Colin Berry

Finding a therapist can feel daunting. How can you be sure that you are finding someone you can work with? Personal therapy is relational work – which means that you make your therapy with the therapist you decide to work with. A first appointment will give you a sense of how I work and then I hope you will be in a position to make an informed decision about whether to continue. When weighing up who to contact for personal therapy, there can be lots of factors to consider. Experience: I have over 20 years’ experience as a therapist. I work in the NHS and from a consulting room in Highams Park. First impressions: at a human level, you may find a therapist’s photograph helpful. Does this person look approachable? Do they appear kind? Training and models of therapy: I have trained in both the humanistic therapy traditions and the psychodynamic. My humanistic training is built on core conditions to therapeutic relating: empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard. With these core conditions of acceptance and respect, a client can gain a stronger sense of themselves as a person and can learn to flourish as a unique person. I also work with the psychodynamics of past relationships. Past relationships can be re-experienced in current relationships and it can be so useful to learn to recognize these psychodynamics in a trusting relationship with a therapist. Dream-life can provide valuable source material when working with the dynamics of past and current relationships. I have specific training and experience for working with unresolved trauma. Any decision to go for therapy is about you making time for yourself. In these austerity years, you may not find it easy to spend money on yourself through personal therapy. But such a decision is to invest in your own potential. Your personal growth and development will enrich your life in so many ways. I hope you have found this information useful. You are most welcome to contact me for an initial appointment.