My therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing upon my training and including what is shown to work best to facilitate positive outcomes of mental health difficulties (NICE guidelines).  Psychological models that I find most helpful are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and the EMBERS model for menopause.

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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

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CBT is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioural treatment. Through CBT, people learn that their perceptions directly influence the way they respond to specific situations in their behaviours and actions. During CBT, clients learn how to challenge and question the rationality of specific thoughts to directly influence their emotions and behaviour. Clients are also encouraged to test out new beliefs through changing their behaviours through planned experiments. In this way, CBT targets specific unhelpful thoughts and beliefs and has a ‘here and now’ focus on the relevant set of client symptoms e.g. Panic Disorder. The Principles of CBT can be tailored to each client’s needs and situation.

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Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR)

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If you have experienced trauma that seems to have got stuck and keeps replaying itself in the form of nightmares, flashbacks or disassociation symptoms, EMDR could be helpful in enabling your painful memories to become less distressing and not triggered so easily.  EMDR directs your eye motions to affect how your mind processes data. The procedure aims to reprocess your frozen traumatic memories. The objective of eye movement desensitisation reprocessing is to desensitise your upsetting memories and allow you to move forward with your life without the upsetting effects of the trauma you have experienced. EMDR does not require you to relive the traumatic memories like some other therapies, but instead requires an image that is associated with the distress.
 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

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ACT looks at what makes up our internal world and how we can interact with it. ACT addresses our processes of thinking; how we internally process our stream of thoughts. It focuses on how we can rest ourselves in the present moment, rather than being focused on past memories or consumed by worry or anticipation of the future. ACT also looks for what we truly value in life and how we might move towards the version of ourselves that is grounded in what is personally meaningful for us and gives us purpose. The Principles of ACT can be tailored to each client’s needs and situation.

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Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

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CFT model suggests there are three different emotion regulation systems: a threat  system, which generates anger, disgust, or fear to protect us; a drive  system, which motivates us to seek outside resources like relationships, food, and status; and a soothing system, which is activated when we feel peaceful and content.  Mental health difficulties can be influenced by an imbalance between these three systems.  CFT provides ways to learn how  to better balance these systems and  help promote mental and emotional healing by encouraging you to be compassionate toward yourself and other people.

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EMBERS Model for Menopause

Embers model was developed by Simona Stokes to support women who are experiencing psychological difficulties during the menopause. This model includes the following modules which can be completed as a package or as stand alone sessions (1:1 therapy or online pre-recorded material).

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Enable your Sleep - support in improving the quality and quantity of sleep.

Master your Mind - support in learning how do deal with unhelpful thinking patterns related to anxiety and depression.

Befriend your Emotions - learn strategies to cope with difficult emotions.

Embrace your Purpose - gain clarity on what matters to you at this time in life.

Resolve in your Actions - learn strategies to increase motivation and take action to achieve goals.

Sustain and Support - learn strategies to maintain the progress you have made.

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