Counselling & Therapy

An introduction to Soul Based Psychotherapy

One way of looking at life is that it is a process of constant change and during this time in history we are living through great changes, both in our material and spiritual lives. If we are to continue to inhabit this planet it is unlikely that the need for change is going to stop any time soon. Fortunately I do not believe that there is anybody in the world today who this comes as much of a surprise to, nor do I believe that there is anybody who lacks the resources necessary to meet the challenge that these changes present. These resources do not exist in the world of science, global business and technology alone, but in something that has been accompanying us on our journey since the beginning of time, the soul within. It has been the gradual forgetting of Soul, the placing of individual needs above those of the future of all that has brought us to the pass we must now face.

The need of the Soul

The needs of the Soul are paramount in life because it is soul, a fragment of wise Light deep within, knows us intimately and has the ability to help us bring about the changes that will ensure not just our survival of our kind but the fulfilment of the purpose that humanity serves. It sees and knows the effects of actions taken in both the short and the long term and it knows the effects of actions already taken that have bearing on life in the present. It also has the capacity to bring peace, harmony and love, first to our own lives and then in our attitudes and behaviour towards all things. It is not something that can be reached by trying to avoid suffering, but rather by bearing it, which enables us not just to experience the healing intervention of soul but the meaning behind it. This also enables the development a soul based outlook on life which draws on qualities such as patience, compassion, tolerance, love and understanding.

The voice of the Soul

Within the human psyche the needs of the Soul are greater but the needs of the moment are more powerful, so there is a dichotomy between what we know is good and right and what we are actually able to do about it. A dichotomy that is now reflected in the environment around us and is bringing us no end of difficulty and pain, not just to our inner lives but now to life per se. The solution to these difficulties will not come from reason alone, it will not come from finding cures for the body alone, it will come from listening to the inner voice of the soul. Listening and following its loving guidance and remembering how to live in accord with Creation itself, with the laws of nature, in peace and harmony with one another, accepting what comes as the animals, plants and insects do. But unlike animals the soul cannot act alone, it needs the will and the cooperation of the individual it inhabits in order for its presence to be felt in life, without this it is impotent.

Healing

Soul counselling is something that can help resolve this dichotomy, not by living in a world of dreams, but by addressing the things within ourselves and around us that prevent us from following what we know to be true but have not yet found the courage, the strength or the opportunity to follow. It is not an easy path but it is a worthwhile path because it leads to something that has more value than material possessions can ever provide. Soul counselling gives room, gives space for the voice of your soul within the self-perpetuating and exhausting clamour and urgency of life, it can create a pool of peace in which true healing becomes possible, not just for the individual but for all our brothers and sisters.

A garden of Peace

We have been crossing a desert for so long that we have come to believe that the oases we see are nothing but unattainable mirages. But they are not. They are reflections of a garden of peace that each and every person in this world has inside them and within that garden there is pool of fresh water and a fountain of Love. Soul Counselling can help to make that garden not just accessible but a living reality in your life, enable you to recognise it in others, seeing one another not as strangers or as a threat but as fellow travellers who like us, are here to learn how to love. This has to be the basis of any viable future for both ourselves and our planet.

The process of Therapy

I work primarily with adults who are experiencing change or upheaval in their lives. These are very often times when the soul is seeking to integrate something from the unconscious that will result in greater understanding, inner harmony and meaning. As the relationship with your therapist develops there may critical moments when it seems like the therapist is behaving like somebody from your past, a stern or angry father, a critical mother, a saviour or a persecutor and such events can also create upheaval. These are the times when it is vital to stay in relationship because re-experiencing your feelings with somebody who does not judge, criticise or retaliate can enable the soul within to provide sufficient acceptance for the binding pain to be released and integration to take place. The whole process requires a certain kind of forbearance and commitment coupled with patience, but it is a process that can truly empower, not with the power to dominate or overcome but real power, the ability to live and love in a meaningful way that does no harm to self or others.

