Katherine Engel Psychotherapy
Couples Therapy, Art Therapy, and Psychotherapy in Frome, Somerset
Find out more about the different therapies that I provide
Couples Therapy
Couples Therapy helps couples set aside regular time to explore their relationship and whatever the difficulties are that bring them to therapy, supporting them in finding new ways of communicating and listening to each other.
Couples will have the opportunity to learn from each other, gain a greater understanding of their relational patterns, learn some skills to manage the difficulties and work on developing better ways of building connection and relating. When things are difficult or have been a struggle for some time, we can lose sight of what works between us. We will take time to discover and build on the strengths you already have as a couple.
Relationships take work. The initial stages of a relationship can be hard to maintain and we can wonder what’s changed or whether something has been lost. Major life events such as loss of jobs, having a child, family loss and bereavement, disagreement in the wider family, illness and health worries have an impact on a couples and can mean the relationship takes a hit.
Some relationships struggle with frequent conflict or arguments that undermine the rest of the relationship. For others it may be that there is a sense of growing distance or disconnection that feels hard to bridge. Issues can arise around trust and intimacy, difficulties in sex and differences in levels of sexual desire all also take a toll.
All these difficulties and changes in the emotional or physical aspects in a relationship can lead people to questioning whether they should stay together or separate.
Starting Couples Therapy and letting someone into your relationship can feel like a daunting and exposing experience. I am there to support you through the process of starting to work in this way and to create a safer space to talk together creating space for new possibilities.
I work with all kinds of couples (regardless of sexual orientation, gender, age, ethnicity, spirituality or belief) and sometimes other relationship pairs that seek to improve their understanding of the challenges, struggles and tensions that affect their relationship together.
If you want to find out about developing your relationship together then get in touch.
Art Therapy
Art Psychotherapy uses creative expression as the way exploring and creating meaning in the therapy process. There are many ways to use imagery in therapy including making, discussing artworks and images, using images or objects in my room or talking about dreams, metaphors and other imaginary images.
I bring my understanding of the benefits of the creative process and my knowledge of how artistic processes and products can help us to reflect on ourselves. Art Therapy can be a useful approach for many and no skill in artmaking is required - what is important is an interest in finding out how creative expression can support you as an individual. Making or playing with art materials can help us to think things through and to talk about things that feel difficult. Artmaking in art therapy is not a requirement. I will not push you to make art before you are ready. There can be many reasons why artmaking can feel difficult, and we can also explore creative blocks.
An Art Therapy session will usually include a varying mixture of making, looking and talking. Each individual is supported to choose how the time is used. A range of different art materials are offered in the space for people to explore and play with and each individual chooses what they want to use, what to make or draw and for how long. I might sometimes make suggestions, but these are for you to decide whether you want to do them or not. The exception to this might be the first session which will be a little more guided and have more time spent discussing what bought you to art therapy and what you hope to get out of coming to art therapy.
Artwork created in art therapy is kept safe by the art therapist for the duration of the work together. The artwork made remains yours and you will have the chance at the end to decide what you want to do with your work. Artmaking can sometimes develop into a resource that clients develop to support themselves in life outside and after therapy.
When doing Art Therapy online, whilst many of the general ways of working are similar there are some slightly different responsibilities to consider. To explore how Art Therapy could help you get in touch.
Pesso Boyden Psychotherapy
This method of psychotherapy offers a powerful way of using our challenges and struggles to access deep seated patterns and work to transform our relationship to them. It seeks to access the deeper knowledge from our bodies to understand where we are at and works to build creative experiences using the imagination, objects, cushions and blankets and – when undertaken in groups – role figures.
It offers hope through body-based interventions that draw on our deep needs and desires to create an alternative felt experience in the body. It works to move on from just looking at the trauma of what happened to us to really focus on what we need to experience to heal. This emphasis on healing and building a new perspective is key to the method.
The Pesso Boyden method offers a way to attend to intergenerational trauma and early experiences that may reside outside of our conscious memory and thoughts. Clients often report experiencing significant shifts in their way of operating in the world.
Pesso Boyden work can be undertaken less regularly than usual psychotherapy models either individually or in groups. In Pesso Boyden therapy a session is called a ‘structure’ . To discuss ways in which Pesso Boyden could be a part of your therapy process contact me.
Get in touch
Feel free to send me a short message if you have any questions about how therapy works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
I offer a free 15 minute phone call to discuss any initial queries you may have. You can call me on 07858289395 or email me at to leave a message or arrange a time to speak to me. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
I normally aim to respond to enquires within 2 working days, and all contact is strictly confidential.
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