Psychotherapy & Counselling




"If obstacles are removed, the individual will develop into a mature, fully realised adult, just as an acorn will develop into an oak tree”
(Neurosis and Human Growth by Karen Horney)

The integrative approach to psychotherapy believes we all have an in-born drive to actualise emotional and mental health. Part of therapy is about identifying and removing the blocks that stop us from achieving our potential and becoming who we really are. Therapy is also about the opportunity to talk about sometimes very painful issues or the challenges in life that we may be struggling with, in a safe space with someone who is objective, non-judgemental, sympathetic and whom you can trust to keep what you say totally confidential. Therapy offers support, clarification and insight into what can seem confusing and difficult feelings or helps with dealing with difficult situations and life changes, bereavement and loss, such as the break up of a relationship or redundancy or unemployment.

The process of therapy enables one to make the necessary and important links between past and present experiences so that we understand why we are behaving the way we are, responding in certain ways: sometimes over-reacting, getting angry or overly-upset with those who are close, or with people at work and other situations we encounter in life. Our childhoods and the way we were treated by our parents and significant others form our core beliefs, the way we view ourselves and others, and we all carry these beliefs into adulthood, some more unconsciously than others. For instance we tend to carry around a life script such as ‘I deserve nothing’ or ‘I am not good enough’ which we may or may not be aware of, but which play out in our relationships with others and can even sabotage our relationships and careers. This life script governs the way we interpret situations and what others say to us and can also stop us reaching our full potential.

As your therapist, my aim is to enable you to gain insight into the way you behave, respond to others, why you feel and think the way you do, why you do what you do e.g. eating or drinking too much or being unable to maintain or stay in a relationship, by exploring and understanding how your past effects your present. I also aim to help you identify patterns of behaviour and life scripts that are not serving you and are not in your best interests. We can also work with the unconscious by looking at your dreams and also working with Creative Imagination exercises. My aim is also to support you and help you find solutions by finding new ways of thinking and being that will give you the inner support, strength, creative thinking and resourcefulness to lead an independent and happy life.

Sessions last 50 minutes and are held on a weekly basis unless otherwise agreed. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance and clients may rest assured that no details of their personal identity or material may be accessed or passed
on to anybody or any organisation.

©2024 Julia Pikal Counselling is powered by WebHealer :: Last Updated 21/3/2021