Dr Toula Gordillo

Interview and Article MICHELLE R PRICE

There is a new line of thinking when it comes to how best to help people dealing with mental health issues. Dr Toula Gordillo is a Clinical Psychologist and is trialling some new approaches with her clients.

Dr Gordillo is a former teacher, guidance officer and acting Head of Student Services in schools. She is passionate about working with and changing the lives of young people. In her practice, she sees people with every kind of mental illness.

Over the past 10 years Dr Gordillo has been researching ways to combine Psychology and creativity. Her research has shown her that young people use stories and images, online and offline, as a way of coping with their problems. She uses stories and images to share mental health messages with clients. “Once I enrolled in a Doctorate of Creative Arts degree, my world suddenly opened up. I did a lot more research into Jungian Psychology and became a Jungian Psychotherapist… then I started exploring how to combine Psychology with spirituality in consultation with young people. I call it Jungian Action Research.”

She added, “Over the years I have seen changes in society and it’s a reflection of what’s happening with the youth, or what they present with… I’m seeing more recreational drug use, so I incorporated that into my doctoral novel, ‘Shadows of Sylvaheim’.” Dr Gordillo also wrote the young adult Jungian fantasy fiction novel to help young people cope with grief and loss, anxiety, depression and alcohol use.

Dr Gordillo explained that Jung was a Swiss Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, “He spoke about a number of themes, including something called ‘archetypes’. “Archetypal patterns or forms are the symbols that we use in our everyday life which we may not recognise…’mother’ is an archetype because there are many different types of mothers,” she said.

“So, when I’m working with a young person, let’s say I am counselling someone who has very vivid dreams and they’re going through a trauma in their life, I will help analyse the symbols or archetypal patterns with that young person. As part of their dream analysis, I will try to identify what may be the root cause of their mental health issue.”

During her Story Image Therapy (SIT)®, Dr Gordillo will also ask young clients to draw mandalas to answer a particular question. She will then help to analyse the symbols in the mandala to identify what might be lingering within their unconscious mind that may be contributing to their continued mental health problem.

Moving forward, Dr Gordillo would like to help others in her line of work understand the importance of combining the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual or philosophical aspects for a more holistic type of Psychology. She admits, “It’s a challenge when you have an established system to try and work within that system but also work in being true to yourself as well.

“That’s been a bit of a challenge for me, trying to… combine both and still work within the medical model but I’ve managed to do it,” she said. And it would seem, the proof is in the pudding, Dr Gordillo saying she is booked out weeks in advance.

‘Shadows of Sylvaheim’ is due to be published by Feather Knight Books in October 2021. ‘The Magic of Jung’ is due for release shortly after.

www.toulagordillo.com