PENELOPE THOMPSON IS A REGISTERED PSYCHOTHERAPIST IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND WITH OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN COUPLES AND INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY.
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People come to psychotherapy for a range of reasons. What connects this range is having a better understanding of ourselves, others, and our experiences to enable us to make psychotherapeutic changes and thrive.
My practice is a safe, confidential space for us to work together and do this, with the aim for you to move forward in your life.
I am experienced in working with the following issues:
01/ Anxiety
02/ Depression
03/ Low self esteem
04/ Loss of direction in life
05/ Loneliness
06/ Anger management
07/ Gender identity
08/ Life balance issues
09/ Sexual orientation
10/ Suicidality
11/ Physical and emotional abuse
12/ Relationship issues
13/ Sexuality
Sometimes people may want to talk over some problems but may not be able to pin point what the issue is. Psychotherapy is a safe, creative space to do this.
01/ Two people who are in a sexual relationship;
02/ Parent and adult child;
03/ Two friends;
04/ A person with a significant other.
Couples come to psychotherapy for advice and support.
We work with the very same issues that people come to individual psychotherapy for, with the difference of how these issues impact the relationship.
Common concerns are :
01/ Continual arguing
02/ Affairs
03/ Loss of trust
04/ Boredom
05/ Domestic violence
06/ Poor communication skills
07/ Bullying
08/ Power imbalances
09/ Money issues
Initially I did wonder if it would work as well for all my clients.
The move went smoothly and I have found it to be a very effective.
Central to psychotherapy is the quality of working relationship between the client and the psychotherapist. This is key, whether you are in the same room or online.
Some advantages with online work are that you don’t have to fight traffic or worry about finding a car park. It saves on time and money.
It also opens up psychotherapy to people with particular disabilities who are unable to get into the city centre, and to clients who either live abroad or who are working away from home.
Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people come to counselling and psychotherapy. Whilst we all experience anxiety in life, if the levels are continuously high, then you will need to take this seriously. High levels can damage your health and can affect many areas of your life – work, relationships, sexual relationships, friendships, sleeping patterns, self esteem and your physical health. Serious levels of anxiety show up in the form of:
01/ panic attacks
02/ phobias
03/ compulsions
04/ obsessive thinking
05/ debilitating worry
06/ avoidance of people/situations
07/ stomach ulcers
08/ eating disorders
09/ drug and alcohol issues
Relationships require work and are bound to face challenges large and small.
Simple, everyday stressors can strain an intimate relationship, and major sources of stress may threaten the stability of the relationship.
As long as each partner is willing to address the issue at hand and participate in developing a solution, most relationship problems are manageable, but when challenges are left unaddressed, tension mounts, poor habits develop, and the health and longevity of the relationship are in jeopardy.
One in seven of us in New Zealand will suffer from depression at some point in our lives. Most often, if it is not treated, it will return.
Depression is very serious in the way it affects the sufferer and their friends and family. The symptoms affect the way we think about ourselves, how we feel and how we behave. There are different kinds and degrees of depression.
All depression can be worked with and either cured or decreased and managed significantly. Where it is chronic, psychotherapy and/or medication will likely need to be long in duration.
Depression is a serious illness with biological, psychological and social aspects that affect its cause and symptoms.
These aspects are also involved in its treatment. For this reason it is important to get professional help so that it does not return or get worse.
Anger is a common emotion meant to:
01/ Protect us from harm
02/ Help us get our needs met
03/ Prevent us from sinking into despair.
It is normal to experience anger. Sometimes anger is the appropriate response to the behaviour or thoughts of others or ourselves. Managed correctly, and kept in check, anger is an important ally for a healthy adult. However anger may arise but not be due to the present situation, but because the present situation reminds us unconsciously of a past experience. When this happens it can be risky, it can alienate others from us and can be very dangerous. Anger can become an habitual defence against feeling sadness or fear.
