Therapy Tailored to You

Exploring your experiences, your way

Talking Therapy

I offer a pluralistic approach to counselling and psychotherapy, which means I work collaboratively with each person to find what’s most helpful for them.

Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all method, I draw from a range of therapeutic models and tailor our work to your unique needs, goals, and preferences.

This includes well-known and evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches, such as:

Person-Centred Therapy, which provides a supportive, non-judgemental space to explore your thoughts and feelings at your own pace

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) methods, which can help identify and shift unhelpful patterns in thinking and behaviour

Psychodynamic and Existential approaches, for exploring deeper aspects of your identity, past experiences, and the search for meaning

As well as elements from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Jungian psychotherapy, all where relevant.

Therapy with me is collaborative, responsive, and grounded in respect for your autonomy. You're not expected to fit into a method, instead, we shape the work to support you as a whole person.

You may not know exactly what approach you want and that’s completely okay. We’ll work together to explore what feels right for you. Some people benefit from insight and reflection, others from structure and strategy whilst many people benefit from a blend. It is also highly helpful to reflect on 'how you really feel' with your counsellor because the quality of the therapeutic relationship itself is key to a good outcome.

The Pluralistic Outlook

A pluralistic approach acknowledges that life is inherently multifaceted, and different experiences call for different responses. This outlook transcends dogmatic 'schoolism' - the rigid beliefs that one therapeutic model is superior to others.

Instead, it embraces the idea that healing and growth emerge from diverse methods. Research supports this, consistently showing that the quality of the therapeutic relationship, not the specific approach, is often the most powerful agent for change.

Pluralistic counselling honours the complexity and uniqueness of each individual’s journey.

Collaborative Process

Central to pluralistic counselling is a strong collaborative relationship between therapist and the person seeking support.

This isn’t just about the therapist selecting the ‘right’ method, but about engaging the individual in meaningful conversations about what approaches might work best.

Recent psychotherapeutic research by Mick Cooper and John McLeod, pioneers of the pluralistic approach, highlights that individuals who actively participate in decisions about their therapy often experience better outcomes. In this process, therapy becomes a co-creation, evolving as the person grows and changes.

Pluralism vs Integrative Therapy

Pluralism vs. Integrative Therapy

While integrative therapists might employ methods from multiple therapeutic schools (such as CBT, Gestalt, psychodynamic etc), pluralism is distinguished by its collaborative philosophy. A pluralistic therapist views the therapeutic process as a co-creation with the individual, tailoring the approach based on an ongoing dialogue about the person’s needs, preferences, and the effectiveness of different strategies. This reflective process ensures that therapy remains dynamic and responsive. An integrative therapist may use similar techniques, but pluralistic counselling centres the individual’s active input and the core belief that no one method is universally applicable. Pluralistic practitioners are also likely view the therapeutic alliance as central to being an agent of change. The pluralistic approach will sometimes intentionally use a purist or single modality approach, rather than a fusion or integration of different approaches, if it is jointly agreed as helpful to do so. This is a key difference between integrative and pluralistic psychotherapy and counselling.

References

Cooper, M and Dryden, W. (2016) Assessment and formulation in pluralistic counselling and psychotherapy in Cooper, M & Dryden, W. (2016) The Handbook of Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy London: Sage.