opening
Life in all its chaos and beauty draws us in as participant and witness. As a therapist, teacher and researcher, I am constantly moved by our capacity to navigate through pain, with each unique struggle followed by each new striving. We search the way forward, sometimes retreating, looking back, going forth, repeating again, hoping to find, desiring to be found.
How may we begin to know the ebb and flows of our mind and our inner tensions and conflicts? How do these relate to our actions in our day-to-day world? As you begin therapy, may you be encouraged; that your fears begin to soften and your curiosity takes the lead. Perhaps you may discover, explore and play with the hidden versions of yourself that are seeking to be found.
coming to know
I work primarily from a psychodynamic and interpersonal process approach. I also draw on mindfulness and mentalisation as ways of coming to know your own mind and the mind of another through thoughts, feelings and states that emerge in the interpersonal experience of therapy. My stance is relational as we work together, learning to explore your personhood. How have you shown up? How have you allowed yourself to be seen? How else, beyond these familiar (perhaps tired) ways of being, doing and relating, do you dare wish to be known and understood?
“How else, beyond these familiar (perhaps tired) ways of being, doing and relating,
do you dare wish to be known and understood? ”
Patterns of relating may be seen as forms of interpersonal learning to cope with distress, loss or early trauma. You may find yourself repeatedly performing these early life scripts as a way of seeking love and approval, even in ways that are not adaptive. Beyond seeing this as the ‘disorder’, we will work together to explore your unique struggle, recognising your striving to work through difficulty and your capacity to thrive.
the process
Although you might seek therapy for symptom relief, there is potentially more to be gained if you are willing to deepen your experience. You may begin to develop more self-awareness into how you have showed up in the world. Perhaps this very process of discovery allows you to create the desired versions of yourself that have long been hidden.
“To be myself (I note) I need the illumination of other people’s eyes, and therefore cannot be entirely sure what is my self.”
I hope you feel encouraged and perhaps a little excited to take on this new self-journey. I invite you to contact me if you want to know more and feel ready to take this step.
©️ URSULA LAU
