Dr Gary Burgess BA MSc DClinPsych
Therapy with Children, Parents and Families
Working with children and families
Children and young people can experience a range of strong, difficult or conflictual feelings which can be difficult to make sense of. Sometimes these feelings can be expressed in ways which are distressing, frightening, troubling or cause conflict in family life. I offer a consistent and safe space for young people and families to explore and reflect on their experiences. Through such exploration I hope to support young people and families make sense of the challenges they face, enable a full range of emotional expression and find new ways of relating to each other and support increased resilience.
New Parents
The arrival of a new baby can stir up big, sometimes overwhelming, feelings that can have an impact on your life and be difficult to make sense of. My work with new parents aims to support processing of these feelings and experiences with the aim of freeing up your emotional life and increasing capacity to relate to your baby, partner and significant others in your life.
I can offer therapeutic support with one or both parents, recognising that each parent can experience things very differently.
Adolescent and Young Adult Therapy
Adolescents
The teenage years are a time in life which can feel demanding, confusing or stressful. As a young person you may have lots of different parts of your life including family, school and different friendship groups, which may include in person or online relationships.
Many people find the teenage years challenging in some way or another and lots of young people seek additional support at this time. I work with teenagers who face a variety of challenges including feeling anxious, feeling low or down, worrying a lot about what other people think, feeling unhappy with body image, difficulties in relationships with friends, family or in romantic relationships, questions about sexuality, feelings around eating or food, worries about exams or academic studies and more. I aim to help you make sense of these experiences, understand yourself better and to feel more able to cope with life's challenges and demands.
Young Adult Therapy
The stage of development from aged 18-25 is a complex time in life and the young adults I work with face various psychological challenges. At the end of the formal school years, life paths diversify, friendships change, independence increases, new adaptation is required to adult education or work and there can be an increased drive to find a sexual partner. Many young people can struggle with one or more of these areas, leading to feelings of loss, anxiety or confusion. I offer individual psychological therapy to young adults which focuses on their experiences at this transitional point in life to strengthen their capacities to face the next stage with a more grounded sense of self and direction.