Charles Campbell-Jones
Psychotherapy in South London
What is Psychodynamic Psychotherapy?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is an open-ended (but not never-ending), collaborative process that addresses longstanding difficulties around thoughts, feelings and actions. All of us, more or less, have an incomplete picture of why we think, feel and act the way we do – for example, one's reaction to a current situation might be inflamed by unprocessed feelings relating to past events. Psychotherapy helps "fill in the picture" to achieve a greater sense of inner coherence, and in turn a more satisfying life.
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A distinguishing aspect of psychodynamic therapy is its use of the relationship between patient and therapist as a source of information and vehicle for change. I will pay attention to what goes on between us, since it may be that that certain patterns are being repeated in the therapy. Working in this way helps the therapy come alive – insight is of limited benefit unless it resonates emotionally
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What can psychotherapy help with?
There is no sure-fire solution when it comes to dealing with the psychological difficulties that can arise in the course of a lifetime. But psychotherapy can help if you find yourself struggling to cope with any of the following states over a prolonged period:
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​Anxious or stressed
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Depressed, including feeling empty or unfulfilled
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Emotionally unstable
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Lonely
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Frequently in conflict with other people
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Troubled by intrusive thoughts or memories
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Repeatedly drawn to unsatisfying and perhaps self-destructive behaviours
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Physically afflicted without apparent medical explanation
What to expect
Contacting a therapist is a big step that can cause anxiety in itself. I can relate, having undertaken extensive personal therapy for both personal benefit and training.
The first session lasts for 50 minutes and is more like a consultation. It is a chance for me to learn more about you, and for you to decide whether to continue with me as your therapist. I will encourage you to talk about what has led you to seek therapy and what you hope to achieve from it. I will also ask some questions to help me get a better picture of your life, including relationships past and present. Equally, you should feel free to ask me any questions about therapy that come to mind.
There is no obligation to continue with therapy after the first session, and it may be preferable for us to meet together for another preliminary session before committing to a regular time together.
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Subsequent sessions, if you decide to continue, likewise last for 50 minutes and take place at the same time each week.
Does talking with a therapist work?
There is a growing body of evidence showing that psychotherapy is an effective treatment for psychological distress. Notably, psychotherapy appears to "work" even after the treatment has ended. See: The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy by Jonathan Shedler, PhD.
Evidence also indicates that the foundation of any successful therapy is a strong working alliance between the patient and therapist. Simply getting along is part of this, but equally important is the sense that we can collaborate to understand of your difficulties, even when the going gets tough. To this end, I encourage you to view psychotherapy as a reasonably long-term (but not forever) commitment: studies suggest that on average, meaningful change tends to be experienced around the six-month mark, with further improvements following from there.
Get in touch to see if psychodynamic therapy could help you.