WISDOM THERAPY
THIS STYLE OF THERAPY WOULD BEST
PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE NAVIGATING:
- Depression, anxiety & grief
- Challenges with interpersonal relationships, communication & intimacy
- Feelings of disconnection &/or meaninglessness
- Existential or spiritual experiences, crisis or awakening
- Challenges related to being an empath or a highly sensitive person
- Struggles with identity & authenticity
- Challenges with confidence, insecurity & expression
Foundations of this style of therapy..
Human Centred
My philosophy aligns with that of a “Human Centred Approach”. From this vantage point a therapist see’s their client with unconditional positive regard & seeks to dissolve the clinical approach that places the therapist as “teacher” & the client as “student”. This allows for therapy to return to something very real: a human to human interaction where both the client & therapist leave an imprint on one another's lives. This dynamic is anchored in a high level of therapist-to-client attunement, presence & true connection. Additionally, the Human Centred Approach is coloured by the understanding that change takes place naturally when the correct conditions are provided. From this place, a therapist seeks to create a safe container with the correct tools & support, placing the client at the centre of their own life & decision making, whilst offering non directive support designed to empower the client to connect with their own inner knowing.
Transpersonal
Transpersonal therapy offers a philosophical & spiritually grounded conceptualisation of existence, mental health & healing. This approach encompasses a specialised set of tools called upon only as per relevant to the individual client. Transpersonal therapy observes altered states immersion, dream work, symbolism & archetypes as access points for inward contemplation & conveyors of intuitive knowledge. Tending to questions like “What is the meaning of life” & “What is the purpose of suffering?” whilst simultaneously offering integration & guidance through the less explored realms of human experience such as the concept of death, spiritual experiences or awakenings, changes in or loss of faith or belief, plant medicines & psychedelic experiences, loss of identity or ego death & existential crisis. Regardless of faith or spirituality, Transpersonal Therapy offers a useful lens to those who have a strong relationship to personal & moral growth, those particularly concerned with life’s perplexities such as life’s meaning, the nature of reality, the aspect of the “self”, those working with energy or intention & anything which sits outside of our every day experiences. Alongside this, where useful, it encourages the exploration of life’s trials & troubles as not merely symptoms or inconveniences which need to be removed in order to return to our life as it was before, but as experiences integral to the process of becoming, offering initiation into new levels of awareness & self.
Somatic Based
Our central nervous system plays a role in all human functioning & capacities from learning, motivation, creativity & pleasure to mental health, relationships & even physical health. A healthy nervous system is one that allows us to bounce back quickly from a stressful experience & return to healthy functioning in these areas. However, sometimes we endure an experience that outweighs our nervous systems ability to process it in real time, causing the “shock” of the experience to lie dormant in our nervous system, taking up space that would otherwise be used for day to day functioning. We may recognise such compromised capacity by low tolerance to stressors such as: a short fuse for anger & conflict (fight), feeling stuck, stagnant, uncertain or numb (freeze), chronic overwhelm, business or anxiety (flight) or chronic people pleasing (fawn). Simultaneously we may find ourselves employing food, substance, screens or relationships as an attempt to regulate our nervous system from the outside-in. I employ Somatic Therapy as an inside-out approach to nervous system regulation, facilitating connection between the mind, body, brain & behaviour. By orienting our attention to the body felt sensations beneath our emotions, behaviours or recollections of a painful event, Somatic Therapy transcends the limitations of traditional talk-based therapy & allows for physiological processing of the energy which drives nervous-system dysregulation. This allows for the nervous system to return to a state of regulation, resilience & harmony.
Trauma Informed
Trauma can be defined as any experience which outweighs our ability to process it at the time. In other words, whether something registers as trauma or not depends on the individuals personal capacity to process it. To understand trauma is to recognise that if we delve into trauma work with the same coping mechanisms we had at its onset, we risk overwhelming our systems ability to process it & risk further engraining the trauma. For this reason I work under a Trauma Informed Framework which prioritises harm reduction by seeking to increase a clients’ sense of physical & emotional safety before working to gently process past experiences in accordance with what is tolerable at the time. Trauma Informed Therapy aims to thoroughly acknowledge the impairment that trauma has had on ones life, supporting the individual to make sense of their stories. Embracing a message of hope & optimism, Trauma Informed Therapy upholds a container of utmost care, respect & sensitivity to the clients unique process.
Attachment Theory Informed
Relationships, romantic or other, are one of the most fundamental & rewarding aspects of our lives, yet as we’re all aware, they hold the potential to be a source of so much of life’s pain & confusion. Despite how integral relationships are to our wellbeing, we invest such little energy, if any, into learning how to navigate them in constructive & healthy way. We may find ourselves in dynamics which feel imbalanced, with our needs being frequently unmet. This can sometimes feel as though we are at the mercy of others’ ability to love us, leaving us feeling disappointed & powerless. Other times we may have such a strong sense of self reliance that we miss out on the depths & support relationships can bring. We may feel overwhelmed by the love or the needs of others or find that our romantic interest in others wanes quickly. Or perhaps we feel a conflicting & confusing mix of both where we avoid relationships & closeness, despite longing for this deep down. Attachment Theory offers us the most advanced conceptualisation of connection & relating. Foundational to transforming how we relate to others, Attachment Theory helps us to understand the way our first relationships, the one to our caregiver(s), imprinted our beliefs, behaviours, fears & patterning within our adult relationships. Whilst supporting the healing & integration of these parts of self, Attachment Theory provides a map for the healthy navigation of this sometimes mysterious & confusing aspect of life. I believe that with the correct tools, attention & understanding we can begin to utilise the transformative effect relationships can have on our healing & transform conflict into opportunities for deepening intimacy & growth.