Psychotherapist

'What do you need to know about me?' I remember thinking exactly that during my very first therapy session. The therapist looked at me with a relaxed face that gave away little of her thoughts. I wondered what I could say that would be helpful to both of us to get started. Actually, I am still wondering. I said that I was Irish, which she had probably guessed, and that I came from a large family and that I grew up in the countryside.

During my first years at university I read politics, economics and logic. Very interesting but not interesting enough to keep me focused. I spent my time reading Albert Camus and hanging out in the students union. I met some brilliant people and discovered life. I spent a year in a full-time post organising concerts, comedy nights, Rag Week and a pirate radio station. I left university without a degree and started working for several music promoters.

In that way that life has of bringing up opportunities that are unexpected and life changing, I got offered a job with a company that had just been bought by the band U2. It was like running away with the circus. I moved to London with this job and began touring the world building stages for outdoor concerts during the summers. Over the winters I went on tours with smaller bands as a member of the lighting crew. This was an exciting period of my life and one that I will always treasure. I have so many great memories but eventually it was time to move on. I felt ready for university and knew I wanted to study engineering. I applied and was accepted by UCL.
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This attempt at university was very different. I loved the subjects, even maths where I struggled, and graduated with a 2ii. This was followed by a MA in Earthquake engineering at Imperial College. I graduated in the middle of a recession and was not able to get a job in engineering. In another of those twists of fate I ended up getting offered a role with an IT Consultancy. My next six years were spent as a consultant working on infrastructure project with many of the household names of British industry. No matter how big or heroic the projects that I worked on were, I felt an existential need to do more meaningful work.

It wasn't easy leaving a well paid consultancy job to set up a photography business. But had always been a hobby and I was good at it. Working as a photographer of families and weddings, I have produced some of the most rewarding work of my life It has been special to know that photos and albums that I have produced will almost certainly be handed on to another generation after I am gone. I came to value this sense of something more permanent and meaningful. This is probably what pushed me towards finding out what is important in life and the decision to train as a psychotherapist. After seven years of personal therapy, training and working as a therapist I qualified and now work in private practice.
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So there. That is something about me. I haven't told you everything. I haven't told you how I met my wife or that I have two children.  But hopefully I have told you enough for you to get a sense of who I am.

If you would like to contact me, then please call or text me on my mobile, 07776236398, or email me at patrick@patrickralph.net

Patrick Ralph





Quotes
"you cannot find peace by avoiding life" Virginia Woolf
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" don't just see, feel" Roy T Bennett
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"nobody realises that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal" Albert Camus

"simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures" Lao TzuIn