Dr Dominic Addison

MA PsychD

Chartered Counselling Psychologist

Available for appointments at our Twickenham & Clapham clinics.

Works With All Age Groups

Philosophy

“It is not things in themselves that trouble us, but the opinions we have of those things.”

Whilst much has changed since the first century, this simple statement from Epictetus shows that the essence of our troubles have not. We get anxious when we believe terrible things are happening and we won’t be able to manage them; depressed, when we believe that we are helpless and the situation hopeless; angry when we believe that others have purposely and maliciously transgressed against us. In general, we trust our thoughts and feelings, but what if we become beguiled by a false view?

Psychological troubles arise when we are captivated by beliefs and attitudes that are partially or totally untrue. This is not to blame oneself – quite the opposite – these illusions act against, not for us, and they are rooted beyond the individual, in the many imperfections of nature and nurture. Freeing ourselves requires us to understand and accept what cannot be changed, which may well involve periods of anger, anxiousness and grief; and to understand and adapt misleading ideas and habits.

Approach

Solution-focused; Cognitive-Behavioural; Integrative; Tailored.

We will work to a shared understanding of the particular problems you bring to the sessions, whether life-long or recent, and embrace the particular ways in which you like to work. These may sound like obvious goals for therapy, but not all approaches emphasis such a shared understanding, and are flexible to the varieties of therapeutic change.

Although Cognitive-Behavioural theory is at the heart of my practice, I draw from other proven approaches emphasising particular areas such as life-long emotional difficulties, and relationships.

During the sessions, and in structured exercises across the week, the intricacies of mood-related problems will be explored in detail. We will develop a clear sense of the ‘moving parts’ of the issue – triggers, emotions, thoughts and thinking, behaviour. We may also look into how the problems were learned, and any links to personal history, evolutionary psychology, lifestage, culture, or social circumstances. Often change comes quite naturally from a deeper understanding of the issues; just as often it requires us to be proactive in altering habits of thought and deed. I will describe, and encourage you to practice techniques for loosening the grip of negative patterns and the traps that reinforce them.

Motivation

The fascination with the mind which had me studying psychology 25 years ago has only deepened over the years. It is a privilege to work in a therapeutic space; an office defined by a spirit of respect, open inquiry, and understanding. Our inner lives are endlessly fascinating, and helping people navigate their way through distress and confusion is quite a reward.

About Me

I live near the Thames, which reflects my love for open water. I am well-travelled having lived, worked and toured extensively in Europe, South East Asia and North America.

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