Geneviève Dekell, PACFA Registered Clinical Counsellor.
Holistic, collaborative, and adaptive
My approach to therapy
Therapy is a great place to learn more about yourself and how your experiences have shaped that. I believe in a holistic approach to therapy that acknowledges the interconnectedness of mental, emotional, social, and physical wellbeing and use a non-pathologising, accepting approach. I see the problem as the problem, not the person. By creating distance between yourself and the challenges you face, we can engage in collaborative, respectful, and non-blaming conversations to foster an environment of empathy and understanding. I use somatic enquiry and techniques to recognise and process your body’s inner sensations and improve your interoception. So working with the feeling part, not just the thinking part of yourself, so you can accurately identify feelings and respond, with less fear, submission, or aggression.
How will we work together?
Counselling is a collaboration. Together, we will develop and implement a flexible, person-centred, trauma-informed, strength-based plan, which is informed by the reason you came to therapy and acknowledges where you are in that journey.
Person centred compassionate enquiry, and psychoeducation will provide you with the information to understand how your experiences have shaped you, explore meanings you may have drawn, identify coping behaviours (both helpful and unhelpful), and harness strengths to respond to your internal and external environments. Throughout our collaboration, you will actively apply these tools to gain deeper insights into your emotions, experiences, and values, and cultivate habits that support your ongoing wellbeing.
Therapy format
I offer sessions in person in Paddington, or Walk and Talk (in parks or by the sea), as well as online and telephone sessions. Studies have shown the best indicator for therapeutic success is the quality of the relationship we share, and this is a very personal thing. To assist with working this out, offer a 10-minute phone session prior to your first booking so we can meet over the phone to see if we feel we are a good fit.