Commons Clinic - community psychotherapy for Haringey

Commons Clinic is a new community psychotherapy practice offering psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and counselling to people living in Tottenham, Turnpike Lane, Wood Green and surrounding areas.Our aim is to make psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapies more available to people and communities that might not otherwise be able to access them. Our fees are set on a sliding scale based on the means of prospective patients and we operate a redistributive fee system in which people who can afford to pay at or near the market rate for therapy help subsidise those who cannot pay as much. We also try to work in a way that acknowledges the effects of race, class, gender, sexuality and other aspects of power and identity on how people experience themselves and the world around them.Clinic therapists have experience of working with—among others—grief, anxiety, depression and low mood, workplace stress, relationship issues, health and body problems, eating disorders, difficulties with focus and concentration, and the effects of trauma.To enquire about an initial consultation please email xx or for more about this kind of psychotherapy and how we work see below.FAQsWhat do 'psychoanalytic' and 'psychodynamic' mean?It's a good question. People argue over the difference in meaning between these words but we think the similarities are more important. Both psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapies depart from psychoanalysis, a form of psychotherapy sometimes referred to as the 'talking cure'.So what is psychoanalysis then?Psychoanalysis starts from two ideas: that the past informs the present and that there is a lot about ourselves that we don’t know. Over time, and through the special kind of speaking and listening that takes place in a psychoanalytic or psychodynamic therapy, we can alter our relationship to the structures, thoughts and feelings that cause us to suffer. Psychoanalysis can support emotional change and better relationships. It can bring greater clarity and freedom, deepening our capacity for work and creativity, love and play.Are psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and counselling the same thing?Again, there are different opinions about this. Some people see counselling as more focused and more short term than psychotherapy or psychoanalysis, while it is often said that psychoanalysis requires a greater frequency of sessions and supports deeper change than psychotherapy. We don't think the differences are very important. What is key for us is that in psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychodynamic counselling people are invited to speak as freely as they feel able about what is important.Who is this kind of therapy for?Psychoanalytic or psychodynamic work may suit people experiencing a crisis, turning point or ‘burnout’ as well as those wishing to address difficulties they have been living with for a long time. You may be feeling stuck or overwhelmed, isolated or angry, exhausted or blank - we invite you to come as you are.If you are unsure whether a psychoanalytic therapy is for you this can be discussed at an initial consultation.How much is an initial consultation?Clinic members do not charge for initial consultations.How often will I need to attend and for how long?A frequency of at least one session per week is usually required for this kind of therapy. Your therapist or analyst may propose meeting more frequently. Work can be open-ended or for an agreed time period.Are the therapists qualified?All clinic members are fully qualified, insured and registered with the appropriate professional bodies (UKCP/BACP).