My Approach to Helping
Psychotherapy is a very personal experience and I focus on creating a warm, safe and supportive environment. Therapy is often entered into after a difficulty has become impossible to manage on your own or if you are going through a challenging time. At this point, you often feel overwhelmed and stuck. Therapy aims to alleviate this distress by working through the problem. This means that we will talk about what has brought you to therapy and explore internal conflicts, thinking and feeling patterns, and relationship dynamics. It will also be useful to examine if certain past experiences may be influencing the problem, and if so, to bring these into present awareness, analyse them, and develop fresh insights. This process will contribute to a greater sense of agency, achievement, and help you in becoming unstuck. Our work together aims to improve your ability to move in the world more seamlessly and effectively.
I primarily draw from psychodynamic theory. This is an in-depth form of talk-therapy where you are encouraged to speak freely about anything that comes to mind, including current issues, thoughts, feelings, fears, and dreams. Although working from a psychodynamic perspective, I do include other approaches if these are required. For example, OCD responds well to CBT with exposure and response prevention.
I qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2005. I also hold a doctorate of Psychology from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (South Africa). I am licensed as a Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the Dubai Health Authority.
I have worked in private practice and as an external consultant at a number of clinics for the last 15 years.
My client base includes a broad range of nationalities and I treat a wide range of psychological difficulties. I offer therapy to adults across all ages.
I offer short-term crisis treatment, as well as medium and longer-term therapy.