DR LAURA LUM BSC, PSYCHD, MAPS
· Psychologist · Nutritionist · Research Scientist · GAPS™ Practitioner ·
Emotional health is more than the absence of a problem and psychological therapy is much more than a focus on troubling symptoms that led to a diagnosis such as depression, bipolar, OCD or anxiety.
Psychological therapy helps you make the most of difficult experiences so that these very experiences promote growth and psychological ‘core strength’. After all, just as careful physical training improves our abdominal ‘core strength’, psychological therapy improves psychological ‘core strength’ helping you bounce back from setbacks with more resilience and make the most of what life presents.
While therapy is an involved process, the therapeutic process doesn’t always need to feel heavy or mysterious to be effective. Warmth, empathy, sensitivity and gentle humour enrich a good working relationship and create a safer place to learn more about yourself. Just as we need nutrients to be physically healthy and prevent illness, we also need psychological nutrients to remain vibrant, clear minded and emotionally resilient. Accessing a state of ‘play’ is a valuable ‘psychological nutrient’ in day-to-day living. In essence, what you are doing in therapy is ‘playing’ with different ideas and ways to approach your relationships, situation and future.
A psychologist supports you in coping with various situations in your life, the extent to which your perspective shapes your mood and how you navigate and understand all options available to you.
Regarding specific psychological therapies, there are times (such as a phobia) where structured tangible support (like CBT) helps you feel empowered and teaches you how to tackle fears and habits that have been getting in the way of your life. Other times, you may be struggling with a relationship difficulty and significant life change. In these cases a more in-depth therapeutic approach to help you improve the quality of your relationships and address unhelpful habits, assumptions and rules for living may be more appropriate.
PSYCHOLOGY CLINIC
THERE IS NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH
Laura draws on a diverse range of modalities to empower clients with the appropriate tools for effective solutions.
INTERPERSONAL THERAPY
Our relationships have a powerful effect on self-confidence & mood. Develop strategies to bolster the quality of your relationships & resolve conflict
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY
This empowering clinically-proven, skill building, goal-oriented therapy is structured and a potent tool to help you overcome a range of problems from anxiety & depression to chronic pain
SCHEMA FOCUSED THERAPY
Understand your schemas or 'life traps' and how they both assist and hinder you. Break self-defeating patterns and free yourself from self-limitations
PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY
Resolve recurring life patterns, complex emotions and limiting self-structures by working with unconscious processes and how they affect behaviour
HUMANISTIC THERAPY
There are times when what you need most is a caring, safe, encouraging
relationship which places you at the heart of the process
ACCEPTANCE & COMMITMENT THERAPY
There are some things in life that are exceedingly difficult and are not necessarily going to change. Find relief by working with your beliefs, values, and what is meaningful
COACHING PSYCHOLOGY
Use positive psychology to help clarify your values, work with your strengths, resolve barriers to change and flourish
Use this powerful self-help tool which incorporates meridian point knowledge to access and address emotions that are often difficult to 'think' about
EFT (EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE)
PSYCHOLOGY CLINIC FAQ
What can I expect during my first psychology consultation?
Laura will guide the discussion by asking you questions about your life past, present and future. As you begin to talk, Laura will build a clearer understanding of your life experiences, what’s been on your mind more recently and, of course, what you’re hoping to get out of your time together. This discussion forms the beginning of therapeutic goals and focus, which will continually be refined with each session. During this meeting, Laura will share her initial impressions and recommendations for the next steps to take.
What do follow-up psychology consultations involve?
Each session builds upon the next, however therapy isn’t necessarily a linear process. Life events pop up, blind spots may be uncovered, and new areas of focus may emerge. This change and movement is part of an important process of personal development and beneficial change.
Laura will involve you in the process of therapy and at the end of each session, the key takeaway points may be discussed with the rationale for any between session ‘experiments’ or ‘play’ explained and co-created.
A formal review of your progress is generally conducted after 6 sessions. This is a good opportunity to help you review your good progress and highlight what you have learned, what’s been helpful in tackling specific issues and what you are currently working towards. This is often referred to as a blueprint plan. Blueprinting is much like a ‘message in a bottle’ that you can refer to in future should you need to.