Tamworth & online counselling internationaly internationally

Integrative Therapy

Integrative counselling draws on techniques from different types of therapy to tailor an approach specifically for you

If you would like to speak to a female counsellor, I do refer clients to a dedicated female specialist. Her name is Dionne, and she works from Malvern but also provides online sessions.

An integrative counsellor believes there isn’t just one therapeutic approach that can help a client

An integrative psychotherapist believes there isn’t just one therapeutic approach that can help a client in all situations. Instead, they take into account you as an individual and your circumstances, and use elements of different approaches to help you explore and cope with your problems (BACP, 2024)

From my experience, every client is unique, so one form of therapy may work for some but not for others.

What does an integrative counsellor do?

The integrative approach may include elements of person-centred therapy. This focuses on you rather than the counsellor being the expert on yourself and aims to help you reach your full potential. Your therapist will help you achieve that by accepting and valuing you, being honest and transparent with you and offering you unconditional positive regard.

Your therapist may draw on psychodynamic therapy. This involves helping you to bring your subconscious - what is just below the surface of your awareness - into your conscious mind. It helps you become more aware of what’s in your subconscious, such as difficult memories and experiences, so you can understand how these deep-rooted feelings impact on you in the present and how you can learn to cope with them.

The therapist might bring in elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This looks at your thoughts, feelings and behaviours and helps you to change some of these where they are unhelpful, using a variety of practical strategies and tools, such as journaling.

And, if appropriate for you, your therapist may bring in elements of other approaches too (BACP, 2024)

Understanding the entire picture

Seeing the Whole Picture: Male-Centred Therapy

From early life, hormones like testosterone play a key role in shaping the male brain and body. Prenatal androgen exposure influences traits such as risk-taking, impulsivity, resilience, and attention regulation. These early biological factors interact with childhood experiences, where subconscious defence mechanisms often form as ways to cope with stress, conflict, or unmet emotional needs. Recognising these defence mechanisms is essential in therapy, as failing to do so can unintentionally trigger the person in front of me, affecting their emotional safety and the therapeutic process.

As men grow, life pressures, responsibilities, and expectations can quietly build, and past defence mechanisms may continue to influence behaviour and emotional responses. Low testosterone, which can fluctuate due to ageing, lifestyle, stress, or major life events, can contribute to mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, difficulties with focus and memory, and sexual health concerns such as low libido, erectile difficulties, and infertility. Physical changes, including body composition shifts or gynecomastia, may also occur.

Working with menopausal women early in my career highlighted how essential it is to consider hormonal influences in emotional well-being. Without this understanding, symptoms can be misdiagnosed as depression or anxiety. This insight made it clear that men deserve the same careful attention to biological factors, including testosterone and vasopressin, alongside psychological and experiential influences.

In therapy, I draw on person-centred, psychodynamic, solution-focused, and cognitive-behavioural approaches. Together, we explore past experiences, present challenges, and future goals. By integrating biological, psychological, and experiential factors, we create a truly male-centred approach that sees the whole picture, supporting emotional wellbeing, self-awareness, confidence, and personal growth