| Works with: | Individuals |
| Sessions: | Face-to-face, Online |
| Languages: | English |
| Individuals: | £70 |
| Location: | Clapham |
Philip Norbury
Philip Norbury is a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor working in the gestalt modality. He holds an interim diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy and is accredited with the UKCP. He is pursuing a full psychotherapist accreditation. He works in London at the The Awareness Centre in Clapham, as well as in the wider Canterbury area.
True to the Gestalt approach, Phil works in an embodied, relational and creative way. He offers not just a compassionate, non-judgemental ear, but will bring in himself and offer experiments to the client in order to facilitate new awareness, dialogue between conflicted parts and to expand one’s range of possibilities. Phil uses techniques from Somatic Experiencing and Internal Family Systems which can be highly effective for a wide range of issues including trauma, anxiety, addiction, depression, eating disorders, OCD and other life challenges. Every gestalt therapist is different and every session is different. Phil doesn’t rely on specific techniques or theories and doesn’t prioritise his own knowledge above the client’s. Every client is the best expert of themselves. Together, Phil and each client co-create their therapy sessions out of what is needed, what is wanted and what is possible.
Phil came from a gardening background and saw in the Gestalt approach to healing many principles that had parallels in the natural world. Gestalt is holistic in nature and does not separate body from mind or the individual from society. Everyone must be understood within their specific context. We all need a healthy ground of support in order to flourish. Phil also sees that there is much wisdom to be gained from the animal world particularly in the fact that wild animals have a natural resiliency to trauma and a great ability to self-regulate. He is very much drawn to the work of Peter Levine and Deb Dana (polyvagal-theory) and has pursued further training in somatic therapy, as well as trainings in self-harm, shame, obsessive behaviours, hearing voices, attachment and family constellations.
I started therapy to help with anxiety, worrying, and catastophising as it could dominate my thoughts, which was both exhausting and could prevent me doing things.
It was helpful to have a safe space to say how I was feeling and how my brain would think about things to someone and have that support of someone who would listen without judgement. Being able to discuss things in therapy has helped me look at issues more rationally and help me think of other possible outcomes to situations I worry about and to take action.
Dealing with anxiety hasn’t been a smooth journey and I have some way to go, but I feel I have become better at managing negative thinking and now have more techniques to fall back on when things are hard.
Phil was an excellent therapist, both giving me space to speak my mind to the conclusion of a thought, and then at the appropriate time stepping in to suggest new ways of seeing my emotions in context. I’ve emerged from the experience enriched and better able to perceive the perspectives of others in my life and relationships, without negating my own emotions within them. I would highly recommend speaking with Phil if you have a situation in your life which you feel a lack of control over – his calm, patient and kind approach was invaluable in navigating several very difficult months for me.
