Theoretical orientations

Intergrative Psychotherapy

This approach represents my overall approach and integrates some of the main approaches that I mention below. Integrative Psychotherapy takes into account many views of human functioning:

- psychodynamic, client-centered, behaviorist, cognitive, family therapy, Gestalt therapy, body-psychotherapies, object relations theories, psychoanalytic self psychology, and transactional analysis approaches.  Each provides a partial explanation of behavior and is integrated with other aspects of the therapist's approach.

Psychotherapy interventions used in Integrative Psychotherapy are based on:

• developmental research and theories.
• self-protective defenses.
  
• skills of attunement, and inquiry.
  
• relationship between client and therapist is of utmost importance.

It is recognized that integration is a process to which therapists need to commit themselves. Thus, there is a focus on the personal integration of therapists. In addition to the personal growth of the therapist, there is a commitment to the pursuit of knowledge in psychotherapy and related fields. There is a particular ethical obligation on integrative psychotherapists to dialogue with colleagues of diverse orientations and to remain informed of developments in the field.

Article how therapy is transformative.

Gestalt

I was first trained as a Gestalt psychotherapist. Gestalt psychotherapy highlights self- awareness, personal responsibility, and genuine contact. Unfinished business refers to those things that linger unexpressed in our present experience. These are feelings such as resentment, rage, pain, shame and abandonment that are linked to past situations. Attention to experience in  the present moment is an important focus of therapy.

Unfinished business interferes with a person's present experience in a number of ways, such as, over-thinking, projecting their experience on to others, operating from shoulds, merging with other people's experience, and turning against themselves. These interruptions get in the way of genuine connection with others, and are the kind of personal processes that lead us to feeling alienated.

We experience the world mainly through our senses, but people use analyzing, intellectualizing, and justifying to understand their experience. Gestalt encourages an integration of emotional and cognitive functions. With greater awareness a person has greater choice and responsibility over their lives.

Psychodynamic

I have been influenced by the theory known as object-relations. This perspective takes into account:

• Transference issues between therapist and client.
• Early childhood experiences that shape adult relationships.
• Secure and insecure attachment styles.
  

Cognitive Behavioural

Identifies the relationship between our thoughts and behavior, and focuses on our thoughts as the object of change. The idea being if we can change our thinking the way we feel and react will change. I certainly believe there is some merit to this and work with people at various times on addressing the way they perceive themselves or a situation. This can be particularly evident with people struggling with depression, self-esteem, anxiety and perfectionism.

However, I tend to use this approach in conjunction with other frameworks. Especially where in depth work is required when working through trauma, grief, and unfinished business, attention to the emotional aspects of an experience and developing self-awareness are just as important.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an information processing therapy. It has been found to be helpful for people who are dealing with trauma, as a way of processing upsetting material.

EMDR is not for everyone. The therapist first has to do an assessment to make sure that the client has good coping skills to deal with the emotional distress that can arise in the process. If they need to develop these skills then therapy would initially focus on stabalization.

The process involves the client focusing on a mental picture representing the distressing memory. At the same time identifying cognition and emotions associated with the memory. As he/she gives attention to these different aspects they will be instructed to also give attention to outside stimulation in the form of eye movements, tapping or auditory sounds. This is repeated many times with the client noticing what emerges each time, until the client reports no distress associated with the memory.

I usually use this approach as part of in depth psychotherapy as a way of processing traumatic material, in addition to the other approaches outlined above. There have been a number of occassions where I have used EMDR for specific sessions on a short term basis with issues such as being afraid to drive after an accident, other specific phobias and single incident trauma.