Dr. rer. nat Silke Kuball,
M.A. Dip HIP.
Member of Bcpc,
UKCP registered.
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” – Rumi
I know that there is a unique, incredibly alive, whole and authentic part at the centre of each one of us and that being in contact with this Self is vital to achieve health, joy and meaning in life. Traumatic, stressful or overwhelming life experiences, especially when these happen during early childhood or adolescence, often disconnect us from our connection to the Self. For many therefore, access to the Self is thwarted, obstructed and even blocked completely. Sometimes there is the feeling that such a Self doesn’t even exist. This disconnect from Self can lead to a wide variety of distressing symptoms, including depression, anxiety, terror, phobias, feelings of loneliness and isolation, lack of purpose and meaning, numbness, boredom, a sense of inner emptiness, feelings of confusion, disorientation, grief and loss. People may try to escape from these unbearable feelings and may use alcohol, recreational drugs or engage in other forms of addiction, even workaholism. This creates additional problems affecting healthy functioning in life, potentially leading to an ever greater downward spiral.
When we make the decision to embark on a therapeutic journey of recovery and healing from our dysfunctional life patterns and traumatic wounding, it can lead us into the search of who we really are. We can start to become more authentic and true to our Self. I believe that it is the role of a humanistic integrative psychotherapist to explore and use ever new ways of assisting a person on this journey.
“If you love love look for your self” – Rumi
I qualified as a humanistic integrative psychotherapist with bcpc in Bath in 2015. I was drawn to this path in 2004 when during a time of ill health I experienced my own first therapy. When I had my first session in therapy it was as if a window was opened and a breath of fresh air entered into a long abandoned room; I knew then that this was my path. My intense and long training with bcpc allowed me to study a variety of approaches, my own way of working emerged out of this and my work at The Oxford Development Centre draws on person-centred and psychodynamic approaches, Gestalt therapy, Jungian concepts, body-centred approaches such as Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM) and Mindfulness.
I work from within a relational approach, which places a relationship of trust, presence, non-judgmental and open dialogue and confidentiality at the basis of the work between client and therapist. My work places the client and their experience at the centre of the work. I base my work on deep empathy for others and on conscious attunement with my client. I tailor my approach to each of my clients’ individual needs and their unique experiences, ensuring that all therapeutic work takes place within their window of tolerance in order to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation and dissociation in therapy. For some clients, especially if they have experienced complex trauma the therapeutic journey can take time as it is of utmost importance to work always within what feels possible and safe to a client at any given point in time and to strengthen, empower and resource each client as much as possible.
It is my experience, however, that within a trusted and holding therapeutic relationship previous attachment-based trauma can be re-patterned, survival-based fear structures can be transformed and new healthier ways of being can be experienced and embedded in life. This leads to a reduction in distressing symptoms, an increase in self-regulation and overall improvement in health, functioning and well-being.
As a therapist I see myself as a facilitator of each of my clients’ unique healing journey. I believe it is therefore of vital importance that I have also undergone my own therapeutic work and travelled on this journey. Like all therapists at The Oxford Development Centre I am deeply committed to my own inner therapeutic and personal work on an ongoing basis throughout my work as a humanistic integrative psychotherapist.
I have experience working in both Academia and large organisations and am familiar with the issues and pressures that can arise in these settings. I speak both English and German and have a basic knowledge of French.
I work online via Zoom with my clients. Although this may feel different at first from being in a room together it is my experience that a connection can be created in this way and a safe space held for us to explore together what you choose to bring.
“…As your tears fall over that wounded place,
May they wash away your hurt and free your heart,
May your forgiveness still the hunger of the wound.
So that for the first time you can walk away from that place,
Reunited with your banished heart, now healed and freed
And feel the clear, free air bless your new face.”
– John O’ Donohue