Hilary Holland - Training & Experience

My training is in Transactional Analysis which is a therapy based on how we learn about ourselves, others and the world in our family of origin and the impact this has on our behaviour and relationships as adults.  TA has a cognitive/behavioural component which is particularly useful in short term work, but is also a good starting point for longer term psychotherapy.  The focus of TA is on relationships and how we relate to others and I believe it is the therapeutic relationship which is the most important aspect in facilitating clients to make changes in their lives.

As a TA practitioner I am committed to my own personal and professional development which includes ongoing therapy and supervision.  I am particularly interested in the relational aspect of psychotherapy and bodywork psychotherapy.  Over the years I have attended workshops, seminars and conferences particularly focussing on the therapeutic relationship.  I have found the writing of Irvin Yalom, an Existential Psychotherapist, of particular interest – he writes movingly about his relationship with his clients during therapy. 

My interest in bodywork psychotherapy started when I read the book “Why Love Matters”, written by Sue Gerhardt who is a psychoanalytical psychotherapist. This brought together my understanding of why our early years are so important to our development and how trauma impacts on the young child to cause problems later on in life.  I have also found Babette Rothschild, a Body Therapist who has developed a therapy for traumatised clients with anxiety and panic attacks, particularly helpful in my work with clients suffering from trauma and loss.

My 12 years of work in the GP Surgery have given me a wealth of experience in working with clients ranging in age from 17 – 80 with various cultural and ethnic backgrounds.