the conversational model

Human suffering is as old as time, as is the impulse to comfort those in distress, confusion, or grief. When suffering persists and cannot be soothed or treated through familiar means, it often signals that the pain lies beyond conscious awareness and the reach of words. Such hidden wounds call for a particular kind of attention.

Psychotherapists trained in the Conversational Model of Psychotherapy hold a deep understanding of how developmental history, trauma, and the impacts of oppression - such as colonisation or dictatorship - shape the brain’s neurobiology, and of the central role that connection and relationship play in healing. Within the therapeutic conversation, subtle clues emerge that guide both therapist and client in exploring and making sense of the inner world.

Over time, the safety and trust built in the therapeutic relationship allow a new shared narrative to emerge. This narrative strengthens our connection to self and opens space to experience the fullness of life when all aspects of who we are can be acknowledged and understood.

About the Conversational Model

The Conversational Model is a psychodynamic psychotherapy developed over many years by Professor Russell Meares and Dr Robert Hobson. It is a relational approach, highlighting how early developmental trauma shapes many severe adult psychiatric difficulties, and how these can be addressed through short, medium, and long-term therapy.

Drawing on contemporary outcome research, affect theory, neuroscience, infant studies, and trauma research, the Conversational Model shows a strong evidence-based for positive treatment outcomes for depression, deliberate self-harm, complex somatic disorders, and personality disorders. Its principles are also practical and down-to-earth, making them useful even in emergency settings and single-session mental health assessments.

The Model has been especially developed for the treatment of chronic psychiatric syndromes that are often difficult to manage, including personality disorders, dissociative disorders, treatment-resistant depression, and somatic disorders.