Sharadha Bain
Psychoanalytic psychotherapistAbout Me
Welcome!
My name is Sharadha Bain and I am a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice in Edinburgh.
I trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the Scottish Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists (SAPP), of which I am now a member. I am on the register of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC). Both SAPP and the BPC are accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
I am bound by the BPC’s Code of Ethics and committed to maintaining its high standards.
I have been in private practice since 1997 and therefore have over 20 years' experience in working with people from a range of professional and personal backgrounds, and many varied, complex life situations.
In my earlier career, I worked with several large business organisations. This has given me a personal understanding of the challenges and rewards of building a career and managing workplace relationships.
About Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Many people find that psychoanalytic psychotherapy is helpful in making fundamental changes to the way they feel about themselves, how they interact in relationships and how they experience life.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy offers a safe space in which you can talk openly about your difficulties, and together, with the help of your therapist, understand the origin of your struggles and find better and healthier ways of living. This can offer relief and bring a sense of new possibility.
Recognising that we all have an unconscious, psychoanalytic psychotherapy suggests there are many parts of ourselves of which we are not aware. It offers a deep understanding of how our early life relationships have shaped who we are and how we continue to live today.
It can often be surprising to see how heavily our present life choices are still heavily influenced by events in our early history. As we become aware of these connections between the past and the present, we are less limited by our history and can move forward in new ways.
The process of psychoanalytic psychotherapy is very different from talking to a friend or family member. While the familiar relationships in our lives are very important and can offer a lot of comfort, sometimes we might need more skilled support to deal with intense feelings, or address what’s happening in our life. In some situations, it can even be that family and friends are actually the source of our stress, and sessions with a professional therapist can be a safe harbour while we work out the complications in these other relationships.
Here are some examples of areas where psychoanalytic psychotherapy can be effective:
Mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression and psychosis
Psychosomatic conditions
Problems with family relationships
Trauma
Being bullied and abused
The effects of physical pain and illness
Low self-esteem
A pattern of painful or unsatisfactory relationships
Divorce
Bereavement
Chronic disappointments or conflicts at work
Feeling you are not fulfilling your potential.
Personal Development
The benefits of psychoanalytic psychotherapy extend well beyond easing suffering. The process is innately creative and freeing, bringing a sense of inner enrichment, aliveness and fresh possibilities.
Amid the stresses and strains of modern life and the repetitive pressures of career and family, parts of ourselves can get quietly buried away and remain unexpressed. Some people experience this as a vague sense of dissatisfaction, a feeling of something missing in life; others may feel they are not fulfilling their potential or that they are living life on half-burn.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a place where our forgotten or neglected selves can have a voice and come alive, adding new dimensions to our lives. This process is usually both moving and enlivening.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is also a space where the fundamental questions about oneself and one’s life can be explored. Engaging in this exploration can be very satisfying.
Issues often worked with
Therapy offered
Client groups
Fees
We begin with an initial consultation which can take up to 90 minutes; the fee for this consultation is £65.
This consultation gives us the opportunity to meet and gain a basic picture of who you are, and what you might be seeking help with. At this meeting, we will also be able to explore whether psychoanalytic psychotherapy might be an appropriate and useful intervention.
If we agree to embark upon therapy, we would arrange a format for working together - how many sessions a week, and for how long; fees and payment; and a schedule for sessions.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy can vary in terms of frequency of sessions and the duration of the therapy. Both of these depend on individual circumstances and what would feel helpful. There is no such thing as a "standard" treatment; it is always tailored to each person's specific needs.
Some people feel they would like to meet once-weekly; they may feel this is the right amount of support they wish for, and might not feel comfortable with more contact. There might also be practical considerations of time and money.
However, once-weekly therapy might not sufficient in many situations, particularly if there has been a great deal of struggle or distress. There might be a need for more contact and support, for in-depth help and understanding. Here, 'intensive therapy' would be recommended, which entails meeting several times a week.
The time and space offered by several sessions a week can facilitate a deeper exploration yourself and your life, your unconscious and its influence, and its myriad manifestations which include dreams and fantasies.
'Intensive therapy' is both a very supportive and also very creative process, and you may choose to lie on the couch if you wish.
Training and qualifications
Trained in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with the Scottish Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists (SAPP)
Registrant of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
Both SAPP and the BPC are accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA)