Using what best suits each individual so therapy is tailor-made for each client
Why look for a professional Counsellor and Psychotherapist?
Challenges are a part of life but nearly everyone faces challenges and difficulties in their life at some time. But sometimes they can be overwhelming and we feel like we are helpless.
Stress over a job, anxiety caused by uncertainty over the future, loss because of bereavement, problems over addiction or difficulties in a relationship, low self-esteem, low self-confidence are just some reasons why people feel they can benefit by talking to a professional Counsellor and Psychotherapist.
Counselling & Psychotherapy is for anybody. It can be of great support in times of crises or change and involve the provision of professional assistance to people who are experiencing personal issues and burdens in order to alleviate those difficulties and burdens.
Frequent Challenges
Anxiety / Stress
The feeling of being stressed can be triggered by an event that makes you feel frustrated or nervous. Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry or unease. It can be a reaction to stress, or it can occur in people who are unable to identify significant stressors in their life. Psychological and Emotional signs of Anxiety/ Stress depression or anxiety anger, irritability, or restlessness feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated or unfocused trouble sleeping or sleeping too much tracing thoughts or constant worry, problems with your memory or concentration making bad decisions.
Depression
Depression is a common and serious experience that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.
Depression can cause feelings of sadness and/ or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.
Depression Symptoms:
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
-Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
-Loss of energy or increased fatigue
Increase in purposeless, physical activity eg. inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing or slowed movements or speech
-Feeling worthless or guilty
-Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
-Thoughts of death or suicide
Grief, Loss & Breavement
Grief is the normal process of reacting to the loss. Grief reactions may be felt in response to physical losses eg. death or in response to symbolic or social losses eg. loss of a job, divorce, dementia. Bereavement is the period after a loss during which grief is experienced and mourning occurs.
Self-Esteem
Low self esteem and lack of confidence is when there is a lack of emphasis on the importance of being true to yourself in order to lead a more fulfilling life. If you ignore and place no value on your own self worth, needs, wants, desires and feelings but find you are constantly trying to please others and their needs.
Signs of Low Self Esteem and Confidence:
- Difficulty speaking up and prioritising your own needs, wants and feelings
- Saying I'm sorry and/ or feeling guilty for everyday actions
- Not rocking the boat tendency to follow along with what others are doing, saying, wearing and going.
- Not feeling deserving of or capable of having more
- Difficulty making your own choices
- Lack of boundaries
- Negative self perception
- Critical, abusive internal dialogue
Sexual or Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is a series of repeated incidents, whether intentional or not, that insults, threatens, isolates, degrades, humiliates, and/or controls another person.
Abusers can be partners, spouse, parents, stepparents, other caregivers or family members.
Physical Abuse is an act of non accidental harm to the body caused by the use of force, which results in pain, harm, injury or a change in the person's natural phyiscal state.
Sexual abuse is unwanted sexual activity, with perpetrators using force, making threats or taking advantage of victims not able to give consent.
- HSE Definitions of Emotional, Physical and Sexual Abuse
Addiction
An addiction is an urge to do something that is hard to control or stop. eg. gambling, drugs, alcohol.
Signs of addiction
Lack of control, or inability to stay away from a substance or behaviour.
Decreased socialisation, like abandoning commitments or ignoring relationships
Ignoring risk factors.
Unhealthy use of phone or gaming.
Relationship/ Couples counselling
Relationship/ Couples counselling is for anybody seeking help to improve an existing relationship eg. couples, family members. Based on research as long as there is higher ratio of positive to negative interactions within any relationship this relationship can survive any negative interactions. Higher negative to positive interactions leads to relationship breakdown. Therapy teaches clients how to consciously improve their interactions and communication within the relationship. The type of communication a person grows up around tends to have an influence on how one communicates within their adult relationships which sometimes can be destructive without that person being aware of the damage being caused. Counselling can help couples/ individuals make a conscious choice of more positive ways to communicate and interact for a healthier, happier relationship. If change is not possible sometimes this means making the hard decision to end the relationship in the healthiest way possible for both parties.
