Understanding yourself and your personal history is a sure-fire way to create less stress and trouble in your life.

The wisdom in the ancient instruction “Know Thyself” seems to be as relevant today as it has been for past millennia.  However, it seems that most of us still need a drastic shock or a deep depression to make us face ourselves; explore who we really are and ultimately, what our lives are about.

Tony Africano, principal therapist at The Lindsay Centre in Mount Lawley, believes that because many invest so much of their happiness into ‘outside things’ like primary relationships or career, a loss or major change in those areas can often feel totally devastating and insurmountable.  However, he goes on to suggest that this type of ‘shock therapy’ is only ever effective if it indeed breaks old habits, trends and inclinations.

“Unfortunately, humans have a tendency to repeat past patterns, sometimes unconsciously, and this can keep us suffering or stuck-in-a-rut.  Often people come to me initially only wanting to deal with a critical symptom like depression or a specific problem like a breakdown in a personal relationship.  Of course, at the outset my work is primarily about assisting clients with the immediate crisis, though with patience, time and willingness it is often possible to begin to deal with the underlying problem, in order to move towards healing and a contented future” says Tony.

The process of counselling or therapy can be essential in dealing with the affects, blockages and wounds of your past.   Tony suggests, “The aim of dealing with your past is simply to develop more of a chance to live in the present and to ultimately to make the most out of your future.

Taking responsibility for one’s own happiness may not always be easy or palatable but it’s one of the only ways to heal and move on from having to blame the world and/or it’s people for personal problems and limitations.”          

Tony believes that balance between your work and personal life is ultimately the key to a vital and successful life.  “I find that many people have enormous difficulty in creating balance in their lives.   It’s more and more common nowadays to find people who are over-committed and extremely stressed, struggling to find a healthy balance between their obligations and other areas of their lives, like leisure and personal relationships.”

Having to take responsibility for one’s own happiness is central to the healing process.  We also need to ensure that some degree of balance and proportion is applied to our lives as a whole.  “We do need to look at ourselves carefully and thoroughly.  The gentle process of counselling or psychotherapy can assist greatly in this.  Then, when we know and understand ourselves at some depth we can begin to live a life that’s more compatible with who we really are.”

Tony’s entrance into the healing profession has been a result of his own personal journey and training over the past twenty years.  He believes that a practitioner is best placed to deal with the suffering and distress of others by not only having undergone sound theoretical training but also via thorough knowledge of themselves.  As part of the professional preparation undertaken for this kind of work he has undergone hundreds of hours of his own personal therapeutic process.  From this foundation he has developed a professional style that many regard as skilled, compassionate and sensitively attuned to individual needs.

Tony holds Advanced Diplomas in both Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and Professional Counselling in addition to a Graduate Diploma in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.  He is a Clinical Member of the major professional associations governing the profession, including the Psychotherapists and Counsellors Association of Western Australia (PACAWA) and the Australian Counsellors Association (A.C.A).

Tony has also gained accreditation of the ‘National Register of Psychotherapists and Counsellors’ (Registration #20581) under auspices of the Psychotherapists and Counsellors Federation of Australia (PACFA).  He is also a Clinical Member of The Professional Counsellors Association of W.A (PCAWA).

The Lindsay Centre is located in Mount Lawley and continues to be a venue for both one-on-one and group counselling sessions.  Appointments can be made by calling Tony directly on 9228 1527 or emailing:  info@tlsc.com.au.

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