Finder

Specialises in

• Applied Relaxation
• Behaviour Therapy
• Behavioural Activation (BA)

• CBT with Exposure and Response Prevention (CBT with ERP)
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Mindfulness based CBT
• Solution Focused Brief Therapy
• Trauma focused CBT

About me

I'm Mike a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT), Counsellor and EMDR Practitioner. I have been a mental health professional for over 42 years, 24 of which were spent in the NHS in a wide range of clinical areas including, Community Mental Health Teams, Adult Psychology, Behavioural Psychotherapy Services, Day hospitals and in-patient services. I also worked in a specialist drug and HIV prevention service in Edinburgh during the 1980's during which I pioneered innovative projects such as piloting Scotland's first mobile needle exchange, setting up an outreach service for woman working in the sex industry and in collaboration with Lothian Education Department to provide safer sex education in High Schools and youth clubs. I have also worked for the Priory Hospital in Edinburgh and I have several years' experience of working as a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant enabling people with functional, psychological, developmental, cognitive and emotional impairments and other health conditions to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining or returning to employment or useful occupation. Work related stress conditions account for a significant amount of people having to take time off work and I have extensive experience of being able to help people with this kind of stress to be able to learn to cope with it and to prepare them for a return to sustainable employment.

I have been in private practice for 20 years, working in Edinburgh, Bridge of Allan, Stirling and Dunblane, during which I have gained considerable experience and training in the psychological treatment of a broad range of issues.
I am experienced in the assessment and treatment of people who suffer from traumatic stress, including combat and civilian war veterans, road traffic accidents, industrial accidents, major disasters including earthquakes, physical and sexual assault and the loss of loved ones and I was among the first group in the UK, in 1994, to be trained in EMDR, by its American originator, Dr Francine Shapiro and in the first group in the UK to be trained in Brainspotting Trauma Therapy by its originator, Dr David Grand in February 2012 and in CRM trauma training in 2013 by it's originator, Lisa Schwarz.

I have been a supervisor for post graduate students on the South of Scotland Cognitive Therapy course and at the Department of Psychiatry at Dundee University and I regularly provide supervision to trainee and qualified Therapists.

I am an accredited member of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP), a member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), the UK & Ireland EMDR Association, the United Kingdom Psychology Trauma Society (UKPTS) and the Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA).

I am a registered healthcare provider with BUPA, AXA PPP Healthcare, Cigna Healthcare, Standard Life Healthcare, Pru Health and AVIVA and I also receive referrals from a number of other insurance and rehabilitation providers throughout the UK as well as from members of the public.

I would be happy to hear from you if you would like to chat over your difficulties by phone or e-mail or if you prefer we could meet up for an initial consultation to see if you would like to work with me in helping you resolve your difficulties.

Coming for counselling/therapy for the first time can feel quite daunting so please feel free to phone me on 07855259078 for an informal and confidential chat.

Areas of interest

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); Major trauma; Mood disorders; Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT); Chronic pain; Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Anxiety disorders; Bereavement; Depression; Chronic fatigue; Panic disorder; Social phobia

Specialist interests and expertise in the following physical conditions

• Pain management