WHAT IS PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is first and foremost a supportive and deeply personal treatment that can help people facing a variety of issues.
The basic set-up is a once-weekly session (sometimes more frequently) established over a medium- to long-term timeframe. This can range from as brief as several months to a few years in duration. An important consideration is that it can be open-ended.
The main “instruction” in a psychodynamic therapy session is for you to say what’s really on your mind, to try to tune in to what you are experiencing in the present moment, even if it is something unexpected or difficult to talk about. It is different from bringing a prepared story and might take some getting used to as you settle into the therapy process. A typical session might involve talking about your life, your problems, your relationships, your upbringing, your fantasies and wishes; but moment-to-moment it is led by what occurs to you, what pops into your head in the here-and-now.
With this method we explore your mind and your personality and we see that certain themes tend to keep coming up, which we become familiar with and start to understand. I pay attention to the shifting dynamics affecting your relationships, including present-day difficulties in significant relationships and the relationship with me in the therapy, and how these can both be influenced by formative relationships from the past. I try to understand what may be out of your conscious awareness, in order to help you appreciate the unconscious influences on your present-day life.
CAN IT HELP?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy can help people experiencing a range of mental health and personal difficulties yet it is of most help if you are motivated to understand yourself better and are prepared to dedicate time to this. It can be challenging and painful along the way, but ultimately rewarding, as you gain relief from being able to share more of yourself with another person and start to feel more self-aware and in charge of your life. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach, however, and isn’t suited to everybody. If you are seeking more of a quick-fix or specific advice and guidance, you might find the style of therapy frustrating. There are also particular circumstances and mental health conditions where psychodynamic psychotherapy might not be appropriate, which I can advise on.
ASSESSMENT
Before any treatment arrangement is agreed an assessment is undertaken in order to establish: (a) if psychodynamic psychotherapy is likely to be helpful for you; (b) if remote online therapy is appropriate and do-able; and (c) if you feel you would like to work with me longer-term.
It is important that the assessment is carried out over a number of consecutive sessions in order for a process to develop between us and to see what happens in the time in between the appointments. With this approach we get more of a sense of what longer-term therapy would be like for you.
WORKING ONLINE
Modern technology does allow for a remarkably good human connection across geographical distance, though online therapy has its differences from in-person work. In online work, there is greater reliance on the patient to set up and maintain a setting for therapy – essentially, between the two of us and the two separate spaces occupied, we are trying to recreate the atmosphere and privacy of a consulting room.
You need to be somewhere where you will not be interrupted or overhead for the duration of the session, and seated or reclined in a way that is comfortable, so you can relax a bit. You can have as much or as little eye contact as you wish. It can also help to leave some time for yourself both before and after each session, so that there is some transition between therapy and your life outside.
TECHNOLOGY ASPECTS
It is fine to experiment a bit with set-ups until something works well and feels right, but the following pointers might help:
– Use a modern device with adequate RAM and processing power;
– Use an Ethernet cable (instead of Wi-Fi or mobile data) for a faster and more stable internet connection (a powerline adapter can be used if the broadband router is situated elsewhere);
– Minimise other broadband traffic for the duration of your session;
– Station your device on a stable surface; and
– Position any light sources in front of you as opposed to behind.
FEES
Sessions last 50 minutes. The fee for weekly psychotherapy is 70€ (or £60) per session, with invoices sent monthly by e-mail. All arranged sessions are billable unless a minimum of one week’s notice is given for absences. Assessments are run for a block of four consecutive sessions. The assessment fee is 350€ (or £300), payable ahead of the first session.
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS
I am a medical doctor by background. I trained as a psychiatrist in the UK and achieved the postgraduate qualification Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. I further specialised in psychotherapy, gaining speciality registration with the General Medical Council as a medical psychotherapist. As a psychotherapist I maintain clinical registration with the British Psychoanalytic Council.
I have 10 years of experience working as a doctor in NHS mental health settings in England and Scotland, and six years of psychoanalytic training experience with the Scottish Training in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. I have several years’ experience leading Balint groups for junior doctors, teaching and supervising both medical undergraduates and postgraduates, supervising other professionals such as psychologists, and offering psychodynamically-informed consultation to medical colleagues.
FOR OTHER PROFESSIONALS
I am able to offer psychodynamically-informed supervision and/or consultation to other professionals upon arrangement. This could be about applying a psychodynamic focus to other types of psychotherapeutic practice, or assistance with understanding the relational dynamics and unconscious processes in any healthcare work.