Therapy sessions in Cape Town:
Psychotherapy is a space to hear your authentic reflections openly and clearly, on one's core personal narrative and experience. In considering mental health matters we seek in psychotherapy to address what our authentic psychological-emotional needs are, what they may be associated with to you, and how we may respond to them. Therapy is a place for hearing personal stories that people carry, and finding ways to answer personal questions and address psychological experience clearly and authentically. Sessions are broadly psychodynamic in orientation, also drawing on existential perspectives. I often work with:
- Symptoms of anxiety: Anxiety is associated with the fight, flight, freeze, or friendly reflex. As human beings we have a strong, highly-attuned response to danger that is physiologically automatic and neurochemically potent in its effects on for example breathing and heart rate. In anxiety there is distress psychologically: we feel fear, overwhelm, self-consciousness, we feel uncertain. When one suffers from anxiety we can sometimes panic: freezing, rushing, becoming agitated, and it can be difficult to think clearly in high-stress situations. Anxiety can also be a more low-level generalised feeling of agitation or unease, or involve specific fears and situations that are difficult for the person.
- Signs of depression: Depression can involve a loss of interest in things previously enjoyed, long-lasting low mood, low motivation, indecision, low energy, and a sense of hopelessness or meaninglessness. It can sometimes be a feeling we can associate with our sense of self in the world, and our experience of life that has been disheartening. Depression can in this sense then itself present a challenge to us that needs answering. Psychotherapy seeks to allow a space to hear and understand our personal stories, as well as shift and break free from negative conclusions.
Therapy - what to expect:
1. Session one: Meeting, history-taking and describing issues at hand. Deciding on scope of therapy contact.
2. Session two to five: Building our understanding around symptoms and challenges.
3. Session five to ten: Deeply familiarising ourselves with this dynamic understanding of the issues at play. Discussion of progress and scope.
4. Session ten+: Sustained focus on day to day life contemplatively and on issues at play, while still seeking ways to positively shift outcomes meaningfully.
Experience & services:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Panic attack
- Self-esteem
- Life narrative
- Existential
- Assertiveness
- Adult child and parent sessions
- Online therapy
- Dream interpretation
