Do you sometimes find yourself reacting in ways you don't fully understand? Perhaps you notice recurring difficulties in your relationships, struggle with feelings of insecurity or wonder why certain experiences from your past still affect you today.
I'm Jean, an experienced counsellor offering psychodynamic counselling in Nelson and Stoke. I've been working as a counsellor since 2008 and have had my own private practice since 2012.
Psychodynamic counselling is one of the approaches I use to help people gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their emotions and the patterns that influence their lives.
My aim is to provide a safe, respectful and non-judgemental environment where we can explore your experiences together.
What is Psychodynamic Counselling?
Psychodynamic counselling explores how our past experiences, relationships and feelings can influence the way we think, feel and behave in the present.
Sometimes we develop ways of responding to situations without being fully aware of why we react as we do.
These patterns may have developed through earlier experiences, particularly during childhood, when we were learning about ourselves, other people and the world around us.
Some of these experiences contribute to our strengths and ability to cope with challenges. Others may leave us with feelings, beliefs or ways of responding that continue to create difficulties later in life.
Psychodynamic counselling aims to bring greater awareness to thoughts, feelings and patterns that may previously have been outside our conscious understanding.
Through exploring these connections, we may begin to understand ourselves more deeply and discover different ways of responding to life's challenges.
How can Psychodynamic Counselling help?
People seek counselling for many different reasons. Sometimes there's a particular difficulty they want to address, while at other times they simply notice that certain feelings or patterns keep returning.
Psychodynamic counselling may be helpful when exploring concerns such as:
- Low self-esteem and insecurity: Understanding feelings of not being good enough, self-doubt or a lack of confidence.
- Relationship difficulties: Exploring recurring conflicts, difficulties with trust or patterns that seem to repeat across relationships.
- Anxiety and emotional distress: Looking at feelings that may be connected to earlier experiences or unresolved concerns.
- Depression and low mood: Exploring emotional difficulties, sadness or a sense of being stuck.
- Grief and loss: Understanding how experiences of loss affect you and how earlier losses may influence your feelings today.
- Difficult childhood experiences: Reflecting on how your early environment and relationships may have shaped your beliefs and responses.
- Anger and strong emotions: Exploring emotional reactions that sometimes seem difficult to understand or manage.
- Personal growth and self-understanding: Wanting to understand yourself more deeply and develop greater awareness of your needs and relationships.
Not every difficulty is connected to childhood or past experiences.
In counselling, we can explore what feels relevant to you without assuming that there must be one particular explanation for what you're experiencing.
Understanding the influence of childhood experiences
Our early relationships and experiences can play an important role in shaping how we see ourselves and relate to other people.
As children, we learn ways of coping, expressing emotions and responding to the expectations of those around us.
Some of these patterns continue to serve us well as adults, while others may become less helpful as our lives and circumstances change.
For example, you may have learned to avoid conflict, put other people's needs before your own or feel responsible for keeping everyone happy.
These responses may have developed for understandable reasons, but they can sometimes create difficulties in adult relationships or affect your confidence.
Through psychodynamic counselling, we can explore how earlier experiences may be influencing your present life.
The aim isn't to blame the past or the people involved, but to develop greater understanding of yourself and the ways you've learned to respond.
Recognising recurring emotional and relationship patterns
Sometimes people find themselves experiencing similar difficulties repeatedly.
Perhaps you struggle to trust others, find it difficult to express your feelings or notice that certain situations bring up unexpectedly strong emotional reactions.
You may also recognise patterns in your relationships that seem familiar, even when you would like things to be different.
In counselling, we can take time to explore these experiences and consider what may lie beneath them.
Becoming more aware of your feelings, expectations and familiar ways of responding may help you understand why certain situations affect you so strongly.
This understanding can create opportunities to consider different ways of approaching relationships, emotions and difficult situations.
My approach to Psychodynamic Counselling
I believe that counselling should reflect each person's individual needs, circumstances and experiences.
Alongside psychodynamic counselling, I also draw on cognitive and person-centred approaches.
During our first few sessions, we can discuss what brings you to counselling and decide together which way of working may be most helpful.
When using a psychodynamic approach, we may explore experiences from your past, your emotional responses and the patterns that influence your life today.
There is no expectation that you should remember or discuss every detail of your childhood.
We can begin with the concerns that matter to you now and explore earlier experiences where they seem relevant.
My approach is respectful and non-assuming. I trust that, given space and respect, people can develop a deeper and more personal understanding of themselves.
Developing greater self-understanding
Understanding ourselves more deeply can sometimes help us recognise why certain situations, feelings or relationships have been difficult.
You may discover connections between past and present experiences, become more aware of your emotional needs or recognise strengths that you've developed along the way.
This doesn't mean that understanding something automatically makes it easy to change.
However, greater awareness can provide a starting point for considering different choices and responses.
My aim is to support you in developing insight into your experiences and finding ways of living that feel more satisfying and meaningful to you.
Psychodynamic Counselling in Nelson, Stoke and online
I offer individual counselling using psychodynamic approaches at my practices in Nelson and Stoke, welcoming clients from Richmond and the surrounding Nelson–Tasman region.
Online counselling is also available for people who prefer to attend sessions remotely.
Whether you're struggling with relationship patterns, emotional difficulties, low self-esteem or experiences from your past, you're welcome to get in touch.
Would you like to know more or make an appointment? Please feel free to contact me.
Jean
Counsellor
