Judy Lewis
Psychodynamic Counsellor
I specialise in:
About me
I first moved to France from the UK in early 2000s and despite the short distance between these nations, it felt like quite a culture shock. Now a dual national living between France and the UK for over 20 years, I have first-hand understanding of some of the challenges of integrating into a different language and culture and how this can impact on identity, sense of self, and belonging.
I first trained as a Registered Nurse and this work has given me a deep appreciation of the way mind and body are connected. Our embodied experience of the world from infancy, into childhood and extending throughout adulthood is unconsciously registered in mind and body across the life span. Being able to reflect upon and give importance to our physical experience of being in the world can help to feel coherent and whole. As a nurse, I have worked extensively with women negotiating the challenges of fertility, early pregnancy and menopause.
Throughout my nursing career, I was always interested in the way people made sense of their experience of themselves and this lead me into a counselling and psychotherapy Master’s degree. Alongside a rigorous theoretical exploration and understanding of the multiple factors which influence how the mind develops and adapts across the lifespan, I worked in clinical practice with adults of all ages and diverse cultural backgrounds. Anxiety and/or depression is often a starting point which leads people to seek therapy but the context is always uniquely individual. I have worked with students and young adults negotiating their identity, independence, and relationships through to older adults adapting to the challenges of illness, changing bodies, and ageing. Change and transition can have a strong and destabilising impact on our sense of ourselves - by exploring and making some sense of what is going on, equilibrium and capacity to cope can be re-established.
With my long professional and personal experience (including of therapy itself) I have good resources and sound perspectives to help you to think about the issues which bring you to therapy.
I speak:
Location:
Approach
A psychodynamic approach is described as relational. From our first beginnings we are embedded in relationships and these are fundamental in how our sense of self develops. All our relationships are shaped and influenced by the dynamics of early family structures and, as adults, these may unconsciously continue to play out even though they no longer serve us well.
By paying close attention to your thoughts and feelings, how you make sense of yourself and what is important to you, I will listen out for and bring to your attention unhelpful and unconscious dynamics. This deepened understanding of your inner world and subjective experience, allows us to start to unpick the knots and tangles which may be holding you back and keeping you locked in unhelpful ways of thinking and being.
Within our relationship, my role is not to make judgement or give advice. Rather, through a deep empathic understanding of the different strands of your experience, you will feel able to initiate the changes and shifts which are right for you and will allow you to move forward positively and meaningfully. I may stimulate and provoke your thinking by offering alternative perspectives - and sometimes this can involve painful realisations - but I am here to support you through the process.
Your commitment to therapy is ultimately a commitment to yourself. It is an opportunity to give the attention to yourself and your wellbeing that you deserve - regular weekly work together is one reflection of this commitment. That said, I have a strong sense of shared humanity and working with warmth and humour where possible is central to my approach.
