Why do some people seek psychoanalysis?
Psychoanalysis was founded in the understanding that much of our suffering, as well as much of our potential for change, lies in what we do not know about ourselves. Over the past century, the theoretical frameworks inspired by the classic Freudian tradition have been revised and refined, reflecting both clinical experience and broader cultural shifts. Despite this diversity, psychoanalytic approaches are typically unified by several core assumptions: that much of our mental life is unconscious; that early relational experiences significantly shape our current patterns of attachment, perception, and behaviour; and that individuals often defend unconsciously against thoughts, affects, or memories that are experienced as threatening or intolerable.
People turn to psychoanalysis for many reasons: a struggle with painful repetitions in relationships or behaviour, a sense of disconnection or confusion, or an experience of inner conflict that resists easy explanation. You might feel out of step with yourself, unsure of why you feel the way you do. Sometimes people come because something isn’t working, even if they can’t yet say exactly what. Psychoanalysis welcomes this uncertainty. It offers a space where not-knowing is not only tolerated but is treated as essential. Rather than offering reassurance or ready-made answers, it provides the opportunity to explore what is singular about your experience, how you have come to live within certain patterns, and how those patterns might shift.
My approach
While I am informed by the psychoanalytic thinking of Freud and others, my approach is at the same time alive to the demands and dilemmas of contemporary life, taking seriously the complexity of your history. I offer a confidential and non-judgemental space where whatever you bring can be explored. Rather than offering prescriptive and predetermined solutions, I provide a space for reflection and curiosity, where you can speak freely without the pressure that what you say needs to make sense. In this space, we listen amongst other things to what gets repeated, to what seem to be trivial details, or to what seems out of place. Whether appearing in dreams, jokes, memories, or everyday speech, these moments can reveal something of your experience. The aim is not to fix you, but to support a process of transformation that unfolds through speaking. This process can be challenging and unsettling, yet it can also be profoundly creative and liberating.
About me
I completed my clinical training in London with the SITE for Contemporary Psychoanalysis, where I am an active member as well as co-editor of Sitegeist: a Journal of Psychoanalysis and Philosophy. I abide by the Site’s code of ethics and by the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice outlined by the UKCP of which I am a registered and accredited member. I hold degrees in Psychosocial Studies (Social Work) from the University of Cape Town and in African Studies from the University of Cologne, and my psychosocial work experience has spanned the fields of sexual health, migration, and addiction. Apart from this, I have worked for a number of years as an academic. Alongside my private psychoanalytic practice, I now form part of a community-based project which supports people with chronic mental health issues. I am also an honorary counsellor in a bereavement support team.
I offer psychoanalytic sessions in English as well as in German. The work is open-ended, in that I usually see people long term and also on a short-term basis. This can be once a week or more frequently, with sessions of up to 50 minutes. The fee is agreed on in the initial session which is free of charge. I offer a limited number of reduced-fee places.
I practice in-person or online and my consulting rooms are in London as well as in Cologne.
To make an appointment, please email me and we will arrange a time to meet.
Shweshwe background by Da Gama Textiles