A Bespoke Approach
Learning to live well is like trying to master an art form. We’re all in process, each and every single one of us, each and every day. I have been professionally trained and come equipped with qualifications, professional knowledge, skill sets, a commitment to engaging with psychotherapy research, clinical experience, resources and a personal life history. Your own knowledge, skills, resources and life experiences are also great assets to your work with me. I look to pool all of this together, so it can be combined in a way that assists you to achieve your desired outcomes.
I draw on concepts from a range of theoretical orientations including Choice Theory Reality Therapy, Person Centred Therapy, Logotherapy, Existential Psychotherapy and Narrative Therapy. I have also completed extra certificates in bereavement (specialising in bereavement through suicide), child play therapy and adolescent therapy as well as mindfulness training. For couple therapy, I integrate a whole range of theories including but not limited to, Choice Theory and the Gottman Method.
Pluralistic therapy, which as the derivative of the word suggests means ‘more than one’, appreciates that there are potentially numerous ways of solving a problem and working well in therapy. Research tells us that people stay more engaged with therapy when they get what they want from it, moreover what we want and need from therapy is likely to change over time. Being attuned to these changes (and adapting to them) is productive.
This approach to doing therapy is characterised by a high degree of respect, flexibility, collaboration, explicit communication and feedback rather than rigidly prescribing just one approach, hoping that it fits. Some people have very strong ideas about how they want to work, others have no clue at all. Both places are excellent starting points because this is your therapy your way and we’ll combine ideas and resources to map out the route that is best for you.
We’ll keep working together to tailor make a course of treatment that gives you what you want, when you want it.
The type of counselling offered at Compass Counselling & Psychotherapy is based on an approach that my colleagues and I have been developing for several years. This way of working emphasises that there are many different ways in which people can overcome their problems in living, and that counselling is most helpful when the therapists is flexible, and works with the person to identify activities that really fit with what they need. I have trained Lizzie Lumsden to use this approach, and I can confirm that she implements it in a caring, resourceful and imaginative manner
John McLeod
Professor of Counselling, IICP Dublin
Professor of Psychology, University of Oslo
Author of ‘Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy’ (Sage, 2011) and books and articles on many aspects of therapy practice and research.
Stages of therapy
Once you’ve made contact with me by phone or email:
Stage One:
A warm and relaxed face to face introduction; the start of our collaborative relationship. It starts with me trying to understand your story and identify your strengths and resources, whilst agreeing upon a set of therapeutic goals. It may not be clear at this point how many sessions you need but you can usually get a sense of how suited you are to my style of working after a few sessions; the length of time it usually takes for any therapeutic relationship to develop.Stage Two:
Establishment of a collaborative case formulation and a plan of work. Getting clarity on the way forward can be inherently therapeutic as there is a sense of relief with having direction. We’ll discuss your preferences for different techniques.
Stage Three:
Doing the pre-agreed activities; practical plans of action that aim to fulfil your goals, continually monitoring progress as we go along.
Stage Four:
Continually talking about our work together and deciding on the length and depth of work required. How far you want to take therapy is entirely your decision; I can only take you as far as you are willing to go. Some people start by wanting a few sessions and then end up staying longer term when they identify more goals once they’ve got going, other people enter with a very specific issue and end once they have achieved that single goal. However long you decide you want therapy for, it is advisable to bring the therapy to an end in a timely, planned manner. This way, we can review and consolidate your progress, anticipate and prevent relapse.
Standard sessions last for 50 minutes; the initial intake session sometimes extends beyond the hour.
Issues I work with include (but not limited to)
General life coping, relationship issues, trauma, abuse, bereavement, self-harm, addiction, eating problems, impulse control issues, stress, suicidality, self-harm, bullying, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, overwhelm, loss of meaning, hopelessness, lack of motivation, confusion, identity crises, sexuality, spirituality, emotion regulation and mood swings, coping with life transition and other problems with living.
I work with adults, teens and couples.
It’s my privilege to embark on this personal journey with you; a process of self-knowledge, recovery and empowerment.
Fee Structure
I offer a sliding scale. Student rates, pensioners and social service card holders can avail of reduced rates.
To avoid cancellation fees, a minimum of 48 hours’ notice is required.