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Offers

• Face-to-face consultations
• Video and telephone consultations

About me

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is the main therapeutic approach that I use, it is a highly effective talking therapy which explores how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours impact one another and keep difficulties going. I offer CBT to children (from the age of 5 years), young people and adults.

I am a fully qualified Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and I hold full accreditation with the BABCP (British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies).

The BABCP is the lead organisation for cognitive and behavioural therapies in the UK and Ireland. Holding accreditation means that a CBT therapist has both core professional mental health training or recognised equivalent, in my case, Social Work as well as specific CBT training. To be accredited, I have demonstrated that I meet high standards of training and experience in CBT.

It also means that I adhere to their ethical framework and policies regarding regular supervision and the commitment to ongoing training as a mandatory part of my continuing professional development.

I am also a qualified CBT Clinical Supervisor and I have recently qualified in Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), please see my website for further information on this.

I am also a qualified Social Worker (MA) and Practice Educator (PGDip) and hold an undergraduate degree in Advice, Guidance and Counselling and Disability Studies (BA Hons).

In the first instance, I will usually speak with you over the telephone for an initial consultation to better understand your needs and whether CBT is a suitable therapy choice for you.

If CBT is something you feel you would benefit from, I will invite you to attend an initial assessment session (either face to face or online) which will last no longer than 50 minutes.

In this assessment session, I will ask you for consent to record information about you, including personal details (name, address etc), presenting difficulties, history of the difficulties, we will complete short mental health examination then ascertain your goals for therapy and who you have in your support network that may be able to support you in working towards your goals.

An explanation of CBT and an outline of what sessions may look like will also be provided. At times brief questionnaires may be used to build a picture of how your difficulties are impacting your life.

CBT is a collaborative therapy meaning that both the therapist and client work together to develop a new understanding of your experiences and help you to identify ways of moving forward more positively.

CBT also uses a problem-solving approach and you will learn specific strategies and skills that you can continue to use when facing life's challenges long after sessions come to an end. Sessions will be structured to allow you to address the goals you have set for therapy, of which are often achieved by making changes to unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours.

In CBT sessions, I will help you identify what you want to gain from therapy and then structure sessions to help you achieve said goals through challenging and changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours.

The number of CBT sessions you require will depend on the type of difficulty you have. It is usually a shorter term therapy (6 to 20 weekly sessions), depending on what feels right for you, with each therapy session lasting 50 minutes.

Deciding to come along to therapy can be daunting, but you have already taken a courageous step forward in researching what support is available. It is my hope that you will feel supported, respected and comfortable during any communication we have.

My aim is to provide compassionate, non-judgmental therapy which is warm, congruent and genuine in equal measure. Within therapy sessions, I would like to create an environment that feels safe and welcoming and a service that is committed to supporting you through your journey at your own pace.

Areas of interest

Depression - Including feelings of hopelessness, lack of motivation and low energy, poor concentration, and self-harm; Low Self-Esteem and Low Self Confidence; Perfectionism; Overthinking - Including rumination, excessive worrying about the future, and reoccurring distressing thoughts; Anxiety; Panic; Social Anxiety; Health Anxiety; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder;Phobias; Trauma; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Eating Disorders.

Anger

Stress

Bereavement

Specialist interests and expertise in the following physical conditions

• Eating disorders

• Physical disability