psychotherapist undergoes years of specialised training. This is firstly, to learn how to provide a person with an evidence-based kind of therapy. Secondly, this is so that we can become aware of our own mind, in such a way that we can help others to understand theirs. Further, what you say to a psychotherapist is confidential. There are of course ethical boundaries legislated for health professionals regarding the divulging of confidential information, but these are for rare emergency circumstances.
I operate primarily from a psychodynamic perspective. However, I draw on aspects of other kinds of therapy such as, mindfulness and cognitive-behavioural therapy when appropriate. Further, as a neuropsychologist, I draw on neuroscience to understand how (and if) there may be neurological influences on a client’s mind. I can provide short, medium, or long-term therapy, though I prioritise medium and long-term clients.
Psychotherapy with me, would be a 45-50 minute session, either in-person or online depending on availability. I accept medical aid and/or cash payments. All you would need to bring to therapy, is yourself.
Therapy can be a daunting prospect. It is just another way to take a person seriously. Someone once told me that going to therapy is like exploring a deep and dark cave – where you hold the light, and the therapist holds your hand. I would be honoured to hold your hand.