Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a talking therapy recommended by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) for the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression.  CBT looks at how we think about a situation and how this in turn influences our behaviour and our emotions.  There is an emphasis in CBT on the therapist and client working together to make sense of what may be keeping difficulties going and how to take active steps to overcome them, by working towards agreed therapy goals.

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

CFT is a talking therapy that focuses on developing a capacity for greater self-acceptance.  This approach may be indicated for individuals who experience problems with being self-critical, disliking themselves, feeling high levels of shame, or who identify with having low self-esteem or confidence difficulties.  The focus in therapy is to gain an understanding of why these difficulties have arisen and to engage in ‘compassionate mind training’ as a means of undermining self-criticism, shame or low self-esteem.  This approach can be particularly helpful if you find that despite being able to accept a positive view of yourself in a logical or rational way, that you continue to struggle to feel this to be true at an emotional level - this is sometimes described as the 'head-heart' lag.  CFT can be powerful in helping you to develop a capacity to truly feel differently about yourself.

Key aspects of my approach

Bespoke
You can expect an individualised approach, in which I apply my knowledge of common psychological problems to understand your own unique circumstances, to tailor a treatment package designed to help you overcome your difficulties

Collaborative
We will work in partnership to understand what keeps your current difficulties going and work together to help you achieve the therapy goals that we agree at the start of therapy.  My ultimate aim is to help you to become your own therapist, so that you develop skills and knowledge during therapy that you can continue to use independently once you have completed your course of therapy.  

Evidence-based
I follow national guidelines, such as NICE guidelines, so that the treatment approach I take is based on evidence of what is known to be a suitable treatment for whatever kind of difficulty I am working with.  I also keep abreast of new developments in the field of clinical psychology so that I am able to offer a range of approaches.  I ensure that I receive regular supervision from well-respected psychologists to ensure the quality and effectiveness of my work.

You can read reviews from patients I have worked with at iWantGreatCare