My name is Crispin Balfour and I work in general practice as a Lacanian Analyst and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist based in Hataitai, Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand. I am in formation as a Lacanian Analyst and I am a Member of the School of the International Forums in the Lacanian Field.
I have over twenty-five years of working in the field and I am an experienced Registered Psychotherapist (PBANZ) and member of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (NZAP) with a Certificate of Advanced Clinical Practice.
My Background and Training
My background includes working as an architect, actor, accountant, engineer and inventor. Always interested in what it means to be a 'human being', I studied buddhism for many years, explored psychodrama, taught at university, and directed theatre.
In 1995 I began training as a counsellor and then as a psychotherapist with the Institute of Psychosynthesis, where I went on to teach experiential groups for ten years.
In 2001 I discovered a passion for psychoanalytic theory and practice. Since then I have extensively studied psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy: I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in 2003 and a Masters in Psychoanalytic Studies in 2011. I have also pursued my own personal analyses which have been central to my training. I have been studying Lacanian Analysis for several years and I am currently the Delegate of the New Zealand Forum of the School of Psychoanalysis of the Forums in the Lacanian Field.
In 2006 I completed an Introductory Course in Group Analysis and have conducted psychotherapy groups since 2007. I am passionate about group process.
In 2005 I completed a Certificate in Supervision Practice. I am interested in bringing psychoanalytically oriented supervision to other disciplines, such as teaching, art, management and commerce.
Qualifications
- Member of the School of the International Forums in the Lacanian Field
- Member of New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists
- NZAP Certificate of Advanced Clinical Practice
- Registered Psychotherapist (PBANZ)
- Master of Psychoanalytic Studies
- Postgraduate Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
- NZ Introductory Course Group Analysis
- Diploma of Psychosynthesis Psychotherapy
- Diploma of Psychosynthesis Counselling
- Certificate in Clinical Supervision
- MA(Eng)Oxon; BArch
On Being a Psychotherapist
Personally I believe I can speak about 'therapy' but I resist calling myself a 'therapist'.
So long as I maintain my registration (with PBANZ) I am entitled to describe myself as a 'psychotherapist', but I would be wrong to believe this guaranteed I was practicing psychotherapy!
I am qualified to practice psychotherapy, but I do not like to think of myself as a psychotherapist, or a psychoanalyst, or a psychoanalytic psychotherapist. Yet the disciplines of psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, psychosynthesis, and psychoanalytic psychotherapy all inform my practice.
My knowledge of psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience, psychodrama, counselling, coaching and body therapies also inform my practice, but I do not claim to qualified in any of these fields.
Above all however I endeavour to be a human subject making myself available to others, so they can make use of me in service of their work of becoming more fully human.