Why seek therapy?
Psychological therapy can help if you are having trouble with work, with relationships, or if you feel stuck with feelings, thoughts, or behaviour that trouble you. It provides an opportunity to explore difficult issues in a confidential and safe environment. You do not have to have a specific diagnosis.
What is a counselling psychologist?
Counselling psychologists are applied psychologists trained to doctoral level in psychological approaches to understanding and treating distress. Counselling psychology places great value on understanding relationships - including the therapeutic relationship - and on rigorous and reflective training in more than one school of psychotherapy (for example cognitive behavioural, psychodynamic and person-centred).
About the therapy
Therapy begins with an assessment. This is a 50 minute session in which you are invited to explain what your current difficulties are and what you would like to get out of therapy. This is the time in which we work out whether it will be helpful for us to work together and, if so, how long. There is no obligation to continue with therapy after assessment.
I work pluralistically, using different elements from different psychotherapeutic modalities to suit different peoples' needs. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) forms the basis of my practice. This is a type of psychotherapy that is recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) for people diagnosed with depression, anxiety, bulimia nervosa and many other difficulties. CBT is collaborative: it involves the active participation of the therapist and patient. It also necessitates that the patient takes some responsibility inside and outside of the sessions. CBT has been demonstrated to bring about lasting psychological change after therapy.
I am also trained in interpersonal therapy (IPT) and psychodynamic therapy. Both of these therapeutic models entail psychological change through focus on relationships and an particular, the therapeutic relationship. I am a trained dialectical behaviour (DBT) therapist and use psychotherapeutic techniques from this modality (including mindfulness) in order to help people regulate their emotions. I have also done further training in eye movement sensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), a first line treatment for psychological trauma; and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for common mental health conditions and the management of chronic pain.
In all therapeutic interactions I believe it is important to work together towards agreed goals and to be attentive to how the therapy is progressing.
Confidentiality
Material that comes up in therapy is confidential. Only in exceptional circumstances - if there are serious concerns for your safety or the safety of others - might others have to be alerted. Therapeutic material is also anonymously discussed in clinical supervision. This is necessary to ensure I am providing as high a quality and as ethical a service as possible. Being chartered by the BPS also necessitates that I continue to engage in professional development that is relevant to my practice.