Psychotherapy can help with ......
(Many of these symptoms and difficulties are linked with each other and occur together. For instance, depression and anxiety and low self-esteem often go together, and there are many symptoms linked with posttraumatic stress disorder.)
Depression
Depression can take various forms.
It may be triggered by a period of severe stress or a distressing life event, such as a breakdown of a relationship, a loss of a loved one, feeling trapped in a situation, or any other traumatic event.
Very often a time of depression can be a revisiting of an earlier time of depression, even from childhood, when it may not have been recognised. Something in the present may trigger the depression, and it is as if the mind is trying to resolve it this time round.
It is often a sign that the self-structure, that been developing since one's earliest days and has been coping over the years is struggling, and cannot cope any more without changes. One's beliefs about oneself and one's healthy defences may be compromised. The whole body/mind system becomes affected.
Depression can be taken as a sign that something needs to change, which, if heeded can be a starting-off point for a much stronger and healthier sense of self. Good psychotherapy can be a great help in the search for such restoration, and even lead to a much better sense of self than was experienced before the depression. Treated in this way, depression is much less likely to re-occur.
It may be triggered by a period of severe stress or a distressing life event, such as a breakdown of a relationship, a loss of a loved one, feeling trapped in a situation, or any other traumatic event.
Very often a time of depression can be a revisiting of an earlier time of depression, even from childhood, when it may not have been recognised. Something in the present may trigger the depression, and it is as if the mind is trying to resolve it this time round.
It is often a sign that the self-structure, that been developing since one's earliest days and has been coping over the years is struggling, and cannot cope any more without changes. One's beliefs about oneself and one's healthy defences may be compromised. The whole body/mind system becomes affected.
Depression can be taken as a sign that something needs to change, which, if heeded can be a starting-off point for a much stronger and healthier sense of self. Good psychotherapy can be a great help in the search for such restoration, and even lead to a much better sense of self than was experienced before the depression. Treated in this way, depression is much less likely to re-occur.
Loss & Bereavement
There is a natural process of grief and mourning after the loss of a loved one. The difficulties of such a sad time can be greatly helped by the support of others around one especially where they can help one realise that the feelings are normal, acceptable and understandable to others and are likely to take some time before one moves right through it.
In some cases, the time after such a loss and the healing from it becomes complicated or blocked for various reasons, such as the loss triggering memories of an earlier loss, even way back to childhood, or perhaps the death of the loved one was in traumatic circumstances, or one had a complex relationship with the person who died. There may be difficult beliefs about oneself in connection with the death. In cases such as these, psychotherapy can help to work through the difficulties.
In some cases, the time after such a loss and the healing from it becomes complicated or blocked for various reasons, such as the loss triggering memories of an earlier loss, even way back to childhood, or perhaps the death of the loved one was in traumatic circumstances, or one had a complex relationship with the person who died. There may be difficult beliefs about oneself in connection with the death. In cases such as these, psychotherapy can help to work through the difficulties.
Anxiety
Normal anxiety is part of the innate natural defence system, so when working properly, it raises one's awareness of some kind of threat or danger, so that one can be prepared to deal with it and then to settle down. But one can become stuck in a state of constant anxiety for various reasons. Often the reasons are to do with unresolved experience(s) from the past, or perhaps a lack of ongoing felt security in childhood. It is as if a part of the self cannot let one relax because it has the job of keeping one in a state of hyperarousal, as if one's present safety depended on it. Psychotherapy, in resolving the roots of the anxiety that has become stuck, can help the person's natural role of anxiety to be restored as a useful, occasional raising of tension and readiness for action whenever appropriate.
Ongoing high levels of anxiety can have serious effects on the body's metabolism, and one's energy levels.
Various physical conditions have been linked with ongoing high levels of stress and anxiety, including, heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes, ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia, and muscle tension.
Ongoing high levels of anxiety can have serious effects on the body's metabolism, and one's energy levels.
Various physical conditions have been linked with ongoing high levels of stress and anxiety, including, heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes, ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia, and muscle tension.
Fears & Phobias
Many of us are subject to irrational fears and phobias that could be about almost anything. The mind has probably at some stage linked the feared object or situation with danger, or some other powerful emotion such as disgust. One may not be aware of when a phobia began or what the link might be, but it is still likely to be able to be resolved in therapy. Some common phobias are: to enclosed or wide open spaces, spiders, snakes, needles, heights, water, birds, social situations, vomiting, etc.
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks and the fear of having them can be very distressing and also have a severely restrictive influence as one seeks to avoid anything which may trigger one.
These may be associated with anxiety, phobias or with post traumatic stress.
These may be associated with anxiety, phobias or with post traumatic stress.
Anger Management
Sometimes it may feel as if emotions have taken over, and one can feel scarily out of control. Where this is happens frequently, then help is needed to re-regulate the emotions, so that they are effectively there for you, and not something for you or those around you to fear.
Pain
One takes pain problems first to one's GP or physiotherapist, but sometimes, no current physical cause for the pain can be found. It may get referred to as psychosomatic, which can be a bit upsetting to hear, especially as the level of pain is absolutely real, and one just wants to be rid of it. Psychosomatic simply means that it is to do with the interaction between the body and mind.
Some pain and body sensations experienced in the present may be unintegrated pain experiences from a past event. This is especially likely to be the case when there has been a shock or trauma at the time when the original pain began. When the mind/body system is in a state of shock, such as just after a car accident, the experience cannot be processed and become integrated. It then gets stuck in its original state and help may be needed to resolve and settle it . This applies to other aspects of the experience as well, such as the emotions around it, the images, and the body's arousal systems. Any part of the experience, or all of it, including pain can become stuck in time, but then be the cause of symptoms leaking through into the present as powerfully as in the original time.
