Dr Bonnie Pang (PhD)
About me
Bonnie is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist (trainee) at The Guild of Psychotherapists. She has a part-time private practice in West London (Maida Vale) and South London (Southwark and London Bridge).
Bonnie provides individual adult psychoanalytic psychotherapy for a wide range of issues​ including grief and loss, depression, trauma, and struggles with shame and guilt. She has a special interest in working with patients from artistic, performance, and sports backgrounds as well as in the treatment of:
-
performance anxiety
-
digital addiction
-
psychosomatic disorders
-
migration and belonging difficulties​
​
As well as a clinician, Bonnie is a recognized academic and has published widely and lectured internationally on topics related to migration, identities and inequalities, and the body/embodiment in sport and health-related contexts. Her time is spent across clinical practice, research, supervision and teaching, and centre management.
Bonnie has a vast amount of volunteer experience working with diverse and/or vulnerable people in public and third sectors including The Guild of Psychotherapists (Low Cost Service), Second Step, Mind, Voice Cambodia, St Vincent de Paul Society, Hong Kong (HK) Correctional Services Department, HK Police Force, and HK Society for Community Organization.
How does it work?
​
Psychoanalysis is a talking therapy which focuses on understanding early life events and the influences on a person's underlying emotional conflicts, unconscious process and personality and development. It differs from other approaches and offers insights that other modalities often cannot provide.
​
In psychoanalysis, the patient is encouraged to speak freely (free association) while the therapist's role is to listen and help the patient in understanding their own unconscious. ​​A symptom (e.g. anxiety, depression) is not seen as a disease to be cured but as an important message worth listening to and understanding. Symptoms are viewed as expressions of deeper needs and desires. Listening in psychoanalysis is very different from other kinds of listening (e.g. from a trusted friend). It aims at listening at the unconscious.
​
In sessions, the therapist helps the patient to uncover the unconscious (the hidden parts that could be disturbing or traumatic) and to understand the repeated patterns and unconscious logic that affects one's thoughts and actions. This process is helpful for resolving internal conflicts, promoting personal growth and transformation.
​
No two people are the same. Although social and cultural factors (external reality) is influential in shaping who we are and become, the same external forces do not impact equally on us. Two people can have similar upbringing and experience the same situation but respond to it differently. It is the need to attend to such individual differences and to understand each person's unique internal worlds that psychoanalysis is about.
​
Working together
​
Life can sometimes feel overwhelming, bringing emotions and thoughts that cause anger, frustration, confusion and despair. People come to see a psychotherapist for a variety of reasons. You may be struggling with difficult emotions that you can't quite articulate. This is where psychoanalytic psychotherapy comes in, a place for you to express those feelings and put into words.
​
Free free to contact me if you have any questions about how psychoanalytic psychotherapy works, or to arrange an initial consultation.
​​
To make an appointment, you can contact me via email: bonniepang.practice@gmail.com or fill in the contact form.
​
If I have availability, I will offer you an initial assessment consultation. During the consultation, we will discuss your background, what has led you to seek psychotherapy, and whether I would be the right person to help with your difficulties. The assessment session would give you an idea of how I work, what is expected of you and what you can expect of me.
​
Therapy sessions are open-ended and are usually one, two or three times weekly at an agreed regular time. Sessions last for 50 minutes. ​​
​
Fees are assessed on an individual basis and depends on the frequency of sessions which can be discussed during our initial consultation. I reserve some places for low-cost therapy to people who are unwaged or are students. I accept self-referrals and referrals from healthcare professionals.
​
I am a registered member with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). I fully abide by their professional code of ethics and professional practice.
​
Language: English, Cantonese
​​