Psychodynamic Counselling
You may be struggling with anxiety, stress, low self-confidence, depression or difficulties in your relationships. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed, stuck or dissatisfied without being entirely sure why. Or you may be experiencing bereavement, loss, loneliness or a significant change in your life.
Sometimes we know that something isn’t working, but still find ourselves repeating the same patterns.
You don’t need to have a clearly defined problem before coming to counselling. Sometimes simply knowing that you don’t want to carry on feeling as you do is enough of a starting point.
This is a confidential space to understand yourself, the difficulties you are experiencing and the patterns that may be getting in the way.
How psychodynamic counselling can help
Psychodynamic counselling allows us to explore not only what is happening in your life now, but also the experiences and patterns that may lie beneath the surface.
Over time, we all develop characteristic ways of relating to other people, managing difficult emotions and responding when we feel uncertain, criticised, rejected or under pressure. These ways of coping may have served us well, but sometimes they can begin to get in the way.
You might find yourself repeatedly worrying about what other people think, avoiding conflict, taking too much responsibility, finding it difficult to trust or depend on others, setting impossibly high standards for yourself, or experiencing similar difficulties in different relationships.
Rather than simply asking “What should I do differently?”, counselling provides the space to become curious about why particular situations affect us as they do.
Understanding ourselves more deeply can help us recognise patterns that were previously difficult to see and create greater choice about how we respond.
When work is part of the problem
Our working lives can have a significant effect on how we feel about ourselves.
As both a Psychodynamic Counsellor and Occupational Psychologist, I have a particular interest in the relationship between our psychological lives and our experiences at work.
I work with people experiencing work-related stress, perfectionism, low confidence, redundancy and career uncertainty, as well as those dealing with difficult relationships at work or questioning whether the career or working life they have built is still right for them.
Sometimes what appears to be a problem with work raises wider questions about identity, achievement, relationships, self-worth or what really matters to us.
Counselling provides somewhere to explore those questions without pressure to arrive immediately at an answer.
A quiet place to think
Face-to-face counselling takes place in a quiet, private rural setting near Saffron Walden, Essex.
Being away from the usual demands and distractions of everyday life can provide valuable space to pause and think. The practice is within easy reach of Cambridge and London via Audley End, and I also offer counselling online.
Full location details are provided when appointments are arranged.
About me
I am a Full Member of the BPS, an HCPC-registered Occupational Psychologist and a BACP- Registered Counsellor. My background gives me a particular interest in how our earlier experiences, relationships and working lives can shape how we feel about ourselves and relate to others.
My approach is thoughtful, warm and non-judgemental. I won’t tell you what you should do or offer quick solutions. Instead, we work together to understand what you are experiencing, including patterns that may not always be immediately apparent.
Over time, developing a deeper understanding of yourself can create the possibility of different choices, more satisfying relationships and meaningful change.
Your first session
The first session is an opportunity for us to talk about what has brought you to counselling, what you would like help with and what you hope to gain from our work together.
We can also discuss how I work, the possible length of counselling and whether working together feels right for you.
Sessions and fees
Individual counselling sessions last 50 minutes.
In person: near Saffron Walden, Essex
Online: available across the UK
Fee: £120 per 50-minute session (a reduced rate is offered to students, the unemployed and under 25s).
If you are considering counselling and would like to find out more, please get in touch: susanhaigh7@icloud.com