Psychodynamic Coaching
Psychodynamic Coaching is for people who want to understand themselves more deeply and explore the patterns that shape how they work, relate and lead.
It provides the space to step away from the demands of working life and think more deeply about yourself, your work and what comes next.
As we progress through our careers, the challenges we face are not always solved by acquiring another skill or technique.
We can find ourselves repeating patterns we recognise but struggle to change. Difficult relationships may recur. We may respond to pressure in ways that are unhelpful, take too much responsibility, avoid difficult conversations, strive for impossible standards or find that ways of working which once served us well no longer do.
At other times, the question is less about a problem and more about direction. You may have achieved a great deal professionally but find yourself wondering what you want from the next stage of your working life.
A different kind of coaching
Psychodynamic coaching looks beneath the immediate issue to explore some of the less obvious influences on how we think, feel, relate and behave at work.
Coaching allows us to become curious about recurring patterns, responses to pressure, relationships with others and the assumptions we may carry without necessarily being aware of them.
The purpose is not to analyse everything or dwell unnecessarily on the past. It is to develop deeper self-awareness and greater choice: understanding what may be driving a response so that you are better able to decide how you want to respond.
My approach brings together my experience as an Occupational Psychologist, Executive Coach and Psychodynamic Counsellor, alongside my research into the psychological foundations of leadership development.
Who is it for?
I work with experienced professionals, including senior professionals, partners, executives and business owners.
You might be:
- encountering the same difficulties or relationship patterns repeatedly
- managing increasing responsibility or pressure
- struggling with perfectionism, confidence or over-responsibility
- dealing with a difficult professional relationship
- moving into a more senior role
- considering a significant career change or transition
- questioning what you want from the next stage of your working life
- simply wanting to understand yourself better and develop as a person and professional.
You don’t need to be experiencing a crisis or have a specific problem. Sometimes the value lies simply in having somewhere to think properly.
Psychodynamic Coaching
We begin with a 90-minute exploratory session to understand what has brought you to coaching, your professional context and what you would like from the work.
If we decide to continue, further 90-minute sessions are arranged at intervals appropriate to you and the nature of the work.
90-minute session: £250
Organisation-funded coaching is separately contracted and priced according to the nature and scope of the work.
Psychodynamic Coaching + OPQ
For those wanting a broader exploration of their working style, coaching can also begin with the Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ).
The questionnaire provides another perspective on characteristic ways of working, relating to others and responding to demands.
Rather than treating the results as labels, we use them as a starting point for deeper exploration: considering what resonates, what doesn’t, which patterns serve you well and which may become less helpful, particularly under pressure.
This includes completion of the OPQ followed by a two-hour feedback and psychodynamic exploration session, with further coaching arranged as appropriate.
OPQ + two-hour feedback and exploration: £600
A quiet place to think
In-person sessions take place in a quiet, private rural setting near Saffron Walden, within easy reach of Cambridge and accessible from London.
Being away from the usual demands of working life can create a different kind of space for reflection. There is no requirement to walk, although sessions can include time outside when appropriate and preferred.
Psychodynamic coaching is also available online.
Getting started
If you are wondering whether psychodynamic coaching might be useful to you, please get in touch.
We can have a brief initial conversation to establish what you are looking for and whether this approach is likely to be a good fit.