It is sometimes not realised that the pain sensations link back to a particular experience, as at the time, one may have been totally unaware of pain. But in working with pain using sensorimotor psychotherapy or EMDR, one can usually get back to the original experience and get it to resolve and settle. Some people may have pain problems in the present that are unresolved birth traumas, or other early injury. Various ways of working in psychotherapy can help to resolve these problems.
Some pain and body sensations experienced in the present may be unintegrated pain experiences from a past event. This is especially likely to be the case when there has been a shock or trauma at the time when the original pain began. When the mind/body system is in a state of shock, such as just after a car accident, the experience cannot be processed and become integrated. It then gets stuck in its original state and help may be needed to resolve and settle it . This applies to other aspects of the experience as well, such as the emotions around it, the images, and the body's arousal systems. Any part of the experience, or all of it, including pain can become stuck in time, but then be the cause of symptoms leaking through into the present as powerfully as in the original time.
It is sometimes not realised that the pain sensations link back to a particular experience, as at the time, one may have been totally unaware of pain. But in working with pain using sensorimotor psychotherapy or EMDR, one can usually get back to the original experience and get it to resolve and settle. Some people may have pain problems in the present that are unresolved birth traumas, or other early injury. Various ways of working in psychotherapy can help to resolve these problems.
Posttraumatic stress, flashbacks , disturbing memories, nightmares, etc
Effects of abuse (sexual, physical and/or emotional) in childhood.
The effects of such experience is wide-ranging, and many of the problems already mentioned could apply but please note sections on depression, anxiety, fears and phobias, low self-esteem, dissociative disorders, and the page 'More about trauma'.
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative disorders are related to trauma and occur when there is a lack of integration and sufficient cohesiveness in the personality. The causes are extreme events that totally overwhelm the person's capacity to integrate or to make meaning out of them. The memories of the disturbing and traumatic events are held in a part or parts of the person's personality separate from the everyday functioning part. The person may switch between the two or more parts of the personality, and when in the part holding the trauma, feel as if they are completely back in time at the time that it took place.
People who have suffered severe neglect and ongoing extreme abuse in childhood, especially if the perpetrators are the parents, are those who are likely to suffer the most complex of dissociative disorders, dissociative identity disorder or DID. Sometimes there is fragmentation of the personality with many parts or alters who take over in different situations. It is a very complex and serious condition, although many sufferers are able to function very well from a specific part of the self. Highly specialised treatment is necessary, and may be lengthy.
People who have suffered severe neglect and ongoing extreme abuse in childhood, especially if the perpetrators are the parents, are those who are likely to suffer the most complex of dissociative disorders, dissociative identity disorder or DID. Sometimes there is fragmentation of the personality with many parts or alters who take over in different situations. It is a very complex and serious condition, although many sufferers are able to function very well from a specific part of the self. Highly specialised treatment is necessary, and may be lengthy.
Low self esteem
We are born asking the question 'Who am I? Am I OK, am I loveable, acceptable', etc. The answers to the unspoken questions don't usually come in words, at least, not at first. They come through the way the baby and then the young child is handled, by the tone of voice, facial expression, in fact, through the whole nurturing relationship with the parents or other primary attachment figures. The growing up child is likely to take on board in an implicit way the perceived attitudes of the parents or teachers toward him and then unconsciously apply these attitudes towards himself. If these attitudes are harsh, critical, ignoring and/or dismissive, then belief in oneself is eroded, and self-esteem is damaged.
Psychotherapy can help by exploring together and becoming more aware of the origins of the dysfunctional beliefs about the self, resolving the roots of the problem, and then over time, deepening a new sense of self and a new way of being.
Low self-esteem is often linked with depression and/or anxiety, and perhaps, unrelenting striving for perfection.
Psychotherapy can help by exploring together and becoming more aware of the origins of the dysfunctional beliefs about the self, resolving the roots of the problem, and then over time, deepening a new sense of self and a new way of being.
Low self-esteem is often linked with depression and/or anxiety, and perhaps, unrelenting striving for perfection.
Feeling uncomfortable with oneself...
One does not need to be aware of a specific problem, before deciding to have psychotherapy. There may be a general sense of discontent with where one is in life, or feeling stuck in a rut. There is quite an overlap between psychotherapy and 'Life Coaching', and it may be that exploring and resolving blocks could pave the way to a more fulfilled way of being.
Stress Reduction
A certain amount of stress over short periods helps us to function well, but sometimes we go through periods of prolonged or extreme stress making it very difficult to switch off. Psychotherapy can help one to find the roots in oneself which may be increasing one's vulnerability to stress in the present, or it can help you to explore circumstances in the present which may be causing undue stress or making one feel trapped and helpless in a situation. Sometimes beliefs developed in early life, such as 'I have to be perfect in all I do' or 'I am responsible for other people's happiness', may be at the heart of the problem of high stress levels.
Raised stress levels can be the cause of various ailments such as raised blood pressure, migraine, ulcers, etc.
Raised stress levels can be the cause of various ailments such as raised blood pressure, migraine, ulcers, etc.
Relationship Problems
We receive implicit training in relating to others from our very earliest days, both by experiencing it and by observing those around us relating to each other. Some people may need help to be able to recognise and to resolve aspects of that learning which may be causing problems in relationships in the present. I don't work with couples, but can help an individual to explore these issues, and hopefully help them to deal with their 'baggage'.
Performance Enhancement
You may wish to improve your performance or remove a block in some area of your life, for instance, in sport, the performing arts or presenting a seminar. There are ways of working in psychotherapy that can target performance blocks and also lead to an enhancement of performance.