CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

At times of feeling low or anxious we often think, “what’s the point of trying it won’t make any difference”, leading to feelings of depression, sadness, fear, coupled with physical sensations of tense muscles, tearfulness. This then leads to changes in our behaviour such as withdrawing from others or staying in bed as we mull things over in our heads which makes us feel worse. Sounds familiar! This is known as the vicious cycle of depression.

So, what’s the solution? My CBT practice is based on psychological therapies that have proven to be effective in treating anxiety and depressive disorders. This means that during therapy we will explore how your thinking patterns affect how you feel emotionally and behaviourally, whilst working towards alternative ways to enable you to enhance your mood. The overall aim is to facilitate you in becoming your own therapist as we explore ways to break the vicious cycle with CBT tools and techniques. This is achieved in a warm and empathic manner where I provide a safe non-judgmental atmosphere. I believe in the importance of the therapeutic relationship, taking the time to find the most helpful and effective way of working with you.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

From childhood to adulthood, I often ignored past trauma issues in the guise of keeping busy and helping others. During my initial EMDR training I was somewhat sceptical if I’m honest, until I volunteered for an EMDR session with Consultant and Trainer Alexandra (Sandi) Richman. This was therapy like no other as I was able to relieve my past which was akin to watching a video in real-time. This opened my world to the amazing potency/healing power of EMDR therapy and as they say the rest was history.

As an accredited EMDR practitioner with EMDR Association UK & Ireland, I use EMDR which is an evidence-based, clinician led, psychotherapy for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I have clinical experience in complex trauma related to adverse childhood experiences, sexual abuse, road traffic accidents, addictive behaviours, phobias, assault and working with military veterans who have experienced combat trauma to name a few presentations.

EMDR enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of traumatic life experiences. EMDR works directly on the brain where traumatic experiences are frozen and often inaccessible to the conscious mind. The ultimate aim of the treatment is to work through the suppressed distressful emotions linked with the traumatic experience and to dismantle and reconstruct the negative self-beliefs developed as a result of the traumatic experience. In the case of a single trauma sustained in adulthood, there will be 1 or 2 assessment sessions, followed by 1 or 2 sessions discussing and preparing for EMDR treatment, followed by at least 2 or 3 treatment sessions. The number of actual treatment sessions depends on the nature and number of distressing memories or complexity of the problem. I choose to increase accessibility to EMDR by charging no greater fee for it than for any other therapeutic work I perform.

Couples Counselling

Relationship difficulties often leave us feeling alone and isolated with no end in sight as communication channels break down. The demise of the relationship increases your lack of self-worth as you ponder the way forward which can seem distant and out of reach. Depression and anxiety ensue as you hold on to the fragments of broken dreams, unfulfilled hopes, separation from loved ones. The pain of yesterday remains so very present today as you grapple with the darkness of your emotions and unmet needs in a vortex of uncertainty and dreams dashed.

My work with couples focuses on communication difficulties and intimacy issues within the relationship. Additionally, couples who have decided to separate or divorce have been able to find common ground as they move forward. I provide a safe space where you can focus on your relationship and work together to find a way forward for yourselves. With professional support, you can learn to communicate more clearly with each other, explore patterns in your relationship, shift blockages and try out new ways of being together.

My approach to couple counselling is focused on adult attachment and emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT). EFT is a change process that facilitates movement from distress to recovery by transforming negative cycles of interaction into safe emotional connection between intimate partners. Based on the science of emotions and attachment theory as well as humanistic and systemic theories, EFT has a high success rate in achieving secure, resilient relationships in couples and in helping people to flexibly manage their emotional experience.