Counselling and EMDR

I am an EMDR therapist.  EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a well researched and powerful psychological treatment for traumatic experiences and memories.  It is an effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. 

 

I am also trained in both psychodynamic and person-centred counselling modalities - simply, we will link your past experiences to your present choices, whist focusing on exactly what you need in this moment. I believe that it is the therapeutic relationship we make together that positively influences the work we do.

 

My counselling practice is trauma-informed which means with you, I will be:

 

• Encouraging you to trust, and pay attention to, your body’s emotional wisdom,

• Building your sense of safety (in your external world as well as within yourself) before working with difficult or painful experiences or trauma memories,

• Facilitating your processing of your experiences and trauma, using both EMDR and talk therapy,

• Supporting your work on integrating your memories and experiences, in moving forward with your life.

 

In our counselling sessions, we may use a number of creative resources together to develop awareness of your feelings.  Creative working can assist you to make sense of your thoughts, your choices, and your relationships – not only your relationships with others in your life, but relationships between the parts of your self. 

 

Our counselling work will involve practical grounding techniques, to help manage your difficult thoughts or feelings, anxieties, or depression. I can offer you coaching in grounding techniques such as breathing exercises, relaxation, and safe space visualisations, building your confidence to use them outside of the therapy room. I can work with you to create a bespoke grounding ‘first-aid kit’ that you can carry with you and use if you find yourself becoming overwhelmed in your day-to-day living.

 

We will work to minimise the impact of any trauma symptoms you may have, such as flashbacks or nightmares within the safety of our therapeutic counselling relationship, and using EMDR where appropriate.

 

If you are struggling with sleep difficulties I can offer a thorough sleep assessment and tailor a bespoke plan to help you get a better night’s rest.  A lack of quality sleep can make us feel that our problems are more difficult to overcome, so let me assist you in making better sleep a possibility. Look at my Sleep Clinic page for more information about this service.

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I am an Accredited Counsellor with BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy). This means I have significant post-qualifying experience, and have gone through a rigorous assessment process on my counselling practice,  professional development and ethical thinking to become accredited.

 

I have extensive counselling experience working with:

• Trauma

• Substance use

• Sleep difficulties

• Self-harm

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Childhood sexual abuse

• Relationship difficulties

• PTSD and C-PTSD

• Criminal justice

• Prison work

• Safeguarding

• Physical health problems with co-occurring mental health issues

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Tips on Choosing a Counsellor

 

When choosing your therapist I recommend meeting two or three different practitioners, and paying attention to how you and your body feel when you are with them.  Trust the signals your body gives you and ask yourself the following questions to help you make your choice:

 

Do I feel safe with this person?

Can I tell this person my story?

 

Notice if, and where in your body, you feel any physical sensations when you’re with them.  Our bodies communicate with us in powerful ways, but we often miss these important messages. Learn to pay attention to,  and trust your body’s wisdom. There is a therapist who is a really good match for you.  It’s vitally important that the match feels right from the get-go so you can feel safe and trust your therapeutic relationship.

 

 

Get in touch today to arrange a session. I look forward to meeting you.