Ms Jan Campbell-Thompson

A conversation with Jan Campbell-Thompson

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  After a life time of traveling widely both geographically and within the land of myself, it was a natural progression.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  In particular Platonic ideals and Existential concepts have and still do influence my thinking and practice.
  I hope that my way of Being both in my work and in the world can show others there are many alternatives in life. Things are not as polarised - one way or another - as we might have been lead to believe. A middle road always exists and often we veer off that too.
  As humans we can only do our best at any one moment in time.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  The journey of the soul is my main focus. Learning to pay attention to our inner life, to that 'still small voice within,' can assist in coming to know that we are not alone; we are all connected.

• What methods do you use?

  Primarily my approach is Pschyoanalytic, Psychodynamic, but it is what happens in the moment between my patient and I which matters the most. Paying attention to the body, the interpretation of dreams and breathing techniques are merely some of the modalities which might be employed.
  The patient and I pay a lot of attention to images that emerge in the work.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

  The patient/client is the only one who can determine that. From my perspective the work of therapy is NOT a linear process. When I agree to commence work with an individual, I am agreeing to remain in the relationship, to assist it to grow in order for a deeper understanding of a person's way of Being, to develop

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  As far as I'm concerned, therapy is the greatest gift I've ever given to myself and I have no doubt whatsoever, that I would not be the Woman I am today without it. The thing with therapy/analysis is that even when its over, it isn't. What an individual learns about themselves during the process of the work stays with them. The ability to view one's behaviour and attitudes in any given situation is a rare and worthwhile insight.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  Having the privileged experience of seeing an individual come to their own particular measure of understanding and inner knowledge is what moves me the most. As we work together, the patient also teaches me a great deal about myself.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  It is important to realise that essentially the work is not about me. My focus must and does remain on the person in front of me.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

  The lack of care for our Mother planet.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  Oh so many...but Frida, the film about the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is a favourite of mine.
  The statue of Teresa of Avila by Bernini in Rome.