Aggression and violence are terms that are often used interchangeably; however, there are some distinctions between them that should be noted:
01/ Violence is defined as a form of physical assault with intent to injure another person or destroy the property of others. The causes that lead to violence or why some individuals “value” violence may be related to social status, personal issues, or may be caused by institutional forces. Violence is found in many areas of life including the workplace, home, sports performances, and general public areas.
02/ Aggression can be generally defined as all behaviour intended to injure another person, psychologically or physically, or destroy another person’s property.
If you or someone you love is being abused or has been abused.
Psychotherapy is a safe space to begin to heal and empower yourself. Fear is often a dominating factor and there is often understandable difficulty in learning to trust people again.
Clients may suffer from flashbacks and nightmares, some times leading to post traumatic stress and exhaustion.
Everyone is unique and has unique experiences.
The most important thing I do is to listen to you and your experience and from this we then build a way to work together.
Sadness is the most painful of our feelings. It slows us down which encourages us to ask important questions about what we have lost.
This requires our strength and in return develops our strength. Our grief enriches our memories of our loss and helps us be clear of what we value in life.
Knowing the experience of sadness engenders empathy and so helps create the precious bonds we form when we reach out to others or are reached ourselves.
If you or a loved one is struggling with loss and grief and would like to talk, make an appointment by phone, text or email.
Self-esteem is the degree to which we feel confident, consider ourselves valuable, and respect ourselves, and this greatly affects our well-being.
Self-esteem exists on a continuum, from high to low.
Low self-esteem is associated with self-doubt, self-criticism, social isolation, suppressed anger and shame.
Low self-esteem is also a symptom of several mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.
Best for: Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy
Service : Individual and Couple Therapy
“Nell Thompson is a UK-trained, licensed Psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience. She is also a registered member of the Psychotherapy Board of Aotearoa New Zealand.
She offers a range of therapies for individuals, couples and groups. As one of the best Psychotherapists in Auckland, she integrates aspects fo humanist therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and psychodynamic therapy".
www.topreviews.co.nz 2020
Who uses psychotherapy?
Different people use psychotherapy for a range of different goals/reasons. Some people come to get a clearer understanding of their personalities and how these are affecting their lives; some come because they are experiencing clear distress; whilst others come without quite clearly knowing why but knowing they need a space to reflect and have a trained professional to listen.Some have psychotherapy not because of any overt problems in their lives but for one on one personal development.
What is the difference between psychotherapy and other therapies?
There are significant differences between the three, but there is also considerable overlap.
A Psychiatrist has training in medicine and mental health. Unless a psychiatrist has taken further training as a psychotherapist, psychiatry is not a ‘talking therapy’ but rather works through prescribing appropriate medications for mental health issues.
Psychology began with the study of human and animal perception. Psychology can be applied in many different ways. Academic psychology includes research in the study of the physiology of sensation and perception; social psychology; personality psychology. This research can be applied clinically and used by clinical psychologists, or psychologists who go on to train as psychotherapists.
As clinical research grew, it became strongly influenced by psychoanalysis which places a large emphasis on unconscious functioning.
The various forms of clinical treatment that emerged in the mid-C20 through association with, and reactions against, psychoanalysis, resulted in what is now collectively called psychotherapy. As clinical research grew, it became strongly influenced by psychoanalysis which places a large emphasis on unconscious functioning. The various forms of clinical treatment that emerged in the mid-C20 through association with, and reactions against, psychoanalysis, resulted in what is now collectively called psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy helps people work with and/or change stress levels, emotional problems, negative behaviour and thoughts. These ‘talking therapies’ include – psychodynamic therapies, cognitive behavioral therapies, psychoanalytic therapies.People who work in the above fields have had in-depth training and must be registered to practice clinically.
Professional psychotherapists have had long term psychotherapy of their own to help ensure that they can run a safe, professional practice.
Nell Thompson has had over 15 years experience working with individual and groups and has experience working with a range of issues with clients.
Does psychotherapy work?
Yes.
Is Psychotherapy confidential?
Yes Psychotherapy is a confidential, safe space.
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