Dr. Bradley Murray, DPhil, MEd, FIPA
Bradley Murray is a psychoanalyst and Registered Clinical Counsellor based in the North Shore who has been in private practice for 11 years. He offers consultations and therapy for individuals in the Greater Vancouver area, as well as throughout BC and in other provinces. He specializes in psychodynamic therapy, psychoanalysis, and cognitive-behavioral approaches.
Help that draws on research from established approaches to therapy and counselling
Insight and expression
Psychodynamic therapy allows individuals to explore associations between their past and present experiences, their typical relationship patterns, and connections among interpersonal challenges, emotional experiences, and psychological symptoms.
People who are drawn to this approach tend to like that therapy helps them understand themselves better, develop a more coherent life story, and work towards greater self-acceptance.
Read more about psychodynamic therapy and insight.
Cognitive behavioral strategies
CBT is an approach to therapy that emphasizes the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and influence each other. In other words, the way we think affects the way we feel and behave, and vice versa. CBT invites people to become aware of “cognitive distortions” in their thinking, and to build on behaviors they have found to be conducive to feeling better, and confront situations they have been avoiding through exposure exercises.
Therapy processes that allow for deeper change
Many clients benefit from the opportunity to undertake longer-term therapy processes. Similarly, there can be important benefits from having regular, predictable appointment times for the duration of therapy and counselling. Because of their training in long-term intensive therapy processes, psychoanalysts specialize in being able to offer therapy processes at varying levels of depth to meet the needs of clients.
Jointly developing the plan for therapy
During the initial consultation, in the initial sessions, and throughout the therapeutic process, we work cooperatively to develop a common understanding of goals and to revise our understanding of your concerns as the process unfolds.
This is part of the ongoing process of informed consent for therapy and counselling.
About the Practice
Dr. Murray often works with:
- young adults
- middle-aged adults
- university and college students
- organizational leaders and executives
- health care professionals
As a psychoanalyst, he helps people look inward so that they can thoughtfully work through aspects of their personal lives and relationships. Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies emphasize the development of insight over time as we explore what you are like as a unique individual. This is to avoid imposing pre-given or over-simplifying solutions to your problems.
Themes that often come up in Dr. Murray’s work with clients include:
- overcoming blocks or inhibitions to developing your capacity for creative expression, leadership, or other goals you are pursuing
- understanding your patterns in relationships
- addressing the feeling that you have been presenting a “false” self
- addressing feelings of shame and embarrassment
- learning about yourself and what you want
- dealing with experiences of boredom
- addressing patterns of avoidance (such as overusing social media or substances)
- gaining comfort with feelings that have been avoided
- facing difficult or traumatic memories
- intimacy, connectedness, trust
- being able to take care of others without sacrificing your own needs
- addressing aspects of yourself that feel undeveloped or stuck in early life
Many people have these kinds of concerns. It is also common for these concerns to lie at the root of distressing symptoms, such as depression and anxiety.
Dr. Murray also offers cognitive-behavioral (CBT) treatment, an approach to therapy that helps people address “thinking traps” and initiate behavioral strategies to help with specific psychological symptoms.
During the assessment phase, we will work collaboratively to develop an initial therapy plan that makes use of one or both of these approaches and that draws on psychotherapy research findings. This will take into account how long you have been struggling with your concerns and whether you have tried any counselling or therapy in the past.
I look forward to hearing from you if you are interested in beginning therapy or psychoanalysis. The process begins with an initial telephone or video consultation so that we can start the conversation and you can make an informed decision. If you will benefit from a kind of help that I do not specialize in, I will do my best to offer a referral to a suitable service or to a clinician within my referral network.
Professional Designations
- Psychoanalyst (FIPA), Fellow of the International Psychoanalytical Association & Member of the Canadian Psychoanalytic Society
- Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Member of the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors
- Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association
Education and Clinical Training
- IPA/CPS Accredited 4-Year Psychoanalytic Training (Toronto Institute of Psychoanalysis)
- MEd, Counselling Psychology (UBC); Clinical practicum in the Outpatient Psychiatry Program, Surrey Memorial Hospital
- BPhil, DPhil, Philosophy (Oxford)
- Training in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) (Adler Faculty of Continuing Education, Toronto)
- Training in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) (Omega Institute, NY)
Teaching Positions
- Faculty, Advanced Training Program in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Toronto Psychoanalytic Society
- Faculty, Psychoanalytic Training Program, Western Canada Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
- Chair, Leading and Learning Committee, Western Canada Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
- Psychology Program, University of Guelph-Humber
- Department of Philosophy, University of British Columbia
Approaches
- Psychoanalytic Therapy
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Integrative Psychotherapy
What is a psychoanalyst?
Graduates of psychoanalytic training programs have completed four years of theoretical and clinical seminars covering personality, development and therapy processes; have provided long-term 4x/week psychoanalytic treatments under close supervision; and have undergone a personal analysis.
Research and Writing
Insurance and Fees
The regular fee is $160 plus tax/45 minute session. Please check with your insurer regarding coverage.