Psychodermatology

What is psychodermatology?

Skin is the largest organ of the body and the most visible. It’s vital to our sense of well-being. Beyond the range of life issues we may all encounter, people living with visible differences face a daily challenge in the unpredictable responses of others.

Some skin diseases involve other bodily systems. Some are life-limiting or disabling.  Some are inherited, adding an extra layer of complexity to family relationships.

Our specialist Mrs Kate Moss has special interests in psychoanalysis, professional resilience, disability and visible difference, generational transmission of trauma, skin diseases and institutional dynamics.

Why psychotherapy for skin diseases?

There is no magic cure for many skin conditions, but their psychodynamics warrant attention and have occupied the psychoanalytic world since the founding fathers – Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud – considered word association and skin as erotogenic zone.

Time and space with a clinician who can think about the brain-skin axis may help in coming to terms with one’s singular inheritance, fostering a wider embrace of life.

What to expect

You will be offered an initial meeting of up to an hour and a half to form a picture of your reasons for coming and establish whether you are likely to benefit from this approach. If so, a series of regular sessions with our specialist will be agreed. If psychotherapy seems less likely to be helpful, alternatives will be discussed, including onward referral options.

To book your consultation appointment and discuss your suitability for this treatment, please get in touch.

Psychodermatology fees