member of th British Psychological Society Dr Kari Carstaiars
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Can I help?

In my work, I take a humanistic/psychodynamic approach but I am not rigid about this and I will at times also integrate some cognitive behavioural techniques into the sessions for clients who are likely to benefit from these. Research into psychotherapy shows us that what is most important is the quality of the relationship you form with your therapist, and not the theoretical orientation of the therapist.

So the best way to know whether I might be able to help you is to schedule an initial consultation and meet me. This will soon give you a feel for how I work. If we decide that you need something different from what I can offer, I will do my best to locate other appropriate sources of help for you.

The goal of treatment is to create a safe place in which to explore your difficulties and come to some understanding of them so that you can resolve them. To make this possible, there are some things that I do not do:
  1. be your friend - this means that I do not chat about myself. This allows us to focus on you. Many people find this frees them up to explore themselves more deeply but sometimes it can feel strange or hurtful or rejecting. If you feel like this, it is important to talk to me about it.
  2. tell you what to do - the aim is to empower you to take charge of your life more effectively and in a more satisfactory way. If you would benefit from a structured programme in which you are given clear guidelines on what to do, then we will look at making a referral.
  3. take sides - in talking with you about your problems with others, I am concerned with how you handle situations and why you handle them in this way, not in placing blame or taking sides.
  4. read your mind - I have training in interpreting people's thoughts and feelings but the work is with what you say and do and you choose what you want to talk about. Sometimes, I may guess at something which has been confusing or unclear to you but this is not mind-reading.
  5. give you a magic cure - unfortunately, there is no magic formula for happy and successful living! This means that you have to take responsibility for participating actively in your treatment if you are to gain any benefit. There are no guarantees that everyone will benefit but research shows that most people who make a sincere effort to tackle their problems do feel better as a result of psychotherapy.
  6. prescribe medication - as a psychologist, I do not have a medical training and I cannot prescribe medication. If this is what you need, we will look at a consultation with your GP or a referral to a psychiatrist.


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