Psychotherapy

Psychotherapists and Counsellors are regulated health professionals that help patients make positive changes in their lives by identifying actions and situations that cause anxiety and distress.

This is done through building inter personal relationships and bonds of trust between the therapist and patient. Once trust is established the Psychotherapy practitioner provides a framework and vocabulary to further identify situations of interpersonal activity that is not working for the patient.

The Psychotherapy practitioner also applies a range of therapeutic interventions including describing the different roles the patient and other people play in contributing to their anxiety and distress. It is believed that much is gained through this knowledge and that by arming patents with necessary tools to describe and identify the contributing factors of their anxiety and distress, they can grow emotionally and therefore approach the causes of their distress with more confidence, clarity and stability.

Much of the therapists work hinges on an ethos of respect for the clients values system and beliefs. Assisting them in recognising their own individuality and self-determination.

Awareness and assessment of social and cultural influences is at the core of the therapists mandate and Psychologists are trained not to discriminate against patients on the basis of these aspects of identity.

Counselling and Psychotherapy are applied in a wide range of situations and practitioners are trained to access individuals and groups in a case by case basis to determine what level of treatment is required. Depending on the situation these treatments range widely from on-going clinical supervision to educating patients in the development of interpersonal skills. Examination and monitoring of these applied skills are central to effective and ethical practice.

Art Therapy

Art Therapy works by accessing the imaginative and creative qualities possessed by all of humanity. One does not need any formal training in fine arts to benefit.

Utilising creative modalities like painting, drawing, sculpture or dance within a therapeutic framework individuals can improve their physical, mental and emotional well-being.

The arts therapies are a well recognised form of psychotherapy and are traditionally based on psychoanalytic or psychodynamic principles with emphasis placed on the process of creating a specific meaning to the artist rather than on the end product.

The main purpose of art therapy is to help people to resolve conflicts, manage behaviour, reduce stress, develop interpersonal skills and achieve insight.