Genevieve is an experienced psychotherapist with over 15 years experience.
SERVICES
Welcome to Genevieve David
Genevieve is an experienced psychotherapist with over 20 years experience.
Genevieve David has been working as a psychotherapist and clinical social worker for the past twenty years and she enjoys working with a large range of people and issues. She has a particular interest in trauma, stress and anxiety often leading to feelings of depression and low self -esteem. These problems contribute to family and/or relationship issues.
Parenting can be a difficult and confusing time for many of us, and Genevieve brings her experience and gentle understanding to help her clients find their own ways. She also offers many tools to help with post-natal depression, integrating work and family life and grief and bereavement. Often we find that we don’t have the skills to deal with these issues and find ourselves stuck with various habits many of which cause us more harm than good.
She believes in the fundamental interrelatedness of the mind and body. And is an advocate for a holistic approach to mental health, always seeking to engage in conversation with other natural health practitioners to improve the health and mental health of her patients.
Her current interest is how Buddhism and Psychotherapy can inform one another. In particular how Buddhist’s 2,500 year old theory of mind and it’s practice can help us as we work with depression, anxiety and other modern day struggles. This includes working with her clients to develop a Mindfulness Practice to help them learn their own coping strategies.
She did her Masters in Clinical Social Work in Chicago where she specialized in family therapy working with children in play therapy, adults in psychodynamic psychotherapy and families in systemic theory.
Her advanced diploma in Adult Psychodynamic Psychotherapy was completed in Sydney.
Genevieve David was born in Switzerland, grew up in London, New York and immigrated to Sydney 17 years ago. She is bilingual French and English. She has been married for 20 years and has three adolescent children.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Member of Australian Buddhist Counsellors and Psychotherapists (AABCAP)
Member of the International Association of Relational Psychoanalyst and Psychotherapists (IARPP) and the Sydney Chapter (SCIARPP)
Member of Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (ANZAP)
Member Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
FEES
The first introductory session is 50 minutes and will be half the normal fee: $60
Successive sessions will be $120 per session.
This fee is negotiable for those needing concessions.
I now have a Medicare provider number and therefore clients can claim some of their fee.
“Our passions when well exercised, have wisdom; they guide our thinking, our values, our survival. But they can easily go awry, and do so all too often.” --Daniel Goleman
The most common questions we receive are what is the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist?
WHAT IS PSYCHOTHERAPY? WHO DO YOU SEE? AND WHAT SORT OF PROBLEMS DO YOU WORK WITH?
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a particular kind of conversation between two people. There is a humanity, sensitivity, patience and continuing concern from the therapist and a growing commitment and curiosity and trust by the patient. Clients say that they don’t talk to anyone else like they do in their therapy sessions, even their families. It becomes a very sacred space.
A therapist’s job is to understand the world from your point of view, to explore the world through your eyes in order to help you understand and accept yourself.
Life events as well as other factors, whether past or present, can jeopardise healthy development. When this occurs, feelings can appear to be ‘the enemy,’ life can feel over-whelming and our normal ability to relate to others can get lost. Confusion often surrounds judgement and decision-making is very stressful.
There is uncontroversial evidence that stress can make you ill. It does so by changing body chemistry in a manner that eventually changes body structure, all manner of serious illness have been linked with stress including arthritis, diabetes and cancer.
Neuroscientific research has led to fundamental changes in the understanding of emotional problems. When we have a healthy sense of self we feel a knowing and understanding of one self. We have a good sense of meaning and purpose, as well as the ability to pursue ambitions and goals with confidence.
Gaining a greater sense of purpose has been shown to lower levels of stress.
How does Psychotherapy do that?
Using skilled empathic modes of listening, psychotherapy creates a compassionate atmosphere where one begins to observe ones thoughts and behaviours. As we observe our thoughts and behaviours we begin to see how we sabotage ourselves in the world. We then have room to consider new ways of thinking and therefore acting.
Evidence suggests that psychotherapy can change the brain’s structure, actually laying down new neural pathways that allow new feelings and thoughts to replace previous thoughts and feelings.
Feelings of anxiety, despair, emptiness and self-loathing diminish and even disappear. And a greater flexibility in thinking creates a new platform from which to realise ambitions and goals as well as improve health and well being.
It is through the sustained therapeutic relationship that you are able to achieve the resilience, improve your relationships, your health and create deep and abiding personal change.
Who do we see?
People who call a psychotherapist call up for many reasons.
Yet common to all is their overwhelming desire to find ways to change the way they feel.
What sort of problems do we work with?
People come for many different reasons. But when you feel difficulties with any aspect of your day- to- day life: work, school, friendships and/or intimate relationships and you feel you have used up all your resources and begin to feel quite hopeless and alone, this is a good time to call a psychotherapist.
These problems may be longstanding, often thought to be something that has to be endured. Or, come up unexpectedly, triggered by a break down in a relationship, an accident, a lay off, a medical condition, or a death.
Our mental attitude has a very immediate effect on our body chemistry. Patients come in with physical symptoms; headaches, tearfulness, sleeplessness, too much sleeping, no appetite, over- eating, lack of libido, tension in the chest, digestive troubles, heart racing. Or emotional symptoms; feelings of emptiness, tearfulness, excessive anxiety, terror, despair, loneliness or problems concentrating (too much white noise).
Our experience is that before people call a psychotherapist they will have tried a myriad of ways to help soothe and regulate these very painful concerns and sometimes these become a problem: excessive gambling, use of alcohol or other drugs, promiscuity, isolation and eating disorders.
If in doubt call and be reassured that what you are feeling is normal.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What does a psychotherapist’s rooms look like?
You may at first feel very nervous about coming to see a psychotherapist and wonder if you will still have to lie on a couch. I assure you that our rooms are very friendly. Our offices are in a Victorian terrace in Paddington where you will be invited to sit in a comfortable armchairs face to face with your therapist in a room full of natural light.
HOW DOES A THERAPY SESSION WORK?
Psychotherapy uses an informal contract to assure the best possible results. Consistency of time, place and continuity will require that you pay for missed appointments. These elements are at the bedrock of psychotherapy and maximize and sustain the process
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Anyone can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way – this is not easy.
Aristotle: The Nicomachean Ethics
Although people report different benefits the goal is relief from emotional and physical pain. This includes a better understanding of emotions and how they sabotage relationships. Therapy helps put words to feelings.
People say that they feel more joyful and their life is described as having more purpose and meaning.
Moreover, there is convincing evidence in the field of neuroscience showing us that effective long-term psychotherapy actually builds new neuronal pathways in the brain. A client described it as “like a light switch that has been turned off,” when she didn’t feel the incredible rage she used to feel.
One of the most lasting impacts of psychotherapy is how it helps develops curiosity and compassion about the Self. We discovered that if you begin to treat yourself with curiosity and compassion both you and others benefit.
QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Bachelor of Arts, Masters in Clinical Social Work, Advanced Diploma in Adult Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Counselling, Mens Health, Psychotherapy, Womens Health
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