Approaches
Hey There
Dobie has equipped a range of evidence-based techniques and knowledge and primarily uses strength based approach and narrative therapy when working with her visitors.
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In Narrative Therapy, therapists consider the client as the person who come to visit, not come to seek for help. Dobie believes that therapeutic journey is an ongoing dialogue where prioritises listening to and taking the time to get to know her visitors and collaboratively determine the direction with each visitor.
Why Explore Childhood and Deep-Seated Trauma in Psychotherapy?
Many of our emotional struggles and behavioural patterns in adulthood have roots in early life experiences.
Attachment theory teaches us that the way we bond with our caregivers in childhood lays the foundation for how we relate to ourselves and others throughout life. When early attachments are insecure, inconsistent, or disrupted—due to neglect, abuse, abandonment, or emotional unavailability—we may develop patterns of anxiety, avoidance, or fear in relationships.
Psychodynamic theories add that many of our current thoughts, behaviours, and feelings are shaped by unconscious processes and early relational wounds. When difficult experiences are not fully processed or expressed, they often remain "out of sight" but continue to influence us beneath the surface.
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​Unresolved trauma can lead to:
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Relationship difficulties, such as fear of abandonment, trust issues, or emotional withdrawal
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Poor stress management, due to heightened internal threat response
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Use of defence mechanisms, such as denial, suppression, or emotional numbing
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Low self-esteem, shaped by internalised criticism or shame from childhood
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Mental distress, such as anxiety, depression, or chronic feelings of emptiness or disconnection​
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​​​​Sometimes, people are not fully aware of why they feel “stuck,” reactive, or overwhelmed. These invisible struggles can show up as physical symptoms, emotional dysregulation, or difficulty coping with everyday tasks.
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Psychotherapy offers a safe and structured space to explore these deeper layers of experience. Through building insight, making unconscious patterns conscious, and reprocessing painful memories, individuals can begin to heal, form healthier relationships, and reclaim a more stable and authentic sense of self.
How Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and The Unified Protocol Can Help
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Narrative Therapy:
Reclaiming Your Story
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Narrative therapy views people as separate from their problems. It helps individuals re-examine dominant stories shaped by past trauma, cultural messages, or negative labels, and uncover alternative narratives that reflect their strengths, values, and hopes.
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By externalising the problem, clients can gain distance from self-blame and reclaim authorship over their lives. This is especially powerful for those whose sense of identity has been shaped by early adversity, marginalisation, or complex trauma.
Solution-Focused Therapy:
Building on What Works
Solution-focused therapy focuses on what clients can do, rather than analysing what went wrong. It explores moments when problems were less intense and builds on clients’ existing resources, coping strategies, and goals.
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This empowering approach supports short-term progress and is particularly helpful for clients seeking clarity, confidence, and direction during life changes, stress, or emotional overwhelm.
The Unified Protocol:
Reduce Distress
The Unified Protocol is an evidence-based therapy designed to help you manage strong emotions and reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other emotional disorders.
By teaching practical skills for emotional awareness, flexible thinking, and healthy coping, the Unified Protocol empowers you to break unhelpful patterns, improve relationships, and enhance your quality of life. This structured, goal-oriented approach is effective across a wide range of emotional challenges and supports lasting, positive change.
Acknowledgement
Trees in Forest Counselling and Social Work Services acknowledges the traditional custodians of this beautiful land
which we are privileged to work and live on and we pay our respect to elders past, present and emerging.