Ben has over 20 years’ experience working as a psychologist and psychotherapist. He has worked in private practice, hospitals, medical centres, research institutes, schools, prisons, corporations, family court services and community agencies.
With a professional yet good-humoured and approachable nature, Ben focuses on helping the healing process by holding space with compassion and structure and promoting the development of life wisdom: post-traumatic stress can be converted to post-traumatic personal growth.
It is important to find the right balance of open mindedness and helpful skepticism; to achieve self-empowerment by tapping into inner strengths. Utilising the psychodynamic and the dialectical approach: where the most important thing a therapist can do is to be on your side AND to challenge you to find better ways to navigate problems and even learn and grow from them. You don't need harsh grandstanding or a cold technocrat, nor do you need an enabler who is complicit in any floundering and confusion. Getting the balance right is crucial and based on experience and clinical praxis.
Ben works in most areas and treats most conditions, specialising in complex cases, trauma (providing EMDR) and existential crises (often driving depression and anxiety symptoms), working with family systems and helping people find purpose and meaning on their life path. Ben also provides hypnosis, mindfulness training, personality assessment, forensic and legal reporting and is a board-approved clinical supervisor.