Sophie Corke

COUPLE PSYCHOTHERAPY

Relationships can come under pressure for many reasons and sometimes couples find that rather than being able to pull together, life's stresses seem to be driving them further apart. There may have been a particular event, such as an affair or a bereavement that is testing your relationship or the source of your difficulties may feel harder to pin down.

The psychodynamic/psychoanalytic approach is non-judgmental, and helps you to understand how your own individual histories and the history of your relationship has brought you to this point. Through this process you may uncover thoughts and feelings that you were unaware of or have not felt able to express, giving you a new perspective on your relationship. Above all you and your partner should be able to start listening to one another again, increasing your understanding of the other's point of view.

The focus will be on what you have co-created in your relationship rather than either person being at fault. Many couples are able to reconnect and rediscover the joy in their relationship through this process. Some may make the decision to separate. The important thing is that therapy will give you the space to reassess and to move on from your current difficulties.

Some of the reasons couples come to therapy.

- Entrenched and repetitive arguments
- Loss of desire or other sexual difficulties.
- An affair.
- Issues around starting a family and parenting.
- Illness and/or depression.
- Co-parenting
- Separation and divorce.
- Issues around life changes such as "empty nesting" or retirement.
- Wanting to improve a particular area of the relationship.

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY

I have wide-ranging experience of working with adults of all ages from diverse backgrounds and cultures. I aim to build a trusting relationship in which the difficulties you bring can be explored in a non-judgmental setting. Together we will look at your current issues in the light of your past experiences and relationships, so that connections begin to be made. A greater understanding of some of your unconscious thoughts and feelings can help you to feel less stuck and to increase your compassion for yourself and for others in your life.

Some of the issues that people bring to individual therapy include:
- Anxiety and/or depression.
- Relationship issues, issues around sex.
- Childhood or more recent trauma.
- Lack of confidence.
- Loneliness.
- Bereavement.
- Dealing with illness, either your own or of someone close to you.
- Feeling generally dissatisfied or stuck.

SOME PRACTICAL ISSUES

Therapy takes place weekly for couples, and once or twice weekly for individual clients.
Individual sessions are for 50 minutes. Couple sessions are for 50 minutes or 1 hour.

I offer a free 15 minute chat on the phone for us to introduce ourselves and to potentially organise a first session. I will discuss my fee with you at this point and let you know what times I have available.

The initial consultation is initially over two or three sessions, at which point we can decide whether you want to continue with ongoing therapy.

IN PERSON OR REMOTE SESSIONS

I offer both and we can discuss which will work best for you.

BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

I have over 10 years experience of working in mental health. After an initial training as a counsellor, I then completed the 4 year post-graduate training to work as an individual psychodynamic psychotherapist at WPF Therapy in London. Alongside my private practice in London and Godalming I then undertook an additional 2 year training at the Tavistock and Portman in psychodynamic couple therapy.

I have substantial experience working in NHS settings, including at Guy's Hospital and Farnham Road Hospital and the Tavistock Centre in London. This gave me experience of working with individuals and couples with complex presentations needing to be seen in institutional settings.

I have worked for several years as a visiting clinician in the Parenting Service of Tavistock Relationships. I contributed a chapter to a Tavistock Relationships book, "Couples as Parents", published by Routledge (2024).

I am currently offering low cost supervision to therapists in training or who have recently graduated.

I continue to update my professional knowledge and I abide by the Codes of Conduct and Ethical Standards of the professional bodies with which I am registered, including the UKCP and the BPC.