Family Therapy

Family Therapy is a model of psychotherapy that explores the interactions within relationships in order to effect changes.

People do not have problems in isolation. They are often created or perpetuated in the way we interact with those important to us.
Family therapy views individual’s problems in the context of their relationships.

Discussing your situation, anxieties or concerns can help you to cope with the emotions you are experiencing so that you can begin to discover a new way forward.

A professionally led therapy session differs from a routine conversation because as a therapist I am able to look at your situation objectively.  I am here to challenge your thinking to enable you to re-frame your perceptions and find solutions that will work for you.

I will not judge or tell you how you must handle your situations – but I can help you find ways, and suggest tools that can be incorporated into your life, to make a sustainable and positive change.

It is difficult to take the first step to talk to a stranger about something important and personal.

You may be worried about discussing how you may be getting it wrong with your partner, friends or family members. Or perhaps you are desperately trying to get your partner’s attention to find out whether you are important and still matter to one another.

When we feel connected to those close to us we are more able to cope with life’s challenges.

Whatever your individual, family or couple issues we can work together to rediscover your strengths, in a supportive non-judgemental atmosphere, that will enable you to see your situation in a different way. This will help you find the solutions that will work for you.

Family Therapy provides a valuable approach for people of all ages and backgrounds who may be experiencing a variety of difficulties such as:

Communication
Child & adolescent behaviour
Parenting issues with all age groups
Behavioural issues in school
Couple or marital difficulties or stress
Separation or divorce
Step-parenting or lone-parenting
Rebuilding relationships following trauma
Self-esteem issues
Life-cycle transitions

Helping people recognise their strengths can be a relatively short process, however, some difficulties can be more complex and clients may need longer.

Each situation is different and unique.

Relationships

Individuals, couples or families may get stuck in patterns of harmful behaviour that may impact their close relationships.

Therapy provides a safe place to explore difficult thoughts and emotions and helps us to understand others’ perspectives. Building on strengths, family therapy can help people make useful changes in their relationships and their lives; preventing relationship breakdown, easing families to transition at times of breakup, and addressing the potential consequences this may have on families or individual’s mental health.

Individual Therapy

People seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges or childhood trauma to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-knowledge.

Individual therapy is a process through which clients work one-on-one with me in a safe, caring, and confidential environment—to explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviours. We rediscover challenging or influential memories; identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change to better understand themselves and others. We work towards the client’s desired outcome.

Working with children, adolescents and adults, the sessions may continue as 1on1 meetings. Often, however, the wider perspective of our relationships, taken in the context of the family may become apparent and the counselling may evolve into a more systemic solution.

People do not have problems in isolation, as they are often created or perpetuated in the way we interact with those important to us.

Couples Therapy

When two people enter a ‘couple’ relationship they each bring their unique earlier experiences.

In the ‘honeymoon phase’, each partner is showing their best self, both working towards the success of the relationship. When they feel strongly connected with each other they manage any difficulties that come their way.

Sometimes different life transitions overshadow the relationship, for example:

• work
• children
• bereavement
• affairs
• financial issues

Each partner may resort to their individual coping strategies and lose sight of their common bond. This can cause fractures in their relationship making it harder to cope.

By focusing on solutions, it is possible to regain the strengths and communication skills that were present initially. This can strengthen the relationship and enable couples to work together again in supporting each other.

When a decision has been taken to separate, having an understanding and acceptance of each other’s roles assists each individual to move on positively. This is important for everyone. For families with children, it is essential for their future well-being as this will create a platform for cooperative co-parenting.

About Me

I am based near Headley Down, on the borders of Surrey and Hampshire. Please see my Contact page.

I hold an honours degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree specialising in Marriage and Family Therapy.

As a mature individual, I have an understanding of life’s difficulties and how they are created and often perpetuated by our own interactions.

I work from my studio in Headley Down, and am available for online sessions.

I relocated from Oxfordshire in 2020, where I had many years of experience in Independent Practice, working with individuals, couples, and families. I practiced from my offices at the Banbury Therapy Centre and in the local school system where I worked with students and family members.

My experience encompasses working with Social Services in child protection cases. In the corporate sector, I have provided services to employees under the auspices of Employee Assistance Programmes.

Additionally, I have experience working in a USA youth counseling service and in the School system, reflecting a diverse socioeconomic community.

As a UKCP accredited Systemic and Family Therapist, a registered BACP member, and fully endorsed by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), formally known as Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), I have the credentials and depth of specialist training necessary to work with you.

My Approach

Therapy sessions typically last for 50 minutes and repeat on a weekly basis or at intervals by agreement with the client. Our conversations are confidential, so clients can speak freely about their thoughts, feelings and concerns.

The initial sessions are for information gathering but can enable clients to begin to make small changes and inspire hope.

It is my belief that people do not have problems in isolation but that those develop in the context of their interactions and relationships with others. This can be family members, friends, partners or colleagues as well as outside agencies. Often people get into ways of interacting with each other that are not helpful. It can be difficult to recognise this from the inside.

As a non-judgemental objective listener, I may challenge a client’s thinking. Even the smallest shift in thinking can enable clients to see different solutions that would work for them.

I work with a variety of modalities including Structural, Strategic, Solution Focused, Emotional Focused and Narrative Therapy. Although the focus of the therapy is to help with what is happening today it is often necessary to visit family-of-origin experiences to see how it may be influencing the here and now.

It is important that whether working with individuals, couples or families that we agree on the desired outcome from therapy at the start. These objectives will be revisited periodically and assessments made to ensure that the clients are happy with their progress.

I typically provide between 4 – 10 sessions; however, some clients require a longer period. This is entirely led by the client.