Adam Saltiel

Many people seek therapy when grappling with painful and often confusing feelings connected to complex aspects of their lives, such as questions of sexuality, sexual identity, the pain of loss or displacement (including cultural shifts), and the profound impact of past physical or sexual abuse. These feelings can be of self-blame, lack of self-worth, depression, despair and helplessness. I provide a space to explore and understand a spectrum of challenging internal states - compulsive or obsessive thoughts, sadness, depression, and anxieties that are often felt as overwhelming feelings of vulnerability and fear. I also assist with relational difficulties, helping individuals, partners, and families to understand and resolve conflicts. Drawing on a diverse range of psychoanalytic ideas, I work to illuminate the inner world, often making the intolerable tolerable through self-understanding, supporting you to develop resilience and achieve greater personal fulfilment.

I am a London-trained psychoanalytic psychotherapist with over 35 years of experience. My foundational training was with the Arbours Association, a pioneering institution known for its innovative approach to understanding psychological distress, influenced by figures such as Dr. R.D. Laing, Dr. Joseph Berke, Dr. Morton Schatzman and many others in the field. This entailed extensive, intensive training that deeply informed my commitment to the 'talking cure' and my belief in supporting individuals in understanding and transforming their own lives. Over the years, I have had various voluntary official roles representing the Association of Arbours Psychotherapists and the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy umbrella group, the CPJAC.

My specialisms encompass a broad range of challenges individuals, couples, and families face. I offer support for: Deep-seated emotional difficulties: Including depression, anxiety, sadness, despair, feelings of helplessness, and struggles with self-worth. Complex relationship dynamics include difficulties connecting with others, breakdowns in couple relationships, and parent-child conflicts, regardless of age. Compulsive and addictive behaviours: Addressing issues like sex, gambling, and substance use, as well as other confusing or disruptive patterns. Healing from past experiences: Working through the impact of trauma, deprivation, and physical or sexual abuse. Navigating personal identity and life changes: Sexuality, cultural identity, loss, and finding a sense of purpose. Providing focused support during periods of crisis. Additionally, I offer individual and group supervision for those in the therapeutic field.

My therapeutic approach centres on self-understanding, enabling you to feel more at ease with yourself and others. Therapy is a unique space where, through dialogue, we explore your inner world - the invaluable landscape of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Even when it feels painful, isolating or overwhelming, we work to bring what is unspoken or hidden into clear focus. We will also explore how past experiences, including early life, might shape your present. The therapy process involves gently making sense of painful or confusing experiences, helping you truly hear yourself and build trust in your perceptions. As we collaboratively explore the intricacies of your unique self, linking new insights to your daily life and relationships, you will develop resilience, find greater personal fulfilment, and begin to transform these challenges into opportunities for growth. I also bring an appreciation for cultural aspects into our work, understanding that our backgrounds, family backgrounds, and experiences shape and enrich our individual experiences, which are part of the therapeutic journey.