What sort of problems do we work with?
What are the benefits of psychotherapy?
The most common questions we receive are what is the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist?
Who are psychotherapists?
Psychotherapists are often mental health practitioners with a clinical psychology, social work or psychiatric training who have then decided to continue with a two or four year training in psychotherapy. Or they may have had a completely unrelated career from fields as diverse as engineering to acting and then complete a two to four year training. The next most common questions are:
What is psychotherapy? Who do you see? And what sort of problems do you work with?
“Just as our problems are often outside of our awareness,
so too are the answers”
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy involves a special relationship between the therapist and the client that enables a dialogue to take place that fosters personal enquiry, awareness, healing and change. In this relationship the trust that evolves will enable the client to fully explore themselves and their world. Clients say that they don’t talk to anyone else like they do in their therapy sessions, even their families. It becomes a very sacred space.
A therapist’s job is to understand the world from your point of view, to explore the world through your eyes in order to help you understand and accept yourself. Life events as well as other factors, whether past or present, can jeopardise healthy development. When this occurs, feelings can appear to be ‘the enemy,’ life can feel over-whelming and our normal ability to relate to others can get lost. Confusion often surrounds judgment and decision-making is very stressful.
There is evidence that stress can make you ill. It does so by changing body chemistry in a manner that eventually changes body structure. All manner of serious illness have been linked with stress including arthritis, diabetes and cancer.
Neuroscientific research has led to fundamental changes in the understanding of emotional problems. When we have a healthy sense of self we feel a knowing and understanding of one self. We have a good sense of meaning and purpose, as well as the ability to pursue ambitions and goals with confidence.
Gaining a greater sense of purpose has been shown to lower levels of stress.
How does Psychotherapy work?
Using skilled empathic modes of listening, psychotherapy creates a compassionate atmosphere where one begins to observe ones thoughts and behaviours. As we observe our feelings, thoughts and behaviours we begin to see how we sabotage ourself in the world. This helps regulate our feelings, and creates room to consider new ways of thinking and behaving.
Evidence suggests that psychotherapy can change the brain’s structure, laying down new neural pathways, developing new responses to the same situations; new thoughts and feelings in response to familiar situations.
Feelings of anxiety, despair, emptiness and self-loathing diminish and even disappear. A greater flexibility in thinking creates a new platform from which to realise your goals and ambitions as well as improve health and well being. It is through the sustained therapeutic relationship that you will improve your resilience, improve your relationships, your health and create deep and long-lasting personal change.
Who do we see?
People who feel the need to seek psychotherapy are often in emotional pain, feel stuck or else feel overwhelmed. Overall, people are driven to find ways to change the way they feel.
What sort of problems do we work with?
The reasons people seek therapy are many and varied. These can be anything from day to day difficulties revolving around family, relationships, work or school to physical and emotional crises. When a person feels that they have used up all their resources and begin to feel quite hopeless and alone, this is a good time to call a psychotherapist.
These problems may be longstanding, often thought to be something that has to be endured. Or, come up unexpectedly, triggered by a break down in a relationship, an accident, a lay off, a medical condition, or a death.
Our mental attitude has a very immediate effect on our body chemistry. Patients come in with physical symptoms; headaches, tearfulness, sleeplessness, too much sleeping, no appetite, over-eating, lack of libido, tension in the chest, digestive troubles, heart racing. Emotional symptoms that are common are; feelings of emptiness, sadness, anxiety, irritability, anger, terror, despair, loneliness or problems concentrating (too much white noise).
Our experience is that before people call a psychotherapist they will have tried a myriad of ways to help soothe and regulate these very painful concerns and sometimes these become a problem, too. Excessive gambling, use of alcohol or other drugs, promiscuity, isolation, eating disorders and over working are ways of coping that mask the real problem.
If in doubt call and be reassured that what you are feeling is normal.
What to Expect
What does a psychotherapist’s rooms look like?
You may at first feel very nervous about coming to see a psychotherapist and wonder if you will still have to lie on a couch. I assure you that our rooms are very friendly. Our offices are in a Victorian terrace in Woollahra where you will be invited to sit in a comfortable armchairs face to face with your therapist in a room full of natural light.
How does a therapy session work?
Psychotherapy uses an informal contract to assure the best possible results. Consistency of time, place and continuity will require that you pay for missed appointments. These elements are at the bedrock of psychotherapy and maximize and sustain the process.
What are the benefits of psychotherapy?
“Anyone can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry
with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time,
for the right purpose and in the right way – this is not easy.”
Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics
Although people report different benefits the goal is relief from emotional and physical pain. This includes a better understanding of emotions and how they sabotage relationships. Therapy helps put words to feelings.
People say that they feel more joyful and their life is described as having more purpose and meaning.
Moreover, there is convincing evidence in the field of neuroscience showing us that effective long-term psychotherapy actually builds new neuronal pathways in the brain. A client described it as “like a light switch that has been turned off,” when she didn’t feel the incredible rage she used to feel.
One of the most lasting impacts of psychotherapy is how it helps develops curiosity and compassion about the Self. We discovered that if you begin to treat yourself with curiosity and compassion both you and others benefit.
Where to from here?
Read more FAQ about psychotherapy