MEET THE TEAM – DAVID WEALE

What is your favourite thing about being therapist?

It is a privilege to share so many deeply personal and often, painful and challenging lives that our clients entrust us to hold and help them understand and for them to hopefully become more confident in who they are. I have always worked in a profession where I want to support others – teaching, charity projects, child based educational therapy. Being a psychotherapist is for me, the culmination of all those experiences and one that focusses on individual trauma, suffering, confusion about who a person is, and a desire to change. It’s not an easy choice by any means but it can be deeply rewarding to share a clients’ journey to a hopefully calmer and more satisfying place in their lives – one where they are able to experience joy, satisfaction and an acceptance of who they are and to find greater love and kindness towards themselves.

What is the most common/frequent issue people are bringing to therapy?

Anxiety, low self-worth and self-esteem are high on the list. Childhood trauma like sexual abuse is often present. A lack of self-care through alcohol, drugs, sex is another prevailing issue. A lot of my clients struggle with their sexual identity. With couples, it invariably comes down to not really knowing each other and a lack of communication that is constructive and empathetic towards each other. Infidelity is often part of the issues presented too.

Is therapy an art or a science?

It depends on the modality of the therapy being offered. Most of it is an ever-changing mix of theory, some new and some old. However, for me, therapy is really about what happens between the client and me and what that relationship can do to open up an experience that can support and benefit the client with whatever they bring to therapy. The hoped for goal is for a client to become autonomous and free from whatever they feel or have experienced that may be dragging them down and preventing them from being who they really want to be – to discover their authentic selves.

What do you do for your own self-care?

Exercise, fresh air, gardening, films, reading, time with friends – not always managed very well!

What is the book/movie that comforts you?

Anything by Alan Hollinghurst, particularly The Swimming Pool Library. Film: Moonlight (serious); Bridesmaids (hysterical).

What’s in a joke?

Laughter

Tell us one:

Boris Johnson is Prime Minister! (sorry, I mean Bob the Builder)