Therapy Approaches
Integrative Approach
Integrates theories and ideas mainly drawing from humanistic, existential, and humanistic approaches by staying present with each client, exploring their individual world without judgment, while having acceptance, understanding, and the ability to listen and empathise. I help each client discover and understand their needs, their behaviours, and attachment styles. Through this self-awareness change is possible. I use what best suits each individual so therapy is tailor-made for each unique client.
Reality Therapy
Reality Therapy focuses on the idea that all relationship problems are in the present and must be solved in the present. Problematic symptoms are the result of clients trying to deal with a present unsatisfying relationship. Once a significant relationship is improved, the troubling symptoms will disappear. Reality Therapy challenges clients to consider whether their current behaviour is getting them what they want. Clients are encouraged to explore their perceptions, share their desires/wants, and make a commitment to counselling. Because clients can directly control their acting and thinking functions more than they can control what they are feeling, their actions become the focus of therapy. Clients explore the direction in which their behaviour is taking them and evaluate what they are doing. Then they create a plan of action to make the changes they want.
Narrative Therapy
Focuses on the assumption that people are competent and healthy, have the capacity to find their own solutions to difficulties they face and are the experts on their own lives. These approaches are based on the idea that we generate stories to make sense of ourselves and our world. People are empowered by learning how to separate themselves from their problems. Clients learn that the person is not the problem but that the problem is the problem. Therapy helps clients to free themselves from problem-saturated stories and open space to co-create alternative stories. In essence, clients reauthor their stories about themselves and their relationships. Therapy is a collaborative venture aimed at helping clients construct meaningful goals that will lead to a better future.
Person Centred Therapy
Person centred therapy is an approach where therapy is focused on the person and their capacity to grow and self actualise. It involves Carl Rogers' concepts of 'conditional positive regard', self-concept and locust of evaluation which are so valuable in the therapeutic process, for the client to become aware of these concepts can be liberating and lead to the client's growth in self-confidence and being true to themselves.
Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Focuses on the assumption that people are competent and healthy, have the capacity to find their own solutions to difficulties they face, and are the experts on their own lives. These approaches are based on the idea that we generate stories to make sense of ourselves and our world. People are empowered by learning how to separate themselves from their problems. Clients learn that the person is not the problem but that the problem is the problem. Therapy helps clients to free themselves from problem-saturated stories and open space to co-create alternative stories. In essence, clients reauthor their stories about themselves and their relationships. Therapy is a collaborative venture aimed at helping clients construct meaningful goals that will lead to a better future.
Existential Therapy
This is an idea whereby we define ourselves by our choices. Although outside factors restrict the range of our choices, we are ultimately the authors of our lives. A sense of being thrust into a meaningless world, yet we are challenged to accept our aloneness and create a meaningful existence. Because we have the capacity for awareness, we are basically free. We can often lead a "restricted existence" seeing few if any alternatives for dealing with life situations and tending to feel trapped or helpless. Therapy's purpose is to help clients become aware of this restricted life they have chosen and to help them become aware of their opportunity to change and become responsible for changing their future, creating a more meaningful life for them.
Behaviour Therapy
This approach focuses on the client's ability to learn how to eliminate maladaptive behaviour and acquire constructive behaviour. Behaviour therapy is a systematic approach that begins with a comprehensive assessment of the individual to determine present level of functioning to establish clear and specific behavioural goals to be achieved. Clients can make progress to the extent that they are willing to practice new behaviours in real life situations.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an integrative, mind-body based approach that helps people to manage their thoughts, feelings, and mental health. Practicing mindfulness can give more insight into emotions, boosts attention & concentration, and improve relationships.
Fees
€ 70 Individual Therapy Session
€ 85 for Couples/Relationship Couselling
"Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength "
- Sigmund Freud