MY PHILOSOPHY
I am a Christian, who offers counselling services online, via Zoom, in the UK. Here is a little description of my philosophy.
The minute we’re born (and even conceived), we’re on the receiving end of the world around us. This means the environment, our parents and family, culture, societal norms, rules, stress, trauma, loss, disappointments, injustice……
The child adapts accordingly and becomes the person he or she needs to be to survive in the world. In other words, we lose authenticity.
My personal belief is that God heals us back to the person He saw when He laid the foundation of the world.
I am an integrative counsellor, which means I use a variety of modalities to help each client in a unique and tailored way.
(Although I am a Christian, offering counselling online in the UK, this is NOT Biblical counselling. I will not impose my beliefs on clients, nor do clients need to be Christians)
I may use the following:
POLYVAGAL THEORY
The theory of the nervous system.
God has given us a beautiful autonomic nervous system to help us navigate daily life. Without realising, we view every experience, thought, each moment, through the lens of our nervous system.
I’m sure you’ve heard of fight, flight, freeze. When we’re regulated we may enter these states regularly, but not for long. Those who are dysregulated, however, live in the survival states long-term, which eventually will cause issues mentally and physically.
There is a mind-body-environment connection and polyvagal theory supports us in understanding this relationship. Based on past experiences, our brain communicates messages of either safety or danger to our body 24/7.
See WHAT IS THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM?
PERSON-CENTRED THEORY
You are the expert on you. The Person-Centred approach is more about ‘being’ than ‘doing’ and is dependent upon the strength of the therapeutic relationship, based on the core conditions of empathy, unconditional regard and congruence.
I love this as it is completely in alignment with what Scripture teaches. When we’re seen, heard and accepted, we internalise the experience and by default, we change – effortlessly.
During the counselling process, we may look at your self-concept. Do you honour and love yourself or are there elements of low self-esteem or inferiority?
To understand this more fully, looking at your upbringing and the behaviour of your care-givers may be necessary.
The image we present to the world isn’t who we really are resulting in a lack of authenticity.
Perhaps you only feel good enough when you’re productive, helping others or being a ‘goodist’. We call these conditions of worth.
Sometimes we may value the thoughts and opinions of others above our own without realising and become someone else’s version of who we are meant to be.
See WHY PERSON-CENTRED COUNSELLING IS CONDUCIVE FOR HEALING
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
Whenever we interact with someone else, we do so from an ego state (different parts of ourselves).
Any ‘issues’ you may have with others often stem from the ego states involved. By understanding how we interact with those around us, the scripts we unconsciously follow and the games we play, we can choose what needs to change for us to be authentically present.
Perhaps you are loving and compassionate towards others but critical and judgemental towards yourself. Or maybe you react with anger or become sulky when you don’t get your own way.
Do you ever feel inferior to certain groups of people?
CBT
Our thoughts, emotions and behaviour are in relationship with each other. All events are neutral until we assign meaning to them – and those meanings can hurt us or help us.
When we experience trauma, our view of ourselves, the world and the future changes. Perhaps you feel the world is scary and people can’t be trusted?
Or you’re your own worst enemy.
We often have faulty belief systems or core beliefs dominating us and running the show.
Thoughts can be distorted but often we don’t recognise this. We tend to believe everything that enters our heads.
Through CBT we discover our beliefs, thoughts and behaviours to reframe them if necessary.
See 12 SELF-LIMITING BELIEFS HINDERING OUR HEALING
RATES:
One-to-one online counselling session, for adults. £50
Contact: lornapenncounselling@gmail.com