Approach

MY APPROACH TO COUNSELLING AND THERAPY
•••

 

Counselling and therapy – How does it work?

One size does not fit all in most things – and that applies to this work particularly. When a person engages in therapy, that person is someone from a particular family, with a particular personality, a particular background, with or without trauma, and a particular narrative about what the world is or “should” be.

Therapy tools

This is why I take what’s called an “eclectic” approach to my work. My main modality (or theory) is Transactional Analysis. I use it with tools from other modalities that will be most helpful to my clients.

For example, for some people, mindfulness is enormously helpful – others are quite resistant to it and say that they don’t want to engage in it at all. There is not only one way to help. The other modalities that I use are: EMDR, mindfulness, ACT, DBT, small figures and CBT tools.

Walking together

As I take a person-centred approach in my counselling and therapy, I never “do” things to my clients. We discuss the interventions and therapy tools, and we choose the direction that we will take together. I always respect my clients and the direction that they want to move in.

Goals of counselling

It’s important that the client is active, not passive in the process.  This is the basis of “contracting” in Transactional Analysis – I work with the client and we decide on what the goals for therapy are together.

Listening with empathy

Respect for the client and his/her process and being ethical in my work are important to me. My approach is a gentle one, and I really listen to my clients as their narrative unfolds. Really being there with the client, being attuned to his/her story and emotions is often the key to being able to do good, effective work.

If you’re having difficulties and you think talking might be helpful, then get in touch for counselling and therapy services. Val Leveson is based in Glenfield, North Shore, Auckland.

Call 0211684502