“Every scar tells a story, but it does not have to define you.”
Conor has developed a unique way of working that combines various therapeutic models in a way that is able to support individuals and promote change. Conor tailors the therapy to the personality and needs of each person and what they are looking to get out of therapy.
Conor works with people who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, frustrated, and/or are questioning why they think and feel the way they do. He recognises that every one of us are trying to figure out who they are, how to connect with others, and where their place is in the world, and this is a tough job that is at the root of so many challenges.
Integrative counselling and psychotherapy is for people who are unsure what style of therapy may be best for them, and allows you to develop this understanding with Conor through an assessment session. Whether you have tried other forms of therapy or not, you will develop a unique plan that will be based on your needs and goals, and may include components of both schema therapy and somatic experiencing therapy (see below).
Each session will be based on what is taking up the most space in your mind, and you will explore the emotions underneath, and the possible reasons this may be coming up for you. You will understand your mind in parts (e.g. people pleaser, perfectionist etc.) and become familiar with the roles these parts have in your mind, and develop ways of managing these in a way that helps you create long lasting change.
Schema therapy was developed to work with persistent longer-term concerns that may have been resistant to other forms of therapy. It believes that long-term patterns develop due to unmet needs in childhood, no matter how big or small these early experiences may seem.
This is traditionally a longer-term way of working, but it can also be used as a brief model for specific concerns you may be experiencing.
This way of working is recommended for people who have tried other forms of therapy and not felt much change, have challenges with relationships, and/or have challenges with the relationship to themselves. Schema therapy has also shown to have significant benefits for personality and trauma related disorders and depression.
Schemas are a knowledge structure that humans use to understand and interpret the world around them, and together you will understand what ones you have (e.g. abandonment, defectiveness, self-sacrifice, unrelenting standards etc.) and how they influence your life.
Schema therapy then helps you look at your mind in different parts, such as those that are protective, vulnerable, and critical. These parts are like a group of people that make up your personality and mindset, which can either be in conflict or agreement, making your goals easier or harder to attain. As you get to know these parts of you and understand their purpose, you will begin to manage and heal them, and create a different internal relationship between them.
Schema therapy sessions are a combination of cognitive (making sense of what happens in the mind and creating new ways of thinking) and experiential (specific techniques to help access deep emotions and the subconscious) to support the changes you want to see.
