How Does Psychotherapy Work?

Understanding the nature of psychotherapy is crucial, as it differs significantly from psychology and psychiatry, despite their shared focus on mental health. While psychiatry and psychology often adopt a medical-based approach involving diagnosis and treatment, psychotherapy centers around establishing a working relationship without diagnostic labels or prescriptive directives.

As a Humanistic and Integrative psychotherapist, my approach encompasses five branches of theory, each contributing to a holistic and tailored therapeutic process:

1. Humanistic Foundation:

   • Belief in inherent skills for personal growth.

   • Theorists: Rogers (person-centered), Perls (gestalt), Reich (body psychotherapy), and Post Reichian (body psychotherapy Groff, Lowen, Keleman, Boadella).

   • In our sessions, you can expect a humanistic working relationship where I metaphorically walk alongside you, listen, and observe. Opportunities for exploration arise when I express curiosity or when you share your perceptions of my behaviors. I also encourage regular check-ins, including an awareness of your bodily experiences.

2. Psychoanalysis and Object Relations:

   • Focus on identifying patterns and shapes in behaviors.

   • Theorists: Freud, Klein, Winnicott, Bowlby.

   • Together, we explore unconscious repetitions and examine behaviors that may need introspection.

3. Relational Therapy:

   • Incorporating intersubjective psychotherapy (Stolorow and Atwood).

   • Engaging in dialogue where I occasionally reflect your words, probing if they reveal unconscious rules developed in your past relationships. Recognizing and reevaluating these rules empowers you to make conscious choices.

4. Transpersonal Perspective:

   • Taking a larger view of your existence in the world.

   • Theorists: Jung, Frankl.

   • Holding not only your psychobiography but also the experiences of your ancestors and humanity as a whole. Exploring ancestral history and dream work are welcomed in our sessions.

5. Behavioral Branch:

   • Identifying behaviors, akin to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

   • Theorist: Skinner.

   • Implementing practical tools like the weekly check-in, where we review your activities and consider their impact. Logical analysis may be employed to explore decision-making processes.

Clients typically engage in weekly or fortnightly sessions, adapting to individual needs.

The initial session serves as a space for us to meet, either in person or on Zoom, allowing mutual understanding and exploration of your therapeutic goals. Together, we collaboratively decide on the path forward in your journey of self-discovery and healing. If you're ready to embark on this transformative process, click here for more information on initiating your therapy experience.