Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy (or counseling) is a method aimed at working through the difficulties and experiences that occur in various areas of life. It can be considered a personal or professional growth tool or as assistance in quests for meaning, harmony or efficiency. It is based on a professional relationship between client (or patient) and therapist (or counselor).

There are a number of well-established schools and paradigms of psychotherapy. It seems that the plurality of views on what the human psyche is, as represented by the various therapeutic models, reflects the very conceptual basis of psychotherapy itself. The method I study and use is Processwork (Process Oriented Psychology). I practice individual, couples (or marriage) and group psychotherapy, in Polish and English.

Areas of therapeutic work and help

Among the issues I work on with my clients are (in random order):

• somatic symptoms, psychological aspects of chronic or recurring illnesses,
• states of low moods, resignation, depression,
• families dynamics, child-parent relationship and problems,
• abuses and traumas,
• relational difficulties, marital problems (individual and marriage psychotherapy),
• shyness, communication problems,
• addictions and tendencies towards abusing substances or rituals,
• experiencing very strong or difficult emotions, anger, mourning, loss,
• search for meaning,
• stress, difficulties with relaxation, insomnia,
• problems in professional life, issues of leadership and position,
• social conflicts and problems, issues related to minorities’ relations (sexual, ethnic, cultural) with majorities,
• areas of creativity and inventiveness,
• low self esteem, self criticism,
• dreams,
• altered and extreme states of counciousness, and other experiences.

A single psychotherapy session lasts 50 minutes and usually takes place once a week. The first meetings (one or two) are consultations, in which areas of work are defined and decisions about future cooperation made.

Psychotherapy is based on openness and freedom.

Supervision

The conduct of my psychotherapeutic practice is regularly supervised by a certified supervisor (a very experienced psychotherapist). My practice is affiliated by the Instytut Psychologii Procesu.

Privacy and confidentiality

Both the content of the sessions and the fact that a client is in therapy are confidential information. The confidentiality may be lifted only if there is significant threat to the life or health of the client or third parties, and in other situations regulated by the law.
The content of therapy is discussed with supervisors, who are also bound by confidentiality. However during supervision an effort is made not to share clients’ personally identifiable information.

Ethics

Psychotherapeutic work is based on a special relationship between client and therapist. The nature of this relationship is determined by the requirements of a particular school of psychotherapy, and professional ethics. Psychotherapy as a profession is not yet regulated by Polish law.

In my practice I obey the Code of Ethics of the Polish Association of Process Oriented Psychology Psychotherapists and Coaches (PSPiTPP), an association I am a member of. Within the Association there is an Ethics Committee and the Association itself belongs to the Polish Council of Psychotherapy (Polska Rada Psychoterapii).