Services

Individual MetaPsychotherapy (IM) 

Healthy relationship with yourself is a cornerstone of emotional, mental and spiritual and wellbeing. Unfortunately, too often, people suffer from unhealthy dynamics which strain their mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing which in turn affects their relationships. The reasons why people come to individual therapy varies. Sometimes a crisis precipitates a need to resolve issues. Other times, people experience a slow burn of issues that they become increasingly unable to shift on their own. 

You didn’t create the problem you currently identify in isolation. You come from a particular family with its own intergenerational history, a social cultural context, and have lived in the world with various interactions which have all shaped who you are, how you cope with and adjust to life.  Some of that is conscious some unconscious.  

I offer private consultations to help you deeply explore the issues of concern that brings you to therapy using a systemic approach through individual metapsychotherapy (IT). You and I will deal with the complex interaction between the patterns that have developed in your inner world (between your- neuro—psycho – biology) and how that intersects with your current issues, history, possible past trauma(s) as well as the intersection with your existing family/support system. 

These sessions are virtual and online.  

Couple MetaPsychotherapy (CM) 

Healthy relationships are a cornerstone of health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, too often, many couples suffer from unhealthy dynamics which strain their relationships and affect each person’s mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. Many situations can trigger a crisis in a relationship. Often these crises represent unresolved attachment issues in one or both individuals, or unconscious underlying power struggles. When we find ourselves in a relationship crisis, our natural reaction is to defend against pain. These defence patterns are almost always rooted in childhood experiences and often evolve into maladaptive self preservations that are either minimizing (e.g. withdrawing, shutting down, avoiding) or maximizing (demanding, being critical, nagging).  

We experience this as either a painful loss of contact or painful contact. When these patterns get stuck in a loop, the relationship feels unsafe. This in turn leads to counter defence reactions to self preserve and avoid pain. Through couple MetaPsychotherapy I offer private consultations to help you deeply explore the issues that brings you into therapy. It is my experience that most couple-related issues take a longer time to reach shared understanding and resolution. In the initial stage each person in a couple may feel anxiety, distress, or some may act out in customary maladaptive patterns (leave, blame, avoid).  To create a robust and safe container in which this process can operate, the couple MetaPsychotherapy (CM) process I offer combines alternating one-on-one sessions with each individual followed by a couple session.

Family Metapsychotherapy (FM) 

Human beings greatest need is for belonging, connection and security. In most societies family provides and nurtures these core needs. Family is a cornerstone of health and wellbeing for all within the family system. Unfortunately, too often, many families suffer from unhealthy dynamics and strained relationships which affect everyone’s mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing.  

For many people, family is the source of disconnection, rupture, and insecurity. Many issues arise in families, some eventually leading to conflict, withdrawal and sometimes estrangement. The mental, emotional, physical health issues that arise from these can be devastating to individuals and families. 

Through Family MetaPsychotherapy (FM) I offer a unique process for family therapy by incorporating a variety of techniques. Drawing from Bowen’s family therapy, Minuchin’s Structural Family Therapy, and Hellinger’s Systemic Family Constellation I aim to help the family deeply understand often unconscious issues and patterns which disrupt or threaten to disrupt healthy relationships within the family system.

Systemic Family Constellation 

The philosophical orientation of Family Constellations comes from an integration of existential phenomenology, psychoanalytic theory, gestalt therapy, psychodynamic therapy, family systems therapy, trauma-informed therapy, and elements of indigenous Zulu mysticism & beliefs.   

Choosing to do a systemic family constellation is an opportunity to resolve deep issues on a personal and familial level. It appeals to people who have been aware of deeper issues that they have needed to explore. 

What to expect 

I offer systemic family constellation for individuals and groups. The family constellation process takes about two hours to conduct.  Many people find what emerges in the field of family constellation during a session is sufficient to resolve the issue they have come for.  Occasionally some people find additional layers that emerge that they wish to explore through another constellation or other forms of healing including psychotherapy.   

There are two phases to a systemic family constellation:  

It is my experience that some people find as soon as they book to do their constellation, they may start to experience various shifts that place; they remember issues, incidents, thoughts, or feelings arise, synchronicities occur with situations or people.  These are all normal shifts in the person’s conscious/unconscious energy getting ready to move.  

I offer private consultations for individuals to help you explore more deeply issues of concern to you and/or to explore the material emerging for you through participation in the other services in MetaPsychotherapy 

These sessions are virtual and online. Email for more information 

To book a systemic family constellation with Caroline Shahbaz Go here

OR 

For a free half hour consultation, Book here