Qualifications:
Masters (MA) – Psychodynamic Counselling
Diploma – Psychodynamic Counselling
Foundation Certificate – Psychodynamic Counselling
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Psychodynamic therapy is a talking therapy that explores the connection between our past experiences and relationships and how they may have impacted and influenced us in the present. Our first session will be focused on you, your life experiences, how you’re feeling and what you want to achieve from therapy. Why is this important? Throughout our lives we all carry an unconscious backpack, this holds all of our significant life experiences. There is only so much room in this bag and sometimes when something happens in life it can feel very full, weigh us down and the contents to spill out causing anxiety and overwhelm in our lives, and relationships. My job as a therapist is to help you hold the weight of that bag, provide a space to think about what might be in it and think together about how it’s affecting you in your present life. We often find that problems in the present are affected by thoughts, feelings, memories, and experiences from our past and by understanding and recognizing these, we can begin to think about how to re-pack that bag so it’s no so difficult for you to carry.
My name is Lesley, I am an experienced psychotherapist and psychodynamic counsellor. I am passionate about helping people who are struggling with difficult feelings and emotions to understand these and themselves better, providing support to enable them to make the right changes for them to feel more in control and to begin to work towards meeting their therapy goals.
Having experienced long-term psychodynamic and person-centered therapy myself, I understand how daunting and difficult this journey is and how hard it is to take that leap of faith to contact and connect with someone when looking for help. I offer a welcoming, inclusive, safe space, free of judgement to think about and discuss whatever you would like. I believe that the therapeutic relationship between the client and therapist is the key to successful therapy and my aim is to support and encourage you throughout our work together. I have a flexible approach to therapy, understanding everyone is individual in their needs and therefore no one size fits all.
I don’t have all of the answers as everyone’s answers are completely unique to them, but I am confident that we can find them together.
Alongside my private practice, I am currently studying for a professional doctorate focusing primarily on disordered eating and difficulties in early family relationships. I’m also experienced in working with a wide range of presentations including:
· Eating disorders including issues with overeating
· Relationship issues, current and past
· Bereavement
· Loss
· Domestic violence
· Mental and emotional abuse
· Anxiety
· Depression
· Sexual trauma
· Low self-esteem
· Bullying
Working hours:
Monday – evenings
Wednesday – daytime and evenings
Email: lesleyrcounselling@gmail.com
