PORT ELIZABETH PSYCHOLOGIST

INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY

THERAPEUTIC APPROACH

I use an integrative approach to therapy. Integrative therapy is a form of psychotherapy that combines different therapeutic tools and approaches to fit the needs of each individual client. Within the integrative approach, I utilise the following:

Humanistic Approach

This approach emphasises each individual’s personal worth and the creative, active nature of human beings. It is an optimistic approach in that it focuses on the human capacity to overcome hardship, pain and despair.

Person-centred Approach

This is where therapy moves away from the idea that the therapist is the expert and rather towards trusting the innate tendency and ability of human beings to fulfil their own personal life goals. It also includes being open to experience, being trusting and trustworthy, being curious about the world, and being creative and compassionate.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a psycho-social (looks at individuals in the context of the way in which psychological factors and the surrounding social environment can affect physical and mental wellness) intervention that aims to improve mental health. This approach focuses on challenging and changing unhelpful cognitive distortions (irrational thought patterns) and behaviours, improving emotional regulation, and developing personal coping strategies targeted at solving current problems.

Transactional Analysis

Very basically, TA is about identifying which ego states (a set of related behaviours, thoughts and feelings) are present in your transactions (an interaction between two or more people) so that you can become more conscious of your thoughts and behaviours, and ultimately have better, more constructive transactions with the people closest to you. Autonomy is the focus of treatment and when the clients have achieved this they also have the power to make new decisions that are unlike the choices they were making before.

AREAS OF FOCUS

Below you will see a list of some of the areas in which I work. It is not an exhaustive list (each person is an individual after all) and it is also important not to become limited by “labels”. What is most important is what people are generally working towards – health and well-being, finding a way to understand and care about themselves, setting boundaries, and finding healthy ways to get their needs met so that they can move forward in their lives.

  • Aspergers / High Functioning ASD (HFASD)
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Death and Bereavement
  • Trauma
  • Abuse
  • Self-Esteem
  • Confidence
  • Anger
  • Emotional Regulation
  • Coping Skills
  • Social Skills​
  • Healthy choices
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Wellness
  • Emotional health and well-being
  • Parenting

CHILD & ADOLESCENT COUNSELLING

For younger children and pre-teens, there may be a variety of difficulties they are experiencing that they struggle to put into words or to communicate effectively to the adults in their lives. Therapy is aimed at developing emotional awareness, coping skills, and effective communication skills.

For adolescents, often both the teen and the parents feel overwhelmed during the period of adolescence. It is the time of a teenager beginning to individuate, to become their own person separate from parents and this can sometimes cause uncomfortable feelings or strained relationships. Further, teenagers may be dealing with social, emotional and/or academic difficulties which they may find hard to confide in parents or close family about. Therapy is about creating a separate, personal and safe space where they can explore who they are and what they are dealing with. I aim to provide a space that fits with each individual’s personal way of being and communicating.

ADULT COUNSELLING

Generally, adults need to feel safe, secure and confident in order to deal with what life puts in their path. To feel this way may mean dealing with and resolving past hurts and traumas, or it may mean learning to cope with present struggles. There are times when they can resolve these issues on their own or with the guidance and support of close friends and loved ones. At other times, it may help to speak to a psychologist/therapist who provides the confidentiality, professional guidance and relevant experience to assist in dealing with difficulties.

I work with adults who present with a range of concerns and life difficulties, including mental and physical illness, loss and grief, unresolved childhood trauma, divorce, difficult relationships, and lifestyle changes.

PLEASE NOTE

This practice does not do:

  • Psycho-legal work i.e. court reports
  • Couples Counselling
  • Career Counselling