Psychotherapy & Counselling...
Offering you a safe space for change
Margie is a somatic psychotherapist and counsellor providing psychotherapy services to the people of the Central Coast and Sydney. In her practice Margie uses intersubjectivity as her main approach but also uses her knowledge of psychodynamics, attachment theory, neurobiology, self-psychology and the latest treatments for trauma and affect regulation (emotional processing). Some of the issues Margie's clients bring to therapy are depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, childhood abuse and the everyday stresses of living.
Margie strives to attune with her clients at a deep level and works together with them to heal the wounds of the past and then discover the reasons why they experience the world they way they do. Like other intersubjectively trained psychotherapists, Margie believes that we are all seeking health and happiness and even the behaviours that may seem outwardly unhelpful, generally hold in them the seed of desire for safety and pleasure.
Recent research has shown that psychotherapy (and in particular with psychotherapists who adopt an intersubjective approach) does facilitate change.
Counselling versus Psychotherapy
Simply put, the primary focus for counselling is on changing your immediate issues in the short term, while the primary focus of psychotherapy is on the relationship with your psychotherapist through which you can fundamentally change how you experience your world and so you naturally resolve the issues in your life over the longer term...
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is professional activity that utilises an interpersonal relationship to enable people to develop understanding about themselves and to make changes in their lives. It offers you a relationship to explore the problems of living. Through the relationship with the psychotherapist, people learn to manage stress, depression, emotional problems, relationship problems and troublesome habits. There are many different approaches in psychotherapy, which include:
- Somatic Psychotherapy (see below for definition)
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Transpersonal Psychotherapy
- Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapies
- Gestalt Psychotherapy, Existential … and many more
A psychotherapist may be a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional that has had further specialist training in psychotherapy. Increasingly there are a number of psychotherapists, like Margie, who have undertaken in depth training in psychotherapy with an RTO and may be called 'psychotherapist', in their own right.
Many psychotherapists combine more than one methodology in their practice. You can ask them what they specialise in at your first consultation. The methodologies Margie uses include somatic therapy, attachment theory, neuro-psychology, self psychology and intersubjectivity.
Counselling
“Psychotherapy" and "Counselling" are terms that are often used interchangeably. Although there are similarities, there are some subtle differences as well.
Technically speaking, "counsellor" means "advisor". It involves two people working together to solve a problem. It is a term that is used in conjunction with many types of advice giving. For example, financial planning and spiritual guidance are both types of counselling. Just about anyone at all may claim to be a counsellor if they are in the role of giving advice. The term counselling may also at times be properly be used to refer to what occurs in a relationship with a psychotherapist.
In the context of mental health, "counselling" is generally used to denote a relatively brief treatment that is focused mostly upon behavior. It often targets a particular symptom or problematic situation and offers suggestions and advice for dealing with it.
"Psychotherapy" on the other hand is generally a longer-term treatment and rather than attempting to 'cure' or eliminate symptoms, a psychotherapist aims to be truly present with each person so the relationship itself meets the previously unmet needs of the client. This kind of relationship with the psychotherapist helps people transform their physical and emotional organisation of experience and the accompanying symptoms , which in turn reduces suffering.
In actual practice there may be quite a bit of overlap between counselling and psychotherapy. A therapist may provide counselling in specific situations and a counsellor may function in a psychotherapeutic manner.
Psychotherapy requires different training from counselling but will nearly always include a counselling component. While a psychotherapist is qualified to provide counselling, a counsellor usually will not possess the necessary training and skills to provide psychotherapy.
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the study of mental disorders and their diagnosis, management and prevention. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have specialised in psychiatry. They often combine a broad general caseload alongside an area of special expertise and research. They can prescribe medications and some psychiatrists have also been trained in the practice of psychotherapy.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of people: how they think, how they act, react and interact. Psychology is concerned with all aspects of behaviour and the thoughts, feelings and motivation underlying such behaviour.
Psychology is a discipline that is firstly concerned with the normal functioning of the mind and can explore areas such as learning, remembering and the normal psychological development of children. Psychologists deal in the way the mind works and motivation, and can specialise in various areas such as; mental health work and educational and occupational psychology.
While not medically qualified, psychologists often follow a medical model and only a small proportion of people who attain a psychology degree will go on to work clinically with patients. In Australia, their focus is generally on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) however; some clinical psychologists have also undertaken training in psychotherapy.
What is Somatic Psychotherapy?
Soma is the Greek word meaning "the living body". Somatic Psychotherapy is grounded in the belief that psyche and soma form a single holistic entity. Thought, emotion and bodily experience are understood to be inter-functioning aspects of the person's whole being.
Somatic psychotherapy can be used to facilitate exploration and expression, to develop self-awareness, self-regulation and a sense of vitality and aliveness. This approach can help deepen a sense of connection to oneself and others.
As well as working verbally in the relationship with the client, somatic psychotherapists are trained to engage directly with the client's dynamic bodily experience. This could include patterns of breathing, sensation and movement, body image, metaphor and sometimes through direct touch (when appropriate).
Where to from here?
Whether you are seeking therapy for depression, anxiety, trauma or a broken heart... it makes sense to find someone who is a 'good fit' for you.
Professional well-trained practitioners will display their education level and will normally belong to a professional association like The Australian Association of Somatic Psychotherapists with a commitment to a set of ethical guidelines. Click here to find out more about AASP
A good psychotherapist will answer all your questions and remember it's ok to 'shop around' until you find the right person for you. Contact Margie to discuss your specific situation and needs.
QUALIFICATION DETAILS
- Diploma Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy - ACCSP
- Certificate Relationship Counselling - Interrelate
- Graduate Certificate Adult Education - UTS
- Certificate Somatic Therapy - CEP
- Accredited DiSC Coach
- Professional Association AASP
- Member (prov) PACFA
Visit my facebook page Margie Braunstein Counselling and Psychotherapy
ABN 24 982 824 282
MAP
Service Categories
Counselling, Life Coaching, Psychotherapy
|
|
 |
