Michael Fieldhouse

I offer existential psychotherapy for people who want to understand themselves more deeply and explore the questions that matter to them.

Why am I the way I am?

What do I actually want? 

What gives my life meaning and purpose?

These are some of the questions that can bring us to therapy. Sometimes there is a particular difficulty; at other times, it may be a feeling that something isn't quite right, that something is missing, or a wish to understand yourself and your life more fully.

My particular interest is in existential psychotherapy, exploring questions of meaning, identity, purpose, choice, relationships, loss and what it means to live a life that feels genuinely your own.

I'm also interested in how we become the people we are. Our early experiences, family relationships and childhood can shape our beliefs about ourselves, other people and the world. These experiences can continue to influence how we think, feel and relate to others. Understanding where these patterns come from can help us consider whether they still serve us.

My training was integrative, encompassing existential, psychodynamic, cognitive and person-centred approaches. I draw on these perspectives according to the individual rather than applying a fixed method.

I don't see therapy simply as identifying a problem and finding a quick solution. I see it as an opportunity to slow down, think carefully about your experience and develop a deeper understanding of yourself. We can explore both where you have come from and where you might want to go.

I work with adults experiencing:

• Life transitions and questions about identity or direction
• Difficulties in relationships or loss
• A crisis of meaning
• A sense that they want something different from their life but aren't sure what that is

You don't need to have everything worked out before you come to therapy. Sometimes the starting point is simply wanting to understand yourself better and explore what matters to you.