At its best psychotherapy is like an aided sanctuary that encourages the best in people and challenges attachments to behaviours that re-kindle the cycle of despair and impotence that so many are caught in. What therapy is not is a meeting with someone who can fix things or provide easy solutions. Therapists are invariably people who have suffered themselves, but they are people who have learned the value of staying with seemingly intractable or difficult feelings until the Light of soul can reach them. Some of the issues that bring people to therapy are:

Lack of meaning or hope.
Stress and anxiety.
Poor relationships with self and other.
Feeling haunted by the past.
Bereavement, loss and grief.
Major life changes.
Guilt and shame.
Feeling out of control
Compulsive or addictive behaviour.

David Findlay

Biography

Since I qualified as a Psychotherapist thirty five years ago I have served on the teaching faculty of the London Institute of Psychosynthesis, where I trained, and at the Re-Vision Centre for Integrative Psychosynthesis. I also founded the Brothers Programme for men, which ran for eight years. I would describe my approach as a relational/integrative and in addition to this I run spiritual development, healing and meditation groups.

I am married with two grown up sons and I work from my home in Telegraph Hill, New Cross. I have had an ongoing involvement with spiritual development and practice for over 30 years. Apart from an assumption that soul is both an inner source of love and the source of all healing my spiritual beliefs are entirely non-denominational. I work as a professional supervisor for other psychotherapists and I write and lecture on the interface of psychology and spirituality.

For the past ten years I have been collaborating with others in developing workshops which use myth, fairy, tales and poetry to access and explore the deep self and the realm of soul. We work with group process to explore the archetypes and experiences that are evoked during the weekends. The overarching experience for most is one of natural and deep healing.

UKCP - UK Council for Psychotherapy
professional standards authority (accredited register)

I am a UKCP registered professional Counsellor and Psychotherapist with 36 years experience in full-time private practice. I work with individuals and groups on an open-ended basis or for a fixed term. Registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy means that your counsellor is accredited and that you have redress in the case of unethical behaviour. In addition to this, UKCP registration requires that members have their work professionally supervised and have a commitment to ongoing professional development.

FAQ

How long will it take?

Depends entirely why you are coming. A specific problem may be resolved in a series of six or eight sessions. Some people find the sessions a worthwhile addition to the quality their lives and continue to come even after the initial problem has been dealt with. In my practice the average length of time people stay is a little over two years, some people come for much more, some for much less.

How much will it cost?

Fees are £75.00 per session A session lasts 50 minutes. Usually I invoice monthly in arrears. Work with couples is £90.00 per session and supervision is also £80.00 per session.

How do I start?

Come for a once off, no obligation session. This is the best way to decide if you like me, feel you can trust me and want to continue, and you only have to commit to one fee. We can discuss your needs, frequency of sessions and terms then.

Is it confidential?

Absolutely. Counsellors know the value of confidentiality because, unlike some professions, they have all had to go through the process that they are offering themselves before, and as part of, their training.

How often should I come?

Not less than weekly to start with, anything less tends to turn into a chat. If you need more frequency, for example to come twice a week for a while, a fee adjustment can be made to facilitate this.

When can I come?

Appointments are available in the daytime or evening, but evening sessions are at a premium. Ideally at the beginning you will commit to the same time, on the same day, on a weekly basis.

Contact & Travel

Contact: Email your telephone number and I will get back to you promptly to let you know my availability and arrange an appointment.

Travel: Approximate walking times from each destination is shown in brackets.

Bus: New Cross bus garage is 10 minutes walk away.

Tube: New Cross Gate, (12 minutes walk) is on the Overground from Highbury and Islington.

Rail: New Cross Gate, out of London Bridge, (12 minutes walk) Queens Road Peckham, is on the Overground from Clapham Junction and on the mainline from London Bridge. (18 minutes walk) or Nunhead, out of Blackfriars and Victoria, (6 minutes walk).

Car: From the A2, access via Erlanger Road and Arbuthnot Road.
From Brockley or Lewisham, access is via Kitto Road. Parking is not a problem.

Counselling & Psychotherapy