Graeme McCartney Counsellor & Psychotherapist & Supervisor

What is Psychotherapy or Counselling about?

Sometimes problems can be external and come from what happens in life, or in contact with other people. Sometimes problems can be internal and come from within ourselves. How we feel about ourselves, how we see ourselves and what we believe about ourselves. Often these problems are linked and cause emotional pain and confusion. Counselling can help to identify alternative options and how to make behavioural changes. This can lead to some resolution and can help us to find our way through life again. Psychotherapy can help us to discover our way back to ourselves and to re-connect with the vital and authentic parts of ourselves that we can, over a number of years, and in a variety of ways come to deny or suppress. This can often be traced back to our earlier developmental years. Denying or suppressing parts of ourselves is, I believe, what often contributes to anxiety/depression, addiction, self-esteem problems, shame, and many other issues. Psychotherapy is a process of coming to understand these reactions not as defects in ourselves, but as creative adjustments that we made at times when, perhaps, we had limited inner resources available to us. Psychotherapy leads to an increase in self awareness. One becomes more aware of the significance of their relationship with the therapist as it develops over time, and can then use this awareness to help them make changes. Graeme is experienced in working with:

• Anxiety/depression
• Self-esteem/self-image
• Trauma
• Grief and loss
• Shame/guilt
• Addictions, Alcohol, Drug and other addictions. Alcohol and Drug Assessments
• Anger management
• Existential issues, who am I? What does my life mean?

About Graeme Graeme McCartney has a private practice in Wellington City and is a Gestalt psychotherapist; he has 10 years’ experience as a counsellor, psychotherapist, and as an alcohol and drug practitioner. Graeme worked in the mental health field for 8 years, before training as a psychotherapist. Graeme has an adult daughter and a grandson aged 6. My services and fees Counselling Counselling can help you to identify your set ways of reacting to particular situations, and can help you to change your responses to a particular problem that you may be facing This is usually based on changing the ways you think, feel and behave in challenging or difficult situations. Counselling can help to identify problematic patterns Psychotherapy Psychotherapy is a process that can help to resolve more entrenched problems. Deeper problems often have their roots in childhood and/or traumatic experiences. Psychotherapy can help to understand how and why problematic patterns have developed. Frequency of sessions Sessions of one hour once per week are usually normal and are effective. Frequency can be negotiated though I do not recommend having sessions spaced more than fortnightly as the thread can often be lost if sessions are spaced too far apart. Style of working I am a Gestalt trained psychotherapist. >> Read more about Gestalt Therapy. I believe that we have the ability to find meaning for ourselves through experiencing connections with others and that Psychotherapy can assist people in deepening their awareness of their unique ways of relating with others. Sometimes we can get caught up in trying to be someone, or something that we are not. The therapeutic alliance can help to identify how this comes about and can help us to become more fully who we really are. I am experienced in a number of counselling techniques and styles, and I can adapt to your particular needs or requirements. We will negotiate a contract together at the beginning of our work and we can re-negotiate this contract at any time. I work with adult men and women, I do not provide couples work. I will often take a family and relationship history during our first session together. There will be time during our first session for you to also ask questions of me, this may assist you in deciding whether or not you think that we can work together. I will also give you honest feedback about whether or not I think I am the best match for you. Fees For fees, please refer to my website.