For me, therapy is about taking a genuine interest in my client’s life and how they experience it, being present, non-judgemental and empathic. I subscribe to the Gestalt paradox that says change comes about when we learn to be who we are and stop trying to be something else.
Every way of being has meaning and holds interest in therapy. We might sometimes focus on the content of your story or history (recent or past) but will also focus on your way of being – that is, how you think or act or make sense of and meaning in the world, how you experience and manage the world physically, what and who matters to you, what is missing from your life or how you stop yourself from being fully you. In terms of training, I am influenced by gestalt and existential theory and themes. This feels like a blend of eastern and western philosophy, often paradoxical but also challenging and grounding too.
There is no fixed model and within safe boundaries, we are free to experiment and develop the therapy sessions based on our unique experiences of them.