Line Henriksen
Counsellor and therapist, Brussels
My approach
I primarily base myself upon Transactional Analysis (TA), an effective approach to communication and psychotherapy that allows us to get to the core of a problem quickly and to identify how we may be preventing ourselves from living the lives we want. The models of TA are easy to understand and powerful in practice, and describe how decisions and beliefs from our childhood influence and often determine our adult lives. If these early decisions are no longer helpful to us as adults, TA is useful in replacing them with new, more constructive and positive ones.
I am also happy to integrate more existentially focused approaches in our work, which may be relevant if you come to see me in the middle of a life crisis. I have in-depth experience with the treatment of dependency issues, especially co-dependency, and am thoroughly familiar with 12-step work and able to include the steps in our therapeutic work.
The length of your therapy depends on your problem and your objective. TA often lends itself to fairly brief processes. In the end therapy is not about applying a theory, but about the individual: you and what you need at the point you are at in your life.
Why therapy
There are many reasons why at different points in our lives, we choose to consult a therapist. You may find yourself in a life crisis; perhaps you suffer from stress or feel overwhelmed by your own mind. You may want help to solve a specific personal problem or to make a major decision. You may be wanting to confront your past or to understand why you end up in the same frustrating situation over and over again.
By reaching out to a therapist, we ask for help, often help to change. That does not mean that we are incapable on our own; it means asking for input and insight from a neutral outsider, who has been trained to see things more clearly than we can on our own and to help us create the life we wish for.
The therapeutic relationship is based on respect, empathy and complete confidentiality. It is my task to guide you as you find your own answers and your own path in accordance with your values and who you are. I will help you see things from a different perspective and the options that on your own you have not taken into account.
When we first meet, I will ask you what you want to achieve by coming to see me. I may ask you to describe your life as it will be once you have completed therapy. In that way, we define an objective and you will be able to keep track of your development and recognise the end-point of our work. If you find that first question - "where do you want to go?" - hard to answer, that can in itself be a good point of departure for therapeutic work.
About me
I have completed a five-year programme in Transactional Analysis and am under supervision. I have extended experience with self-help groups and self-development, especially with workaholism and co-dependency, and have been counselling the relatives of alcoholics for twenty years. I am a member of Assobat, the Belgian association for transactional analysis, and abide by their rules of ethics, as well as ITAA, the international association of TA.
Originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, I have lived in the UK, Italy and, since 2005, in Belgium. I work in Danish, English and French.
I am also a simultaneous interpreter and hold a Ph.D. in literary studies and a B.Sc. (Hons) in psychology and counselling. Common to therapy, literature and the learning of foreign languages is a deep interest in the minds of other people. As I see it, both psychotherapy and literature search for the truth about us as human beings. What I love about therapy is the honesty and courage involved in reaching for that truth, and the immense sense of meaning when we achieve new liberating insight. It is a privilege to accompany others as they let go of what has been holding them back and take steps to improve their lives. It is my objective to help you find joy, peace of mind and a renewed sense of purpose in your life and relationships.
Contact
Line Henriksen
Phone: +32 485 206 990
Email: mail@linehenriksen.be
Consultations
14, Place Joseph Wauters
1170 Bruxelles (Boitsfort)
Public transport
Metro 5: Demey or
Hermann-Debroux
Tram 8: Parc Seny
Bus 41: Archiducs
Bus 95: Trois Tilleuls
Close to the E411