THERAPIES & INTERVENTIONS
I am a firm believer that your therapy should be as unique as you are, and have therefore ensured that my practice includes the sound theoretical knowledge and delivery of multiple types of psychological intervention. One size does not fit all, and we can negotiate what works best for you. This can be reviewed and adapted as your goals and needs change. I have outlined a few of the therapeutic modalities that I have trained in and that I can draw upon in the work that we might do together . All of the therapies offer a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space for you to work in. When we meet for your initial assessment we can discuss the approach that might suit you and your needs the most. I am highly trained in the following modalities -
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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Compassion Focussed Therapy
Eye-Movement Desensitisation Therapy (EMDR)
Person Centred Therapy
Mindfulness
Narrative Therapy
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And I use a range of techniques from numerous other therapies which I have received training in, and which I am continually developing and enhancing my skills in.
Systemic Therapy
Transactional Analysis
Psychodynamic Therapy
Solution Focussed Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Structured Clinical Management
Internal Family Systems
Polyvagal Theory
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Please read about some of the therapies on offer below. I am more than happy to discuss the model that might suit you best during our assessment appointment.
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COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY (including CBT for Trauma)
A focussed therapy for you to explore what’s happening for you right now. This is a structured type of therapy, where sessions may have an agenda and by mutual agreement some ‘homework’ might be done away from the session. This could be something such as a mood or thought diary, where we might look for patterns in your way of thinking or feeling.
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Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that aims to help individuals change negative patterns of thought and behaviour. It is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are all interconnected, and that changing one aspect can have a positive effect on the others.
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CBT can be used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders and for trauma therapy.
ACCEPTANCE & COMMITMENT THERAPY
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps individuals increase their psychological flexibility. It is based on the idea that psychological suffering is often caused by a lack of acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings, and a tendency to try to avoid or control them.
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ACT involves helping individuals develop a greater acceptance of their thoughts and feelings, rather than trying to control or suppress them. It also involves helping individuals identify and commit to values-based actions, even in the face of difficult thoughts and feelings.
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ACT involves a number of techniques, including mindfulness, cognitive defusion, and exposure. Mindfulness involves paying attention to thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental way, without getting caught up in them. Cognitive defusion involves learning to step back from thoughts and see them as mental events, rather than facts. Exposure involves gradually facing and accepting feared thoughts and feelings, rather than avoiding them.
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Overall, the goal of ACT is to help individuals develop a greater sense of psychological flexibility and a more fulfilling and meaningful life. It is often used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY
Another behavioural therapy but this one is specially adapted for people who feel emotions very intensely. The aim of DBT is to help you understand your difficult feelings and emotions and learn skills to manage them. There is evidence that DBT can be useful in treating mood disorders, suicidal ideation, and for change in destructive behavioural patterns such as self-harm, and substance abuse.
DBT is often associated with Borderline Personality Disorder and it is aimed at enhancing skills in emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness. I offer individual skills based DBT sessions but do not offer group based DBT at this time. Please note I am happy to work with individuals diagnosed with personality disorders. However, any offer of therapeutic treatment would be based on individual levels of risk, as I do not offer a crisis or emergency service. Level of risk would be ascertained at an initial assessment. I am usually happy to consider working collaboratively with other mental health practitioners or teams to deliver DBT whilst they manage any identified risk.
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ROGERIAN - PERSON CENTRED THERAPY
Person-centred therapy, also known as client-centred therapy or Rogerian therapy, is a type of psychotherapy that was developed by Carl Rogers in the 1950s. It is based on the idea that individuals have the inherent capacity to grow and change, and that they are the experts on their own lives.
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In person-centred therapy, the therapist provides a supportive and non-judgmental environment in which the client can explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The therapist helps the client to feel understood and accepted, and to develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-acceptance.
