Therapeutic Approach
Initial Consultation
I have limited availability for clinical sessions, and they tend to fill up quickly. Slots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. When you contact me, I will ask about your preferences for in-person sessions or online sessions via Zoom.
Additionally, I will inquire about whether you prefer evening slots or daytime appointments, which would be scheduled at the same time each week throughout the course of therapy. I will also ask if you plan to use health insurance to cover the cost of therapy and which provider you are with so that I can accommodate new clients accordingly.
If I have a therapy slot that matches your preferences, I will reserve it for you and arrange an initial consultation. This consultation serves as a business meeting where we can discuss your initial concerns and address practical matters related to starting treatment. The Zoom consultation provides you with the opportunity to virtually meet me and gain a better understanding of my therapeutic style and approach as a clinician.
I believe it is important for you to have a conversation with me before committing to ongoing treatment. This allows you to openly share your struggles and ask any questions about my practice or the practical aspects of starting therapy that may not have been addressed on my website. During the consultation, I will outline the process for the initial few sessions and provide an indication of the therapeutic approach I may recommend for you.
On the other hand, if I believe that your needs would be better served by a therapy approach that I do not offer, I will inform you accordingly.
Assessment
exploration, formulation, treatment
Assessment plays a vital role in psychological therapy as it involves gathering comprehensive information about you to better understand your situation and tailor our approach accordingly. It helps us gain insights into your main concerns, the context of your life, family background and history, relationship dynamics, previous therapy experiences, and conduct a risk assessment. Through this collaborative process, we establish therapy goals. Here’s a breakdown of each component:
Presenting Problem: We begin by exploring the main reasons why you’re seeking therapy. By openly discussing your concerns, symptoms, and specific issues you want to address, we gain a clear understanding of your needs and how best to support you.
Context: Understanding your current circumstances is crucial for effective therapy. We collect information about your living situation, work environment, and any significant life events or stressors that may impact your well-being.
Family Background and History: Your family background and history contribute to who you are today. We discuss your family structure, relationships with family members, and any significant events or issues within the family. This provides valuable insights into the factors influencing your current experiences.
Relationship History: Recognising the significance of your past and present relationships, we explore your romantic relationships, friendships, and family dynamics to understand patterns, attachment styles, and any difficulties you may have faced. This understanding guides our therapeutic approach and supports your interpersonal growth.
Previous Therapy: Your past therapy experiences offer valuable information about your treatment history. We gather details about the types of therapy you’ve received, their duration, and the outcomes. This helps us tailor our approach, build on what has worked before, and address any potential barriers or preferences you may have.
Risk Assessment: Your safety and well-being are our top priorities. We conduct a thorough assessment to evaluate your current level of distress and any potential risks to yourself or others. This includes assessing for suicidal ideation, self-harm history, substance abuse, or any other factors requiring immediate attention.
Goals for Therapy: Our therapy revolves around your specific goals. Together, we establish the outcomes you hope to achieve through therapy.
Take the first step toward a healthier, more fulfilling life by contacting us to schedule an appointment.
Treatment
collaborative, self-reflection, focused on change
As a psychologist, I have been trained in cognitive and psychodynamic models of psychotherapy. With my extensive experience in treating various mental health problems, I offer a flexible and adaptable therapy approach tailored to your specific needs.
My therapeutic approach focuses on setting goals and achieving positive changes in your life. Together, we will explore the underlying causes and factors that contribute to your challenges, helping you gain a deeper understanding of yourself. I take a direct and practical approach, working collaboratively with you to address unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that may be holding you back.
In therapy, I draw on different theories and evidence-based practices, integrating them with my clinical experience to customize treatment for you.
My aim is to provide the necessary support for you to make meaningful progress and empower you to lead a more fulfilling life. We will work together to gain self-awareness, understand unhelpful coping strategies, and address destructive behaviors influenced by past experiences, relationships, and traumatic events.
By developing a psychological understanding of your difficulties, we can identify and recognize unhelpful patterns. I value and respect your unique experiences and your relationship with the world around you. My approach places emphasis on your subjective experience as an individual.
Through mutual clarification and understanding, we will explore the complexities of the human mind and personal experiences.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
recognition, reformulation, revision
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is a type of psychotherapy that combines ideas and understanding from different therapy methods, such as cognitive therapy and psychoanalytic therapy. It was developed in the 1980s by the British psychologist Anthony Ryle.
The goal of CAT is to help patients understand the patterns of behaviour that they often fall into, how these patterns originated (usually from past experiences), and how they can be changed to more helpful patterns.
The therapy typically involves several stages:
Reformulation: This is the assessment phase of the therapy. During this stage, the therapist and client work together to understand the client’s issues and the unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that the client may be stuck in. Diagrams and written narratives are often used to provide a clear picture of these patterns and their effects.
Recognition: In this phase, the therapist helps the client recognise these patterns in their daily life and understand how they can impact their mental health. This includes identifying triggers and understanding the effects of these patterns, working towards increased awareness and the potential for change.
Revision: The final stage involves working to change these unhelpful patterns. The therapist and client collaborate to develop new strategies and patterns to replace the old ones. This includes identifying alternative actions or thoughts that can be utilized when the client recognizes that they are falling into an old pattern.
CAT is a time-limited therapy, typically lasting between 16 to 24 weeks, although the duration can vary based on the client’s individual needs. While the effectiveness of CAT can vary from person to person, research has shown it to be effective in treating a wide range of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and personality disorders, among others.
Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)
here and now, self and other
Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) is a specialised type of psychodynamic psychotherapy developed by Peter Fonagy and Anthony Bateman. It is designed to help individuals who struggle with understanding their own and others’ mental states, which is often seen in people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Mentalization refers to our ability to perceive ourselves from an external perspective and others from an internal perspective.
Mentalizing Focus: MBT emphasizes the process of mentalization, which involves making sense of our own and others’ actions based on intentional mental states such as desires, feelings, and beliefs.
Here and Now: MBT places a strong emphasis on understanding the patient’s current mental state rather than extensively exploring their past experiences. Therapists assist patients in comprehending their feelings and reactions as they occur in the present moment.
Self and Others: MBT recognizes the importance of understanding one’s own mind as well as the minds of others. This dual focus helps patients manage their reactions and develop more fulfilling relationships.
Regulation of Affect: MBT therapists support patients in exploring their emotional states, enhancing their ability to regulate emotions. This exploration can reduce impulsivity and improve interpersonal functioning.
Transparency: Therapists openly explain their therapeutic interventions, enabling patients to understand the process and purpose of therapy. This transparent communication encourages patients to actively participate in their treatment.
MBT can be provided in individual or group therapy formats, or a combination of both. In my private practice, I offer an individualized approach to MBT. During individual therapy sessions, I explore the patient’s mental states by asking questions, seeking clarification, and formulating hypotheses about their experiences.
The goal of MBT is not to interpret experiences for the patient, but rather to assist them in developing their own understanding of their thoughts and feelings. The overarching objective is to enhance patients’ capacity for mentalization, particularly in emotionally charged situations. By understanding their own mental states, they can effectively manage their emotions, cultivate healthier relationships, and enhance their overall well-being
Integrative Psychotherapy
Integrative psychotherapy is a holistic therapeutic approach that incorporates various therapeutic principles and philosophies to treat the person as a whole on various levels of functioning, including the emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and physiological levels. It places an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and the integration of different therapy models.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is one of the models that might be utilized within integrative psychotherapy. CAT focuses on understanding how a person’s past experiences shape their current behaviours, feelings, and thoughts. It’s a time-limited therapy that is often highly structured. In CAT, the therapist and client collaborate to identify and understand patterns of behaviour that cause distress and work toward changing these patterns.
Psychodynamic Therapy is another essential model in an integrative approach. It is rooted in the theories of psychoanalysis, focusing on the unconscious processes as they manifest in a person’s present behaviour. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are a client’s self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behaviour. It provides insights into recurring patterns, unresolved issues, and unconscious feelings that may affect a person’s present reality.
Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps people identify and understand what others might be thinking or feeling. The concept of mentalization is rooted in attachment theory and psychoanalysis, and it involves the ability to reflect on the mental states of oneself and others. It can be particularly useful when working with individuals with borderline personality disorder, helping them to mentalize more effectively, thereby improving their interpersonal relationships and reducing self-destructive behaviour.
The understanding that difficulties in life don’t always fit neatly into specific psychological models is a foundational principle of integrative psychotherapy. As a therapist, drawing from these diverse models allows for a more individualized and flexible approach to treatment. For example, the insight gained from psychodynamic therapy might help understand a client’s deep-seated patterns, the cognitive-analytic approach can shed light on maladaptive behaviours in the present, and the mentalization based approach can help the client better understand their interactions with others. All of these approaches can be integrated to provide a comprehensive and personalized therapeutic process.
As an integrative psychologist, the goal is to pull from each of these models as appropriate, given the individual client’s unique history, circumstances, needs, and goals. The evidence-based practices from each of these models contribute to the versatility of the integrative psychotherapy approach. This ability to flexibly navigate between different models helps ensure that therapy remains dynamic and relevant to the client’s evolving needs.
Clinical Supervision
Throughout my career in psychology, I’ve accumulated more than two decades of clinical experience, beginning my journey in 2002 in university and charitable trusts psychotherapy services. This period was instrumental in setting the groundwork for my specialisation in addressing anxiety, depression, and personality disorders within secondary care mental health NHS services, which commenced in 2006.
Recognising my dedication and contribution to the field, I was entrusted with a senior role as the lead clinician for both the Cognitive Analytic Therapy service and the Mentalization-Based Therapy service within the Lewisham Integrated Psychological Therapies Service, an integral part of South London and Maudsley NHS trust (SLaM).
My extensive work across diverse environments such as Psychiatric Inpatient Wards, Community Mental Health Teams, and integrated Psychology and Psychotherapy services has afforded me a comprehensive understanding of mental health issues. It enables me to work effectively with individuals navigating a range of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and personality disorders.
As an accredited clinical supervisor by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT), I extend my expertise beyond my immediate clinical work.
Over my professional journey, I’ve guided both qualified and trainee clinical and counselling psychologists within the NHS, supervising the work of 27 clinicians and covering more than 150 clinical cases in the past decade alone.
In addition to my work within the NHS, I now provide clinical supervision in my private to several clinicians working within the private sector. Moreover, I’ve cultivated relationships with junior psychologists at the start of their professional journeys, supervising them within my NHS role. I’ve continued to support their career development through mentoring, assisting them as they refine their skills and grow within their profession.
With my expansive background, theoretical knowledge, understanding of evidence-based practices, and insights gleaned from my own clinical experiences, I’m exceptionally well-positioned to offer premium clinical supervision to psychologists. My in-depth understanding of mental health complexities and commitment to continuous professional development render me an invaluable asset in a clinical supervisory role.
Feel free to contact me to discuss your supervision needs.