Therapy Types
I work with different therapeutic approaches according to the patient's needs and combine several forms of thinking with the belief that this is how we can reach the deepest acquaintance with ourselves. A large part of my patients deal with issues such as self-image, self esteem, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, rigid self-criticism, traumas, depression, emotional difficulties, spiritual crises, Integration of psychedelic experiences, a sense of meaninglessness in life, and more.
Each therapeutic approach is described separately in order to clarify the uniqueness it offers in the way of analysis and the point of view on things, the similar and the different. In reality, as in reality, things are more complex and many times there is no such clear separation between one therapeutic intervention or another. Therefore, I recommend not to rely solely on what is written before deciding on the appropriate type of treatment, but to consult and meet with a professional.
For your convenience. The division here is into several categories:
Psychodynamic therapy
By its very essence it is difficult to define what psychodynamic therapy is, but I will try to illuminate several points that characterize many of the psychodynamic approaches.
One of the basic assumptions is that we all have unconscious parts that activate us in different ways. Many times these are the same parts that we find difficult to admit exist in us - urges such as aggression and sexuality or 'difficult' emotions such as jealousy, guilt and shame. Getting in touch with these parts in a regulated way can shed a heavy burden on us.
These unconscious parts, as well as conscious parts of us, are significantly influenced by the experiences we have had during our lives. Many times experiences we went through made us feel emotions we didn't know how to deal with. Therefore, in therapy there is a constant movement between the past, the present and the connection between them is made with an emphasis on the emotional experience. This movement, within a safe and empathetic environment, helps to make a change that frees us to a certain extent and allows us a greater space of choice in our lives.
The therapeutic relationship is an essential part of the change that dynamic therapy offers. Through observing the relationship between the patient and the therapist there is an opportunity to get to know the patient inner world and understand the nature of the relationship they face. Today there are many approaches that perceive the presence of the therapist as a part that affects the therapeutic encounter. Understanding this effect illuminates other parts of the patient's psyche.
Of course, all these are complex processes and their expression is different for each one. There is no end to the depth and diversity of the processes that take place in the treatment, when the patient is invited to bring any content that comes to his mind to the sessions.
Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotion-focused therapy is a research-proven therapy that has been gaining momentum in recent years. Its central principle emphasizes real and honest contact with difficult emotions that we all experience with the understanding that many times these emotions constitute a significant barrier and affect different areas of our lives. In this treatment we will come into contact with 'negative' emotions such as shame, anger and sadness and try to give space to different parts of us that react to these emotions. That way, we can understand the emotion better and be less controlled by it. Emotion focused therapy allows us to remove barriers that prevent us from achieving certain goals and teaches us how to free ourselves from past patterns that are no longer adaptive for us. In the treatment we will combine diverse experiential techniques aimed at revitalizing internal conflicts in an open manner within the treatment, which is a significant catalyst for improving our emotional state. The emotional investigation is done gradually, illuminates hidden parts of the soul that motivate us and can lead to an improvement in the quality of life in a relatively short period of time. This treatment has been found to be effective in areas such as low self-worth, severe self-criticism, social anxiety, depression, and more.
Online treatment
Online therapy does not have to be therapy that feels far (at the emotional level). The demands of reality in the world of transitions between countries, the great comfort, the flexibility that is possible and the technological means mean that many today choose to have treatment in this way. Online therapy is a therapy for everything and you can experience tremendous personal development through it. As with any treatment and even more so, it has a deep meaning for the therapeutic relationship and the chemistry between the therapist and the patient. For those who are looking for treatment, the option of online treatment allows you to choose the therapist that suits you without location restrictions (city or country) - which can often be a significant advantage. Of course, online treatment requires commitment and maintaining the therapeutic setting in order to allow the treatment to reach its potential.
In my experience, once a therapeutic relationship is established, the possibility for meaningful and deep work exists and is present in online therapy and I invite you to contact me if you are interested in going through an in-depth therapeutic process online.
Mindfulness for Anxiety Reduction (MBSR)
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is a research-based program that consists of 8 weekly group sessions and includes practice during the course and home exercises. The program was built by John Kabat Zinn - a doctor of biology and a yoga teacher - and has proven itself over the years as an effective tool in reducing anxiety symptoms, chronic pain, disturbing thought patterns, depression, etc. You can also see how mindfulness training affects different brain mechanisms and strengthens Brain areas responsible for memory, emotional regulation, decision making and more.
Anxiety is one of the most prevalent psychological phenomena in our time and it stems from a mental economy that is in constant deficit - an imbalance between the rhythm and the demands of ourselves and our environment on ourselves and the resources to meet them. This situation leads to mental burnout that manifests itself in symptoms such as anxiety attacks, lack of energy, a constant lack of success, a sense of worthlessness and great suffering in our daily conduct.
During the program we develop through different types of practices and honest investigation of our experience the ability to be present in the present moment. We learn to distinguish between reaction and action, develop self-awareness for what we are going through, increase our ability to contain our emotions and acquire practical tools to deal with ourselves and the world. The program is built in a gradual way and is suitable for anyone who wants to improve the quality of their life regardless of previous exposure to meditation practice or anything else!
Therapy, Buddhist philosophy and meditation
Both therapy and meditation practice allow us to be and know ourselves truly - about our different parts. Sensing, feeling, thinking, breathing - each of them separately and all together. Different from the practice of meditation, which is essentially personal, treatment is done in two, which brings with it different qualities.
The Buddha, one of the first researchers of the soul, spoke about how suffering is caused to us by a lack of understanding that we are in discomfort, by craving and clinging to pleasant experiences and by aversion and rejection of unpleasant experiences. Contrary to popular belief, there is no passivity or distant observation of reality in the position presented by the Buddha. There is great importance in taking responsibility for the discomfort we create for ourselves and trying to change it as much as we can.
As in the therapeutic process, also in meditation - a deep familiarity with our experience on its various levels, presence in the here and now, a direct and honest look at reality and a real choice in our way of action - allow us to be more liberated and free.
In these two processes, we become more aware of our inner world, its 'beautiful' and 'less beautiful' parts. This recognition develops in us different qualities towards ourselves and towards the world - acceptance, compassion, presence. These qualities develop through experience and not through intellectual understanding, which makes them powerful and meaningful.
mindfulness
Mindfulness is the quality of paying attention in a non-judgmental way to what is happening here and now, moment by moment. In practicing mindfulness we try to bring into observation qualities of curiosity, compassion, patience and tenderness for ourselves and our experience. It is a powerful tool that allows us to come into contact with reality in an honest and present way through an investigation of our way of experiencing the world. Spoiler- it's a lot, but much harder than it sounds. Another spoiler - it's worth all the trouble.
On the face of it, paying attention to what is happening to us at the moment sounds like an obvious thing, but when we come to practice, we quickly discover that our extremely sophisticated consciousness has a hard time staying more than a few moments with one stimulus. As we deepen our practice of mindfulness, our ability to stay in the moment increases, but what increases most is our ability to accept reality as it is - temporary, one-time, in constant motion and full of life. This acceptance can allow us, with proper work, to internalize these understandings into our daily lives and make us a little less reactive in the face of the challenges of our reality and live a more peaceful and stable life.
The overlap between this tool and the psychological world is great - our ability to bear our emotional world increases, our familiarity with ourselves and what motivates us intensifies, our understanding of the nature of reality allows us to be softer towards ourselves and more.
And there's a bonus :-)
During the practice many times we discover that we have developed benevolent qualities that improve our internal and external communication - compassion, empathy, caring, wisdom, kindness and much more...