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Person-centred therapy involves three core conditions that the therapist strives to provide: congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. Congruence refers to the therapist being genuine and authentic with the client. Empathy involves the therapist being able to understand and see the world from the client's perspective. Unconditional positive regard refers to the therapist accepting the client without judgment, no matter what they say or do.
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Overall, the goal of person-centred therapy is to help the client develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-acceptance, and to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life. It is often used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and relationship problems.
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A great therapy for self-exploration and personal understanding.
ONGOING PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - PLEASE ASK FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF THERAPIES OR TRAINING
EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITISATION REPROGRAMMING - EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of psychotherapy that is used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. It is based on the idea that our memories and experiences are stored in the brain, and that certain experiences can become "stuck" and cause emotional distress.
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EMDR involves recalling a distressing memory while engaging in certain bilateral stimulation activities, such as side-to-side eye movements, hand tapping, or auditory tones. These activities are thought to stimulate the brain's natural healing processes and help the individual process and integrate the memories, reducing their emotional intensity.
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EMDR MUST be conducted by a trained EMDR therapist and involves a specific protocol with a specific number of sessions. Please always ask if your therapist has gone through the extensive and approved training required to deliver EMDR. I have completed my EMDR therapist training and continue to develop including having EMDR specific supervision.
EMDR is considered to be a relatively short-term treatment and has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD and other conditions. However, it is not suitable for everyone, and it is important to discuss the potential risks and benefits with a trained therapist before starting treatment.
MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental way. It involves bringing one's full attention to the present moment and being open and receptive to the experience, rather than getting caught up in thoughts about the past or future.
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There are many potential benefits to mindfulness, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving focus and concentration, and increasing self-awareness. It is often incorporated into various forms of psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT).
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Overall, mindfulness is an acceptance based therapy, that allows us to relax and be in the moment instead of looking backwards with regret or forward with anxiety. Using tried and tested techniques including meditation and creating psychological safe places for you to retreat to in times of stress. Great for anxiety issues, worrying, low mood and sleep disruption.
COMPASSION FOCUSSED THERAPY
Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on helping individuals develop a greater sense of self-compassion and compassion for others. It is based on the idea that many people struggle with self-criticism, shame, and self-blame, and that these negative self-attitudes can interfere with emotional well-being and the ability to form healthy relationships.
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CFT involves helping individuals develop a more compassionate and understanding attitude towards themselves and others, and to learn to cope with difficult thoughts and emotions in a more healthy and adaptive way. It also involves helping individuals identify and pursue their values, and to build a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.
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CFT is often used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. It is typically conducted by a trained therapist and involves a specific number of sessions with specific goals in mind. Overall, the goal of CFT is to help individuals develop a greater sense of self-compassion and to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
NARRATIVE THERAPY
Narrative therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on helping individuals identify and change the "dominant" stories or narratives that they tell about themselves and their lives. It is based on the idea that our identity and sense of self are constructed through the stories we tell about ourselves and our experiences.
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In narrative therapy, the therapist works with the client to identify the stories or narratives that are causing problems or causing the client to feel stuck. These stories might be about the client's identity, relationships, or experiences. The therapist helps the client to "re-author" these stories, by examining them from different perspectives and finding alternative ways to understand them.
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Narrative therapy also involves helping the client to identify and explore the strengths, values, and resources they have, and to find new and more empowering ways to understand and narrate their experiences. It is often done in a collaborative way, with the therapist and client working together to identify and challenge problematic stories and to create new and more satisfying narratives.
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Narrative therapy is often used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and relationship problems. It is typically conducted by a trained therapist and involves a specific number of sessions with specific goals in mind. Overall, the goal of narrative therapy is to help the client develop a more empowering and satisfying narrative of their life.
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Narrative therapy sees clients as experts of their own lives. Narrative therapists view people as separate from their problems and strive to have clients understand their problems that way too without blame or judgement. The aim is that a client no longer sees a problem as an unchangeable part of them, but as an external issue that can be changed.
