I am a UK trained, experienced psychodynamic therapist. 

So, who am I?

I had 6 years of core professional counselling training (4 in individual therapy at Wessex Counselling and Psychotherapy, in Somerset and 2 in couples counselling at Tavistock Relations, in London) and 4 years of studying psychology. 

I am a member of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and I also hold the graduate level of registration with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

As well as having a private practice, I have worked in charity organisations in different locations of the South West of the country. I have worked with people from 18 years of age to many in their 70s. My clients have a diverse background of personal histories, identities and psychological difficulties. 

Among their main difficulties are often: stress/anxiety/panic attacks, phobias, low-mood/depression, family difficulties, bereavement/ loss, separation/divorce, trauma, emotional & physical abuse, low-self-esteem/ self-regard, sexuality/sexual difficulties, physical illness/disability, life transitions, a general sense of dissatisfaction and a search for meaning in life/ personal growth, work-related stress. 

At present, I offer only remote counselling sessions via video or telephone calls. I am a fluent Greek speaker.

What to expect in our sessions

I currently offer long and short-term, online or telephone therapy for adults.

The duration of therapy is something that varies between clients. We can discuss your expectations in the initial session and schedule a certain number of sessions or choose to leave your therapy open-ended and review again when necessary. 

Sessions are conducted on a once-weekly basis,  last 50 minutes and are conducted on the same day and time every week.

During the first session, I will ask for additional information about your life, present and past. This will help me to have a fuller picture of you, your circumstances and how or if I may be able to help you. If I feel that my expertise or the type of therapy I offer may not be suitable for you, I can refer you to other trusted therapists who might be available to take new clients.

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If we both feel that you may be benefited from working together, we will continue with sessions on the same day and time each week for as long as you wish to. You will be further informed about the therapeutic process and its practical aspects during the first session and have any further questions answered.

There is no ‘agenda’ or predetermined content to discuss in the subsequent sessions. We will work with whatever you bring into the session on the day. We can focus on your present difficulties and how they interfere in different areas of your life . Often, recurrent themes of difficulties emerge in sessions and then I will try to make connections with the past, explore these themes with you further and help you to think together on where they might originate.

I will generally refrain from giving any direct and practical advice. I can offer, though, a second mind trained to collaboratively explore underlying emotional issues which often are hidden in the unconscious and beyond our rational thinking. I can assist you towards a clearer observation of yourself and your experiences, which can lead to assigning a new meaning onto your experiences and initiate changes. 

The working through of unresolved issues can help not only with symptom-relief but also with acquiring a better understanding of ourselves and our past. This, consequently, can lead to longer-term changes: inside, in the way we feel and the decisions we make, and outside, in the way we relate to others.

My theoretical approach

Psychodynamic therapy draws from the psychoanalytic theory and clinical practice as developed initially from Freud and then further evolved over time by his successors to very specialised approaches such as the contemporary Neuropsychoanalysis. 

It uses the same techniques as Psychoanalysis but is less intensive in terms of the frequency of appointments (once or twice per week) and, consequently, the depth of psychical exploration. Compared to other schools of therapy, though, such as CBT, Psychodynamic therapy, usually lasts for a longer period of time and as it aims to explore the root causes of one’s emotional difficulties (often unconscious) and not just the surface symptomatic presentation of them in one’s behaviour thoughts and feelings. 

Emphasis is also given at exploring unconscious psychical material and processes. Lastly, present difficulties are explored in connection with past experiences and thus a new meaning can be assigned to the past and the similar patterns identified in one’s life. 

If you would like to seek counselling in Bristol, our team can help. At Bristol Counselling and Psychotherapy, we have a team of experienced counsellors who are ready to offer support for a wide range of mental health issues, welcoming individuals into safe and non-judgemental spaces within which to begin their journey to recovery. For more information or to book an initial consultation, please email hello@bristolcounsellingandpsychotherapy.co.uk. Alternatively, to speak to us directly, please contact 07751 271 709.