Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling


Question YOURSELF. Question Your LIFE. Question Your POSSIBILITIES.


My method of practice is based on the existential tradition, which takes a philosophical approach to psychotherapy and counselling. Existential therapy aims to clarify your understanding of yourself and your life circumstances, assisting you through specific life struggles to become better at handling difficult relationships and situations. Together, we explore what matters most deeply to you and address the most problematic aspects of your life.

One of the objectives is for you to be honest with yourself and in tune with both your limitations and possibilities. By focusing on what personally concerns you the most, we aim to bring YOUR LIFE BACK into harmony WITH YOUR ASPIRATIONS so that you can fully live your life. This involves understanding where you are now before establishing where you want to go and how you might get there.

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My work differs from mainstream psychology. It doesn't involve working from a medical model where clients are encouraged to temporarily block symptoms or intellectually reframe their understanding of a problem.

ADULTS come to me seeking depth, wanting to delve into understanding their struggles, examining the complexity and contradictions of human nature, exploring the defences they've put up to survive, and uncovering hidden forces operating unconsciously beneath their choices.

CHILDREN/TEENAGERS seek a space to be heard and to understand what is going on around them and within themselves. They commit to psychotherapy to chat on a therapeutic level without complicated jargon, aiming to understand themselves and make positive changes with friendly therapeutic tools.

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TREATMENT PLAN

Existential therapy doesn't provide a 'one-size-fits-all' treatment plan but accompanies you through your journey of understanding, offering support and gentle guidance. It might include exploring areas such as:


Mapping your worldview ~

Understanding your attitudes, expectations, and assumptions to identify and address behaviours/strategies limiting your ability to lead a fulfilling life.

The concept of choice and change ~

Taking ownership of choices, recognizing your contribution to situations, and understanding how 'authentic' living requires healthy risks.

Exploring the four worlds of human existence: ~

The four worlds of human existence tends to help orientate your position in the world. They prompt reflection on potentially unsolvable dilemmas and paradoxes that may evoke anxiety throughout your life. For example;

The Physical World ~ It's about how we relate to our environment/our mortality, prompting us to ask, “How can I live my life fully knowing I may die at any moment?”

The Social World ~ It's about how we relate to others and the culture to which we belong, prompting us to ask, “What's the purpose for me being in a world with others?”

The Personal World ~ It's about how we relate to ourselves, including our imagination, and how we see our past and future, prompting us to ask, “How can I be me?”

The Spiritual World ~ It's about how we relate to the unknown, our personal value system, and our vision for an ideal world, prompting us to ask, “How could I live?”

As your therapist I’ll be listening for which world, or worlds, has prominence or has been neglected by you unconsciously or consciously.



TO LEARN MORE:

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There is a one-hour mini online course - ‘HOW to make the most out of therapy’-, that is highly recommended before starting and something you may want to consider.

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Below is a picture of the practice where it all takes place. Any virtual sessions are conducted from here too.


Lydia Sterry's counselling and psychotherapy office

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