Skills and training

An integrative therapist uses a wide variety of skills from different therapeutic models.

By using these skills and my experience; the therapeutic  treatment is then tailored to your indvidual needs.

I have been trained in a wide range of different counselling methods, including:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). A hugely effective therapeutic method that addresses the negative thought patterns that usually underlie stress, anxiety and low self-esteem.

• Psychodynamic Counselling. A way of understanding the powerful role of the unconscious in our lives, and how we develop defences that can hold us back from achieving our full potential. 
  

• EMDR. Stands for "eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing". It is a powerful tool many psychotherapists now use to help their clients to generate change. EMDR was originally developed to help with long-standing cases of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Where other therapies had failed EMDR frequently generated change within a couple of sessions. The therapy involves producing rapid left to right/right to left eye movements at the same time as being directed to focuss on a sequence of thoughts or feelings following very precise, tried and tested protocols.

• Stress management. A multi-modal cognitive-behavioural approach to the nature of stress, its management and prevention.

• Assertiveness and Communication Skills. Understanding how we can communicate to maximise our outcomes and maintain our self-respect.

• Solution Focused Therapy. How to create positive thinking strategies – focusing on the solution rather than the problem can often open the door to change. 
  

• Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). A model for improving performance, becoming an excellent communicator and undergoing personal change.   

• Hypnotherapy. Modern Clinical Hypnotherapy is an integrative field of practice.This means that the best elements of most other forms of therapy have been intergrated into Clinical Hypnotherapy. It is a highly effective therapy and  will often produce rapid  and long lasting positive changes for the client.

• How I work

• I work in different ways, depending on your needs, time-scale and personality.

• It may be that you want to focus on a particular issue, and you are willing to work hard on specific goals. That is fine. A lot can be achieved with short-term counselling (6-16 sessions). It may be that you want some time and space to explore an issue, or a range of issues, in greater depth. That also is fine. Longer- term counselling would suit you best.  

• Perhaps you don't even know what you want, but talking about it will clarify where you are. That's fine too! We can explore your needs in the first session. 

• I see my task as actively listening to your issues and concerns and then facilitating the most effective way forward, using your own skills and resources. I believe passionately that you have the power to get back on top of your life; together we work out the way.