EXPAT Counselling

"Everyone smiles in the same language."
George Catlin

As someone who has become somewhat accustomed to moving around the world, apart from speaking a few languages, I know how to get-by communicating with my hands.

I also learnt early on that a smile goes a very long way in connecting with people in a foreign country.

There is great freedom in having escaped or having chosen to move to a new country, however it comes hand in hand with complex feelings of being foreign. It is a transformation as it can involve changes not only in the practical day to day but more significantly in a sense of identity and belonging.

I have gained extensive experience counselling people in various countries and cultures turning it into one of my specialties. In finding a consistently safe space to explore feelings that arise I can support you in the process of adaptation and integration.

Reaching out is the first step towards making the ride more stable.

Couple Therapy

"A secure love relationship acts as a protective shield when we face monsters and dragons."
Dr Sue Johnson

Based on my clinical and personal experience you don't have to be in crisis to benefit from having a space to improve listening and responding to each other, to become more curious and less critical of one another. Based on the knowledge we now have about the brain's ability to repair and change through practice, we can form new neural pathways, and we can learn new habits.

Sometimes couples come and see me when they have reached crisis point and the work becomes more intensive as we map out reactive patterns at the core of their relationship.

I draw from different models to gain a better understanding of each couple’s issues. I consider the developmental stage of the couple, how emotional connection and disconnection manifests, changes in external circumstances and communication difficulties.

All this in context of their personal histories and culture so that I can best help them get unstuck and more able to relate to each other and potentially grow.

Usually an initial assessment takes place over two consultations of an hour.

For more information please get in touch on therapy@dianemetta.com

Addiction Counselling

"You are not your addiction…but lost in the terror of what you think reality is."

Ultimately recovering from addiction is like making the painful choice to say goodbye to a loved one, a partner depended on for rescue and comfort from all difficult feelings and situations. It can seem unthinkable, however there is a way forward breaking through isolation and instant gratification. The obsession and compulsivity that accompanies the repetitive cycles can be addressed with willingness and commitment to collaboration with your therapist.

The individual moves towards finding themselves and becoming responsible for living their own life . As Thomas Merton wrote in No Man Is An Island- ‘A new sense of belonging and meaning of their existence’ is found when the person makes the decision to change.

This is a process and there are different schools of thought when supporting people who are in active addiction; what works best for one person may not for someone else, whether the goal is minimisation harm or it is abstinence from a drug or addictive process.

I take the view that helping with making behavioural changes is necessary however I believe that what is required to maintain recovery is a working through of underlying dynamics driving the using.

Alongside this therapeutic process it is often recommended to combine counselling with 12 Step meetings to sustain changes beyond the first few months of life becoming more manageable.

Links to some Resources:

AA Alcoholics Anonymous

OA Overeaters Anonymous

DA Debtors Anonymous

SLAA Sex and Love addiction Anonymous

Smart Recovery

Art Therapy

"Art Therapy is a powerful modality that reaches parts of the unconscious that other therapies don’t access with words alone. "

It can take diverse forms depending on the client’s expressive preference such as drawing, writing, sculpting, painting, sand play, role playing, making collages and dream journaling to name a few…

It is not about being skilled or trained but about being curious and wanting to connect, imagine and explore one’s inner and outer world.

It is recommended for clients who feel stuck in some way, overwhelmed and feel limited in their ability to see solutions for their challenges. Engaging the creative alongside the reflective mind can be seen as one of the objectives in art therapy.

Art materials can be used to externalise and contain as well as communicate emotions and situations that are difficult to put into words. Art therapy promotes new awareness and brain connections allowing new perspectives to form.

It has shown to be particularly effective in increasing self esteem, processing trauma, working through relational conflicts, alleviating anxiety, aiding depression and managing stress.

Contact me to learn more...