My doctoral research into the internal and environmental determinants of psychological suffering and my psychodynamic clinical experience of working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers have given me a multifaceted understanding of mental health problems and a broad range of ways of thinking them through with patients. Having worked with victims of torture, conflict and trafficking as well as people with more commonly experienced traumas I appreciate the profound impact of the world around us, while also recognising that each individual will respond to life experiences in their own unique way.
In my work I aim to learn what makes people who they are, what past experiences have taken positions of dominance in their lives, and what patterns of being influence how they experience life and others, so I can help them reflect on what they may be overlooking and decide whether and how they want to change. I do not seek to impose any particular way of being but to assist individuals in gaining greater capacity to determine their lives for themselves. Loosening the bonds of self-criticism and judgement can take time and is facilitated in my approach by allowing for reflection on the process of the therapy itself, however it is experienced.