About Cherry Potter
PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COUNSELLING IN BRIGHTON
Cherry Potter, MA, M.Inst.GA, UKCP
Individual Psychotherapy and Counselling, Couples Counselling and Group Therapy in Brighton
After many years as a writer and lecturer in film and creative writing, I trained as a psychotherapist. I am a registered psychotherapist with the UK Council for Psychotherapy www.psychotherapy.org.uk. I have a Post-Graduate Diploma in Group Analytic Psychotherapy and I have CPD certification for Working with Couples. I am a full Member of the Institute of Group Analysis www.groupanalysis.org As part of my training I worked as a honorary psychotherapist for 4 years at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London. I began practising psychotherapy and counselling in Brighton in 2004.
I currently see clients for individual psychotherapy, group therapy and couples counselling in Brighton in my private practice near Queens Park in Kemp Town. I also see clients fortnightly at the Institute of Group Analysis in Swiss Cottage London.
The clients I see have a variety of different problems such as:
- difficulties with relationships / sexual problems / family issues
- Depression / anxiety and work related stress
- Sexual abuse/ domestic abuse / post traumatic stress
- Problems with creativity or writers block
Your therapy begins with a one to one assessment session. The aim of this session is for you to talk through your problems and for us to discuss which kind of therapy would best suit you. This session will also give you a chance to meet me and for us to decide whether I am the right therapist for you.
Individual Psychotherapy and Counselling
The therapy consists of weekly 55 minute sessions. The length of the therapy depends on your progress and the end date will be decided when you feel ready to end the therapy.
Couples Counselling
I see couples weekly or fortnightly for 55 minute sessions. As with individual therapy the length of the counselling depends on your progress.
Brief therapy
Brief therapy or counselling consists of weekly 55 minute sessions for a specific time period - 6 weeks to 6 months. For this form of therapy to be effective the focus and the aim of the therapy will be decided near the outset and the focus will be actively worked with throughout the therapy.
Group Therapy
Most psychological suffering is rooted in relationship problems, past and present. This is why a therapy group can be an ideal safe, nurturing and confidential setting to enable you to reflect on your experiences and gain a fresh understanding of yourself, your relationship patterns and develop more effective ways of managing your life.
The group has a maximum of 7 members and meets weekly for 90 minute sessions at my private practice in Brighton, Kemp Town. The work of the group is confidential. This is important because a therapy group is an intimate place where members explore difficult issues in both their past and present life as well as their here and now relationships in the group itself. These here and now relationships in the group are important because we learn most about ourselves from the thoughts and feelings experienced during our interaction with others. This is why group therapy has proved to be one of the most effective forms of therapy for personal growth and real change. Sadly many people are afraid of groups and assume that individual therapy is better. In my experience this is far from true, a therapy group can be just as safe and nurturing as individual therapy.
If you think you need help but you are not sure which therapy will be best for you please contact me for more information, or to arrange for an initial one to one session to talk things through.
Other Activities
I have been a guest speaker at the Institute of Psychiatry Maudsley Debate www.iop.kcl.ac.uk/iopweb/eventsand a keynote speaker for the IGA workshop series 'Talking about Sex'. I am a member of the IGA Development Committee and Series Convener for: 'Dark Forces: Understanding Destructiveness and Transformation' (2009), 'Forces of Change: Restance and Fear or Hope for Renewal' (2011) and keynote speaker for 'Forces of Change: Gender and Sexuality'(2011).
To read more about my writing career, books or journalism please visit my personal website at www.cherrypotter.co.uk