Individual Dynamic Psychotherapy
Information leaflet produced for patients by Gaskell House
Individual Dynamic Psychotherapy
Information leaflet produced for patients by Gaskell House
The main form of individual psychotherapy used at Gaskell House is known as "Psychodynamic Psychotherapy". This talking treatment uses ideas about hidden ("unconscious") feelings, thoughts and wishes, and ways of protecting ourselves against these ("defences") from these if they are painful or unacceptable to us. The way we use defences can often explain our difficulties, unhappiness or even some symptoms of bodily and psychological illness. Psychodynamic psychotherapy has developed over the last 100 years from the theories of Sigmund Freud and others.
Who Can Benefit From It
This form of psychotherapy is most suitable for long standing or persistent problems and can help with a range of issues and difficulties which might include:
Past serious mental illness (e.g. Manic Depression) is not necessarily a bar to successful treatment but active serious mental illness may be and it is often better to allow other treatments to bring the illness under control before psychotherapy is considered. Psychotherapy is not a suitable treatment for all forms of mental ill health.
How Does It Work?
Individual psychotherapy works through a safe and trusting relationship between you and your therapist. It assumes that many emotional difficulties arose in your earlier relationships, for instance, with parents. Patterns of feeling, relating and behaving characteristic to you are expected to arise in the new relationship with your therapist and can be explored carefully by you both. This can lead to new understanding and change, often in the way you feel about yourself, your life and other people. This may help to make your life happier, or more satisfying.
Although you may have been asked at an assessment interview to decide on goals for change in therapy, new ones may arise out of the work with your therapist.
About Your Therapist
Your therapist may be either a member of staff at Gaskell House or a visiting therapist who works there part time. Some therapists are highly trained and experienced: some are in training and will have supervision on their work with you by a senior member of staff.
What Can You Expect In Therapy?
You can expect to meet with your therapist at a regular and agreed time and place each week. The room should be the same one each time and every effort will be made to find a convenient session time for you. Most therapies offered at Gaskell House are once weekly but occasionally more (or less) frequent sessions are agreed to suit individual needs.
You are expected to attend regularly and on time and to talk as openly and honestly as you can about yourself and your feelings, including those which directly concern your therapist. This can at first feel difficult and risky, but your problems will be helped by facing and understanding them, even if this can cause discomfort.
Your therapist may say less than you had expected, allowing you to bring your concerns and to find space and time for both of you to think about them. Your therapist will try to understand what you say and to comment on it in a helpful way. He/she will not normally give you advice, or suggest a course of action. You will not be told what to think, feel or do.
No specific preparation is needed for therapy: your assessment may already have helped you to focus on the emotional aspects of your problems.
Holidays And Absences
The therapist will give you good notice of planned breaks, and you are asked to do likewise if you plan to be away. If you have to be absent at short notice, you can leave a telephone message between 9.00am and 4.45pm at Gaskell House reception on (0161) 273-2762.
Child care
Unfortunately we do not have creche facilities at Gaskell House and so if you have a baby or small child you will have to arrange for someone to look after him/her. In this form of psychotherapy it is not usually possible to have your child in the therapy room during sessions.
Medication
The use of medication for psychological difficulties is not a bar to psychotherapy treatment, though we discourage the use of minor tranquillisers, such as valium. It is important that you do not stop any medication without discussing this with the G.P. or psychiatrist supervising it. Your therapist will not supervise your medication.
Involvement With Other Therapy Agencies
This is discouraged whilst you are in therapy at Gaskell House. Involvement with more than one therapy at the same time can interfere seriously with your treatment. If you find yourself in this position you should discuss it with your therapists.
Length Of Therapy
Therapy of this sort requires time to develop a helpful working relationship between you and your therapist, and to work through and change long standing difficulties. Your therapy may start with a "trial period" of several sessions or an agreement about the length of therapy may be made between you at the start. Commonly therapy takes between 6 and 24 months.
Ending Therapy
The end of a lengthy individual therapy may be painful but often addresses important themes: you should attend until the agreed termination date.
Confidentiality
What happens in therapy is confidential. This is essential if you and your therapist(s) are to trust each other. Your therapist will also respect confidentiality, with the proviso that he/she will discuss events from time to time with a small group of colleagues for the purpose of supervision. Your therapist, however, has a duty to inform your family doctor that you are receiving treatment at Gaskell House.
There are uncommon limited situations when the therapist must disclose therapy material elsewhere; the therapist will discuss this with you first. This may be when someone's safety is at risk, or to comply with the Children's Act.
Gaskell House Psychotherapy Center
Swinton Grove
Manchester M13 0EU
England
Tel: 0161 273 2762
Fax: 0161 273 4876
email: gmcgrath@psy.cmht.nwest.nhs.uk
This page hosted by
N.W.I.D.P.
North West Institute
of Dynamic Psychotherapy