FAQs

Who do you work with?

I work with people over the age of 18, one-to-one - so I don’t work with couples or younger people under 18 years of age. If you’re looking for help finding someone to work with a child or a couple still get in touch and I may be able to help you find someone amongst my colleagues.

How is psychoanalytic psychotherapy different to other approaches, such as Counselling or CBT?
Most other approaches to mental health treatment, such as Counselling or CBT, address behaviours on the surface of our lives in the present and don’t dig deeper to see what’s going on underneath them. Those approaches tend to be briefer in duration and more limited in their focus. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is about figuring out what’s going on in the deeper parts of our minds, the parts we aren’t always aware of, and what elements of past experience may be playing out and overshadowing us in the present. We become aware of these deeper parts of our minds when we surprise ourselves by our behaviours or thoughts, or when we get stuck in repetitive cycles. What is specific to a psychoanalytic approach is the idea that making permanent changes in our lives requires an understanding of our deeper, unconscious motivations or we’ll just find ourselves sliding back into past behaviours.

What can I expect in the first session?
A first session usually lasts up to an hour, but if someone is particularly stressed by the intensity of it, or just needed to meet at least once to overcome the hurdle of beginning, then we may meet for less than an hour. A first meeting is an opportunity to speak about what has brought you to therapy, even in broad terms. I’ll ask you questions to help you open things up more, and bring your attention to some of the things you say that are particularly significant. I’ll tell you more about how things work, and the structure of sessions, relating everything that I say to what you have said, and I’ll try to answer any questions that you may have.  

How can this approach help me?
This approach offers a supportive place to explore how you might change your life for the better. It can help you clarify what motivates you, and figure out how and why you remain stuck in repetitive cycles, or unable to put past events behind you. It offers anyone who engages in it and works at it deep personal insight that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Is it right for me?
What you want to get out of any form of therapy will determine the best type for you, so it’s best to compare and contrast some approaches through online research first. You can then contact a psychotherapist/s if you want to know more about how they work based on your research and their approach. You may not be able to say in advance what exactly you wan to get from therapy - you just know that it sounds like something you could benefit from. I advise everyone that I meet for the first time to give it a few sessions in which to come to a decision about this, because you need to get a direct sense of it before coming to a final decision. No one is under any obligation at any point to continue unless they want to, because finding therapy too frustrating will undermine any benefits you may derive from it. You can always come back to it in the future if you decide you aren’t ready for it yet, and you can always try other approaches.

How long do people usually do this for?
How long someone engages in therapy depends on what they want to get from it, and the complexity or embededness of the issues that they want to change in their lives. A good rule of thumb is that the longer you’ve lived with what you want to change the longer you should expect that change to take. Many people feel a benefit from the first meeting, knowing that they’ve made a start, or finally talking about a tighly held secret that unburdens them. However making changes that stick takes time, and therapy has to be worked at with consistent effort. You shouldn’t expect a quick-fix result from this approach - but you can’t expect lasting change from a quick-fix approach.

Do you provide assessments for Autism or ADHD?
Psychoanalytic treatment focuses on treating each person as a unique individual without assigning standardised diagnostic labels to them - so I would never carry out such an assessment. I certainly work with people who have received such diagnoses, but they shouldn’t be the defining element of someone’s life.

Is it confidential?
The only circumstances under which I may have to break confidence is if someone is in danger of criminal harm and alerting the police would protect them.

What is the fee, and how can I pay?
The fee is £60. Payment can be made by cash, cheque, or Revolut.

Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No, I work through self-referral, so you make contact directly yourself.

How long do sessions last?
The first time we would meet would be up to an hour, but usually sessions last about 40 minutes.

How often would sessions take place?
Sessions are once a week, every week, apart from scheduled holidays or if someone is so physically unwell that they can’t go to work or college etc.. Weekly sessions are fundamental to keep the momentum and rhythm of the work flowing and consistent, and for you to incorporate what you’re learning about yourself into your daily life. When you feel you’ve done enough work, you stop.

Do you prescribe medication?
No. In Northern Ireland only a medical doctor can prescribe medications.