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Understanding Anxiety Through Zinker’s Lens: A Gestalt Approach to Energy Interruption

Understanding Anxiety Through Zinker’s Lens: A Gestalt Approach to Energy Interruption

by John Dray | 18th Mar 2025 | Psychotherapist Resources

Anxiety is a pervasive issue in modern life, often characterised by feelings of restlessness, fear, and tension. In Gestalt therapy, anxiety is not merely a symptom to be alleviated but an energetic phenomenon that reveals profound insights into an individual’s...
The Spectrum of Narcissism: Shame, Rage, and the Value of Healthy Self-Love

The Spectrum of Narcissism: Shame, Rage, and the Value of Healthy Self-Love

by John Dray | 13th Mar 2025 | Mental Health and Wellbeing Articles, Mental Health Tips, Psychotherapist Resources

Narcissism is sometimes viewed solely through a negative lens—a trait that conjures images of arrogance, self-absorption, and grandiose behaviour. Yet, psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut reminds us that narcissism exists on a spectrum and plays an important role in healthy...
An Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)

An Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)

by John Dray | 9th Mar 2025 | Psychotherapist Resources

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative psychotherapeutic approach that views the mind as a system of “parts” working together—much like a family. These parts represent different emotions, behaviours, and roles that form as a result of life experiences. By...
Healing Shame Through Relationship: A Relational Psychotherapy Perspective

Healing Shame Through Relationship: A Relational Psychotherapy Perspective

by John Dray | 4th Mar 2025 | Mental Health and Wellbeing Articles, Psychotherapist Resources

Shame is a deeply painful emotion that arises when we feel we are fundamentally flawed or unworthy of acceptance, love, or belonging. It differs from guilt in that guilt often pertains to regret over a specific action—“I did something wrong”—while shame is a pervasive...
The Correspondence Between Shame, Guilt, and Trauma in Integrative Psychotherapy

The Correspondence Between Shame, Guilt, and Trauma in Integrative Psychotherapy

by John Dray | 28th Feb 2025 | Mental Health and Wellbeing Articles, Mental Health Tips, Psychotherapist Resources

In my work as an integrative psychotherapist, I frequently encounter the powerful interplay between shame, guilt, and trauma. These experiences are not just emotional states but profound forces that shape a person’s sense of self and their relationships with others....
The Invisible Consumer: Ageing and the Impact of Advertising on the Self

The Invisible Consumer: Ageing and the Impact of Advertising on the Self

by John Dray | 23rd Feb 2025 | Fun Tip, Mental Health and Wellbeing Articles

Somewhere around the age of 50, you might notice a peculiar shift in how the world communicates with you. Advertising, once an intimate dialogue speaking directly to your desires, needs, and aspirations, seems to turn its gaze away. Youthful models grace the...
Exploring Erskine’s 8 Relational Needs: Building Connection in Psychotherapy

Exploring Erskine’s 8 Relational Needs: Building Connection in Psychotherapy

by John Dray | 14th Feb 2025 | Mental Health and Wellbeing Articles, Mental Health Tips, Psychotherapist Resources

In psychotherapy, the focus often lies on fostering connection and understanding. Richard G. Erskine’s eight relational needs offer a practical framework for understanding human relationships and guiding therapeutic work. These needs help therapists and clients alike...
What Is the Overlap Between Curiosity and Attraction?

What Is the Overlap Between Curiosity and Attraction?

by John Dray | 13th Feb 2025 | Mental Health and Wellbeing Articles, Psychotherapist Resources

Curiosity and attraction are often seen as distinct emotional or psychological experiences. Curiosity is the drive to seek new information or experiences, while attraction refers to a pull towards someone or something. Yet, there is a fascinating overlap between the...
The Interplay of Compassionate Curiosity and Erotic Transference in Psychotherapy

The Interplay of Compassionate Curiosity and Erotic Transference in Psychotherapy

by John Dray | 9th Feb 2025 | Psychotherapist Resources

In psychotherapy, the therapeutic relationship is a space of profound emotional exploration. One of the more complex dynamics in this relationship is erotic transference—the projection of romantic or sexual feelings onto the therapist. Addressing this phenomenon with...
How Online Booking and In-Person Meetings Support Neurodivergent Clients

How Online Booking and In-Person Meetings Support Neurodivergent Clients

by John Dray | 5th Feb 2025 | Mental Health Tips, Psychotherapist Resources

How Online Booking and In-Person Meetings Can Support Neurodivergent Clients Neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, ADHD, and other cognitive variations, often face unique challenges when navigating traditional methods of interaction. In...
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Recent Posts

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    Recognising Selfobject Dynamics in the Consulting Room
    by John Dray
    April 8, 2026
  • Abstract representation of emotional responses to environmental change, showing fluid forms and shifting tones without text.
    Working Clinically with Eco-Anxiety and Climate Grief: Ethical and Therapeutic Considerations
    by John Dray
    March 26, 2026
  • An abstract watercolour of a human figure dissolving into relational patterns and environment, symbolising the absence of a separate inner self
    A conversation with AI about The Ghost in the Machine
    by John Dray
    March 21, 2026
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    Selfobjects and Developmental Trauma: A Self Psychological Perspective
    by John Dray
    March 8, 2026
  • Abstract watercolour-style image in shades of purple and blue suggesting relational diversity and fluid identity
    Reading on Bisexuality for Mental Health Professionals
    by John Dray
    February 25, 2026

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A Neurodiversity-Affirming Reading List for Therapists and Clients I was chatting with some other therapists about...

How Online Booking Systems Can Improve Accessibility for Neurodivergent Clients

How Online Booking Systems Can Improve Accessibility for Neurodivergent Clients

Nov 23, 2025

For many neurodivergent people—particularly those with ADHD, autism, or social anxiety—the process of arranging...

ADHD and Subscriptions – Why We Don’t Cancel and How to Take Control

ADHD and Subscriptions – Why We Don’t Cancel and How to Take Control

Nov 14, 2025

I often find myself unintentionally collecting subscriptions — streaming platforms, productivity apps, fitness...

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