Psychotherapy and Consultation in Leeds and West Yorkshire

Consultation

There are three different areas of my work about which people consult me:

Creating Time to Think about Troubled Children
Clinical supervision
Training therapy

Creating Time to Think about Troubled Children

Mashkoor is extremely quiet and withdrawn.

Tara has a reputation for being angry, violent and abusive.

So does Jack. When Tara is helped to improve, Jack takes over.

Omar’s fussy helpfulness is so irritating that no one wants to work or play with him.

Ayesha panics at everything she is asked to do.

Rohin begins at a new school, tells everybody that he hates them and is in trouble every day.

Jonathan’s behaviour changes completely ‘out of the blue’ from being happy and sociable to being violent, threatening and disruptive.

School staff encounter children like these every day, but it can be hard for them to be expected to meet such children’s needs if they get little support for themselves.

Adults in school benefit from space and time so that they can:

• share and discuss their knowledge about the child;
  
  
• discuss the child’s behaviour and the responses
  it elicits in others;
  
  
• develop new insights into the child’s experience
  of themselves and others;
  
  
• reflect on the child’s needs;
  
  
• devise new learning experiences which might help
  to meet those needs;
  
  
• experience consultation as a collaborative, supportive process.

I have combined my knowledge and understanding of education and therapy in, for example:

• supporting teachers in thinking about children whom they find troubling;
  
  
• leading weekly team meetings of adults involved in the care of specific children;
  
  
• providing regular one-to-one support for a teacher with responsibility for behaviour, in thinking about her work with adults and children;
  
  
• helping teachers think about the dynamics of a troubled class;
  
  
• supporting Newly Qualified Teachers as they undertake their first year of teaching;
  
  
• supporting Learning Support Assistants in their work with individual children.

Clinical supervision

Clinical supervision provides an opportunity to discuss casework and other professional issues in a structured way.

I have worked as a therapy supervisor of other practitioners’ clinical work since receiving accreditation as a Supervisor in 2003.

‘I absolutely loved having supervision with Sally, in many ways it was the highlight of my working week. Sally had a wonderful way with me, which was so supportive and encouraging while still challenging and spurring me on to be a better Play Therapist.

Sally's significant experience really added value to my own practice. I found Sally very containing, especially at times when my work was really challenging.

Sally modeled to me a good, reliable, boundaried alliance allowing me to experience what I aim to provide for my own clients. I cannot recommend Sally highly enough to any prospective supervisee- but be prepared to be challenged!’ Corinna Richards BA Hons, QTS, Practitioner with Therapeutic Play Skills

The supervisory relationship/space can give you the opportunity:

• for mutual thinking/collaboration and reflection on the process and content of your clinical work;
  
  
• to develop your understanding and skills;
  
  
• to receive information and another perspective;
  
  
• to receive content and process feedback;
  
  
• to feel validated and supported;
  
  
• to ensure quality of work;
  
  
• to recognise personal history that may be touched upon, brought up by your clinical work, for further thought and process.

Training therapy

A Training therapy is the personal therapy that an individual who is in training to work as a psychotherapist, play, art therapist, and so on undertakes as part of their training.

I have worked as a Training Therapist, a therapist to someone in training, since receiving accreditation as a Training Therapist in 2002. I have worked in this capacity with therapists in training from different orientations including psychoanalytic psychotherapy, psychodynamic, counselling, play, art or dance therapists.

Most psychotherapy training organisations require their students to have their own personal therapy in order that they have first-hand experience and an understanding of what it is like to be a client; of what may be helpful or hurtful. Another important reason for this requirement is to try and ensure that students learn to be aware of how their own vulnerabilites and difficulties can impact on and in the therapeutic relationship.