From a psychodynamic perspective, recurring mental health struggles can be rooted in earlier childhood experiences. We develop these patterns of behavior or thought to cope with our early environment and often these patterns can follow us into adult life. These coping mechanisms can be internalized and unconsciously affect our relationships with others and our daily life. Developing insight and awareness of these patterns makes them conscious, allowing space for self-compassion, understanding, and ultimately, change.

The central aspect of the humanistic approach is being client-centered. Based on the idea that internalizing others’ criticism or judgement can affect the way you view yourself, a client-centered approach focuses on unconditional acceptance, active listening and respecting the client’s pace. From this perspective, you are an expert in your own difficulties and my role is to support the direction you wish to take in therapy, trusting that your process will lead us to what we need to work on. There is more focus on treating the person as a whole rather than a specific diagnosis.

A type of humanistic therapy, existential therapy is centered around concepts that are universally applicable to the human experience such as death, alienation, freedom and the meaning of life. In this modality, symptoms such as anxiety or depression do not necessarily imply mental illness, they are viewed as a natural part of human development. Inability to deal with existential anxiety around mortality, isolation, meaninglessness, or freedom can fuel these symptoms further. Instead of trying to change these symptoms or “fix them”, this approach aims to help the client accept these feelings. We all have the freedom to choose how to exist in life, but often this sense of agency can be lost due to various societal or relational expectations leading to internal distress. With acceptance of life’s givens (distressing as that may be), we can foster this individual agency and work towards making choices that lead to personal happiness, fulfillment and living authentically.

often a shorter-term specific approach, focused on reducing distressing symptoms and understanding the connection between thought, emotion, and behavior. Using some of these techniques can complement deeper work by helping you understand and modify any unhelpful thinking patterns.