Why are we 'Dovetail'?

Dovetail relates to a need to harmonise aspects of life that sometimes seem in conflict with one another. It was created as a result of our personal experiences of trying to integrate our creative lives, our careers and our caring commitments. That grappling led to something positive; the difficulties were the catalyst for the solution, not an impediment to it. We began to see a new way forward because we looked deeply at the difficulties, not because we distanced ourselves from them, or pretended they weren't there. 

 

It emerged as we went through our psychotherapy training that this relates to many aspects of peoples' lives; often what’s happening when you're dissatisfied, or unhappy, or experiencing inner distress, is that there are aspects of life that feel untenable, or incompatible, that need to come into dialogue with you, to be dovetailed, in order to move forward. So the difficulty itself becomes an awareness of potential.

 

Dovetail also suggests a need for joining. When someone receives a psychological diagnosis, it is nearly always seen to be something in isolation, something belonging to the individual alone. We see things differently at Dovetail Therapy, best described by an example: When mental health no longer feels ‘healthy’, it is often accompanied by feelings of social isolation; we feel we can’t burden others with the way we feel. Those feelings need to be part of the diagnosis. In other words, the fact that society alienates those with mental suffering is part of the problem; that is where society is sick and in need of healing, not you. In this way, ‘dovetail’ means making the join between your feelings and the way your relationships meet you in them (or don’t), more clear, healthy and strong. Sometimes that may mean breaking the join in order to make it stronger. By coming to us, we are already 'joining' together with you in your challenges. 

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Find out more about Philip here, and Laura here.