What’s in a name …..and a logo!

Many people ask about the Time and Space name and logo. Where did you get it? What does it mean? In choosing a name for the practice, I wanted something people could identify with but also something that has its roots in the area I trained in – psychoanalysis. 

 

It is ironic that the two things needed for someone to undertake therapy are what they find least at their disposal – time and space. “ If only I had the time and space to do…” has become a common remark not just for investing in health and wellbeing but also to embark on more creative activities that would actually do us all good! Life has become very busy, time is precious and its value assessed with ever increasing focus and precision. 

 

The relationship between time and space has a much more fundamental concern in psychoanalytic therapy and the interaction of each element is important for the outcome of the therapy. In nature, the movement from one space to another involves the passage of time. Time links the two spaces. Unifying time and space contributes to relating the inner world of an individual with their external reality, a concept which is central in psychoanalysis. 

 

In constructing the logo, I choose a tree which is hugely symbolic of life and of human development. Trees are synonymous with the passage of time and are a source of fascination for nature lovers, gardeners, photographers and more. A tree’s strength lies in the foundations of its roots, its tenacity in the face of challenge and its comfort in its own skin, irrespective of the season that is in it. It knows there will be sunshine after rain and that spring will follow winter. A healthy tree produces abundant fruit. In describing the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), Mitch Elliott of The Irish Psychoanalytical Association, speaks of the ‘psychical tree’ that branches in two, one branch dealing with the survival of the race (via the sexual instincts), the other branch dealing with the survival of the individual (via the ego instincts). 

 

In the logo, the trunk of the tree has a twist, reminiscent of the helical structure of DNA, the blueprint of our genetic make up. This reflects the nature versus nurture debate that often takes place when discussing whether our emotions, behaviours and illnesses are predominantly due to our genes (and therefore we have no control of it) or whether the environment we grew up in has some bearing. I worked in medical genetics for many years so am well placed to discuss both aspects of this in a holistic manner which I will share with you in articles, sessions, talks and workshops. 

 

Finally, the three semi circles which form the arch over the tree in the logo. To begin with, they represent the sun which is critical to the life of the tree but also to life on earth. They also represent the three membranes which surround our brain, where we associate the location of our mind and where structures that constitute our senses, thoughts and memories are located. They also represent the structure of the psyche as described by Sigmund Freud, when he described the id (the primitive and instinctual part), the superego (the moral conscience) and the ego (that mediates between the id, the superego and a person's perception of reality). These structures and the conflict that plays out between them, are central to psychoanalytic therapy. 

 

All together, the name and logo represent my holistic approach when clients come for therapy, my focus on the individual in front of me and their personal story and my desire to help each client work through their difficulties to achieve a more healthy, fulfilled and creative self. In the words of the poet Rilke:  

 

If you need time and space in which to heal and grow, get in touch here.