Denise Lyall

Psychotherapy and EMDR therapy

For adult individuals and couples

What does Psychotherapy and EMDR involve?

My trainings are founded on psychodynamic and psychoanalytic concepts, which means that I believe our early life experiences and relationships have a profound influence on our capacity to build and maintain relationships in later life. It can also impact on our ability to endure different or difficult life events and changes that inevitably unfold.

Psychotherapy of this kind helps to resolve personal suffering through compassionate, close exploration and understanding of ourselves and how we interact with the world around us.

My clients often come because of behaviours, thoughts and feelings that are negatively affecting their everyday life; they may be unaware of the root cause of them.  By shining a light on the past as well as the present, we can begin to discover and recognise how old patterns of beliefs influence our present-day perspectives and situations. Increasing self-awareness in this way can encourage a process of personal insight, growth and change. This process provides an opportunity to experience and manage life in more fulfilling ways.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is one of the most significant, and innovative, expansions in the treatment of psychological developmental and emotional trauma related conditions. It complements psychodynamic theory very well and, when used appropriately, can deliver results more quickly than psychotherapy alone.

This transformative approach enables overwhelming emotional responses to a traumatic experience to be processed efficiently, and changes them into more ordinary memories, with more ordinary emotional reactions.

Examples of single event trauma experiences include: a motor accident, mugging, domestic abuse, sexual assault, rape, spiked drink, difficult childbirth, shocking medical experiences and diagnosis, loss including bereavement, stillbirth, miscarriage, abortion, separation and divorce.

When a person has been subjected to ongoing trauma, as in child abuse/neglect or domestic intimidation or violence, it could give rise to complex trauma. 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or Complex PTSD may be diagnosed after ongoing traumatic events - usually when distressing symptoms have been ongoing for longer than one month. Delayed onset PTSD or complex PTSD is also possible.

My clients may choose Psychotherapy or EMDR, or it may be appropriate to intersperse psychotherapy with EMDR sessions.  This can be discussed at any time.

In my view, it is the unique qualities of the counselling relationship that is critical for new awareness and change to occur in a safe and useful way. I therefore encourage a relationship with my clients based on mutual commitment, respect and trust. I offer an open-ended number of appointments which allows you to decide the content and pace of our time together.

It also requires a commitment from clients to engage in regular meetings over a period of time. This can be weeks, months or years depending on the focus and depth of insight sought. Where possible the end point is agreed in advance and worked towards together.

Particular needs and expectations are discussed fully at the first session and are reviewed regularly thereafter.