about psychotherapy

existential psychotherapy

The basis of my work is existential psychotherapy. Existential psychotherapy is a talking therapy based around a deeply human conversation. It is an evidence-based, non-judgemental approach, and avoids simplistic ways of seeing your problems as an “illness” or fault inside of you. Rather, it appreciates the true richness and complexity of being human; how our emotional difficulties relate to all aspects of our lives and deaths – our pasts, present and futures.

Existential & integrative therapy is particularly well suited to certain kinds of difficulties, like:

•  anxiety – generalised, health or death anxiety
• depression, existential depression, existential crisis or mid-life crisis
• relationship problems, sexual issues, identity
• abuse & trauma
• the effects of cancer & illness
• bereavement & loss
• life transitions like redundancy, divorce, retirement
• cultural issues – identity, spirituality
• mental health diagnoses: ocd, bipolar, personality disorders etc

Existential therapy is well suited to anyone curious about themselves and their lives. People are often surprised at how seemingly unrelated mental health issues are connected to very natural, but difficult, parts of being human. Like many other therapies, that may be about helping you understand and move beyond the pains and anxieties of the past. Science tells us a lot about how our genetics and biology affect us, and our childhoods and upbringings too.

But existential therapy can look more broadly than this as well.

That may be the unique struggles you face in the present – your relationships, career or illness. Or perhaps the social and cultural parts of life that shape you – your identity, sexuality, race or gender. Or it may be the truly universal struggles of being human: how to face life and death; how to choose to live; how to find meaning in life and live the right life for you; how to love your life; how to prepare for your death.

other therapies I integrate