When studying for my first degree (BA Philosophy) I grew interested in the works of the existential philosophers and writers. I read widely in the existential literature and found the ideas stimulating and relevant to many experiences and situations in life. When I decided to become a psychotherapist I trained at a school specialising in the existential approach. I gained an MA in Existential Psychotherapy; my training was a process of self-discovery and I was able to explore the field further.
As a psychotherapist I draw upon my existential training and on the phenomenological method, which allows my clients and I to gain an understanding of their way of ‘being-in-the-world’. I also draw upon ideas from other disciplines within psychotherapy, and complement my practice with insights from these approaches.
The existential approach is a holistic approach, which takes into consideration all aspects of a person’s life:
My interest in eating disorders arises from my own experience of ‘emotional’ eating. It took me many years of self-exploration to reach a place where I now feel content within my own body and I am able to enjoy food without feeling any shame or guilt.
I know how painful a bad relationship with food and one’s body image can be and I like helping others to get out of this circle of pain. An unsatisfactory / anxious relationship with food, and an unhappy experience of our own bodies, are complex issues, which can be untangled by looking at our whole experience of ‘being-in-the-world’ as a person.
Following my training, I have attended and continue to attend many other short courses, e.g. working with trauma, abuse, anxiety disorders, substance addiction, eating disorders, depression, psychotic states, postnatal depression, gay & lesbian issues, personality disorders.