Ongoing training and regular clinical supervision ensures that we stay abreast of neuroscientific research and recent developments in the efficacy of psychotherapy.
Jill Henry
What drew me to work as a therapist?
I had an ill defined yearning to work in counselling and psychotherapy from the time I left school but for various reasons I was sidetracked by working in adult education and publishing. It took personal sorrow to motivate me to turn to what I'd always wanted to do: study counselling. It was during my post basic training that I became passionate about psychotherapy and could see the significant changes and growth of internal resilience in clients who stuck at regular psychotherapy.
Steps along the way
Being able to learn the theory and practice of working with clients on a long term basis through a community counselling service was life changing, and fuelled my desire to work with clients at a deeper level rather than just providing tools for changing negative thought patterns. As a requirement of practising psychodynamic therapy I was expected to do my own therapy. As this was so powerful I felt I wanted to help others to benefit from such an experience.
How I used what I had learned to help others
The lightness, sense of freedom, and self-acceptance I gained from therapy helps me to provide a professional, non-judgemental environment for people to be able to express their thoughts and feelings, and so to choose and try a different way of being.
My approach and why I believe it is effective in helping people change
I believe that often people want help with more than just changing the superficial things in their lives. Therefore I try to offer my clients a different experience of a therapeutic relationship that gives them the opportunity to explore not only what doesn't work for them, but to get to know themselves at a deeper level.
Thus I work as a psychodynamic psychotherapist with a relational or interpersonal focus both in short term and long term therapy.
What is particular about psychodynamic psychotherapy
In working psychodynamically I try and help my clients become aware of their unconscious thoughts and feelings as well as those that are conscious. I focus on helping people think about what they are feeling rather than being swamped by their feelings.
What I do to nurture myself in my spare time
I get much pleasure from reading and learning new things, and particularly about success in psychotherapy. This comes mostly from non-fiction although I retain a deep love of literature. Listening to music of one sort or another is a passion, and walking or gardening in the bush is a more recent love of mine. All this is heightened by mindfulness practice.
Registered Clinical Member of Counsellor and Psychotherapist Association of NSW (CAPA)
Registered Member of Psychotherapist and Counselling Federation of Australia. (PACFA)
PACFA Accredited Supervisor Registration No. 20422
