What is EMDR?
"It is this warm willingness on the part of the therapist to lay his/her own self temporarily aside, in order to enter into the experience of the client, which makes the relationship a completely unique one, unlike anything in the client's previous experience" - Rogers. C. 1951
Counselling and psychotherapy are forms of psychological therapy that focus on facilitating personal growth, self awareness, self acceptance and the resolution of painful emotions.
Therapy works by revising emotions, behaviours and patterns of living in the light of growing awareness, new insights, new relational experiences and altered perceptions of ones self, events and the environment.
Both counselling and psychotherapy are processes that involve two people and sometimes groups of people working together to the benefit of the client or clients in the case of a group. The therapist provides a safe and accepting container and guidance on an exploratory journey following the direction of travel chosen by the client/s.
The skills of the therapist facilitate the development of an objective and wider view of your presenting concerns, a view that, progressively becomes free from fear of judgement or criticism. The warmth and acceptance of the therapeutic frame allows you greater freedom of expression and consequently a sense of safety in which creative exploration and an enhanced depth of understanding can be achieved.
The collaborative work focuses on your needs and goals. The process addresses your feelings, thoughts and senses, behavours and intuitions in an effort to expand understanding and capitalise on your strengths, develop self awareness and promote personal growth. The process is interpersonal, educative, creative, challenging and intensely rewarding.
Through the therapeutic process, you can explore your concerns with the help of the therapist. The benefit is - the opportunity to gain understanding of problems in a supportive, non critical environment and with another person who really is focused on your needs and emotions.
It is a reflective process which facilitates a journey which ‘flows in the direction of’ healing, understanding, resolution and self development. The movement is progressive over time and is ‘in the direction of’ rather than complete achievement of ‘reorganisation of self’ because your ‘self’ has so many aspects that growth and change happens gradually and sometimes only in part. The process will include opportunities to reflect on and talk about your progress and ways in which therapy might be more helpful.
Counselling and psychotherapy are often referred to as 'change' processes. Change will happen when you explore the meanings and beliefs you derived from events in your life and nurture a shift in your perception. This has to be experienced - not learned from a text. You are therefore actively involved in the process and your therapist is your companion, support and witness to your achievement.
Importantly, as your therapist, I recognises that the starting point for your journey is your personal strength, courage, commitment and capacity to overcome the concerns or difficulties that you identify. Warmth and unconditional acceptance forms the foundation of all my therapeutic work, add to that a relationship that is professional, trustworthy and based on evidence and experience and you have a very effective helping resource.