Services

Anxiety

Anxiety is a physiological and psychological state characterised by cognitive, somatic, emotional and behavioral elements. These components together create an unsettling feeling that is generally associated with uneasiness, apprehension, fear, dread or worry. Anxiety is what is termed a generalised mood condition that can occur with or without warning. As such, it is different from feelings of fear, which happen in response to an observed or perceived threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable.

People with symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder tend to always expect something to go wrong and can’t stop worrying about their health, money, family, work/school or relationships. The worry is often unrealistic and/or out of proportion to the situation. Some common symptoms of anxiety are excess sweating, heart palpitations, nausea, body pain, shortness of breath and intrusive thoughts.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a collaborative, practical and problem-oriented approach to emotional problems whereby the client and therapist work together toward understanding difficulties in terms of the relationship between thoughts, feelings, body responses and behaviour.

CBT is based on the concept that how we think, how we act, how we feel and what we experience in our bodies all interact together.

How does Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) work?
CBT helps clients break the vicious circle of altered and unhelpful thinking and behaviour. The therapy focuses on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that we hold, the personal meaning we associate with these and how they relate to our behaviour. I work to help clients learn more positive ways of thinking and coping.

What can Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) treat?
CBT is effective for a wide range of emotional problems from relationship problems, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, anxiety, depression, compulsive gambling and eating disorders. Its efficacy has been proven through major research studies.

What does the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) process involve?
The CBT process is usually of 6-8 weeks duration. The client works with the therapist to understand each problem and break it down into its component parts. This helps identify individual patterns of thoughts, emotions, bodily feelings and actions which are causing distress and we can then trace the underlying beliefs that maintain them. After identifying and agreeing collaboratively what beliefs the client might change, the therapist may recommend ‘homework’ assignments the client can complete and practice outside the sessions to counter or disprove these beliefs. To assist in this process the therapist may invite the client to keep a log or a diary. The strength of CBT is that the client can continue to practise and develop their skills even after the sessions have finished, making it less likely that symptoms or problems will return. CBT can be used exclusively or it can be integrated with other therapeutic approaches such as humanistic or psychodynamic depending on the needs and requirements of the client.

Depression

Depression is a debilitating illness and will affect one in six of us at some stage of our lives. It is characterised by a generalised low mood and a loss of interest in things previously enjoyed in life. Other symptoms may include poor concentration, irritability, crying, feeling hopeless and helpless, under or over-eating, under or over-sleeping and possibly suicidal thoughts.

If you have been feeling this way for some time it is important to seek help so that you are not left struggling alone. I will support you in developing coping strategies to help manage difficult days. I will work with you towards recovery and prevention of relapse.

Loneliness

Loneliness is a condition which most people will experience at some point in their lives. It can occur as a result of life circumstances such as bereavement, relocation, a of change job or through the break-up of a significant relationship. A person affected by loneliness can experience a strong sense of emptiness. Loneliness can also include a feeling of being unwanted and unimportant. People who experience chronic loneliness can have difficulty forming strong inter-personal relationships.

Loneliness is not the same as solitude. Being physically alone can be a positive and enriching experience and people often choose to be alone for periods of time.

By contrast lonely people cannot bear to be alone. For them it can be regarded as evidence that they are unloved and unwanted. People who experience loneliness have a sense of being alone even when they are surrounded by other people. Their loneliness results from an inability to connect with those around them.

What causes this disconnection? Very often it can be the result of an experience of exclusion during childhood or early adulthood. Children and adolescents who have experienced bullying can become isolated and convinced that there is something wrong with them. This can lead to a sense of being different and not belonging. Loneliness can also be the result of a lack of emotional support during critical developmental stages creating an expectation that nobody will understand or support them. A likely outcome is that the individual will lack confidence and be reluctant to attempt to change or too scared to try new experiences for fear of social rejection.

The problem with loneliness is that it is self-perpetuating. Lonely people tend to shun social contact because they feel nobody understands them or wants to hear what they have to say. This leads to further isolation and the possibility of depression.

Low Self Esteem

How we feel about ourselves, or our perception of how others think of us, are significant in how we develop our sense of self-worth. Whether we feel good about ourselves and see ourselves as individuals of value, can have a huge impact on how we function in the world.

Shyness, anxiety, shame, relationship difficulties, finding ourselves repeating negative patterns, self-harming behaviours, addiction, eating disorders and depression can arise from feeling of low self-esteem.

We develop belief systems about ourselves, others and the world (for example: “I’m no good why should I expect anyone to care for me?” ). It is these belief systems which can stop us in our tracks and leave us feeling emotionally stuck at difficult junctures in our lives. Counselling and therapy helps to heal our damaged sense of who we are. It will also allow us the chance to experience a new, different, therapeutic relationship where we ARE valued, we ARE heard, we ARE believed and as a result, begin to feel differently and gradually change our view of ourselves.

Personal Development

Counselling/psychotherapy isn’t necessarily something we begin in response to a particular life event or as a result of a specific trauma. It is an exploratory relationship which allows us to become more self-aware. Having greater self-awareness usually empowers us to make conscious choices for ourselves.

By working with me, I can help you to enhance your existing coping skills or resources, while learning and using new and sometimes more effective ones. Working towards our full potential leads us to living a more contented and fulfilling life. Getting to know ourselves, getting to know and understand how we often limit or restrict our life choices, can often be the gateway to letting go of the past and moving on in our lives in a more positive and constructive way. Each human being is “work-in-progress” so self-care and self-managing means that we can live our lives feeling more equipped and informed.

Relationship Difficulties

Relationship difficulties can be the cause of significant confusion and hurt. Sometimes communciation breaks down or the relationship is faltering and worse, we don’t know why. We don’t know why he or she makes us so mad or why we behave in certain ways when we are around people who are so important to us. It can be confusing, defeating and depressing.

Psychotherapy and counselling can be invaluable here. We look at the strands of our relationship patterns. We look at how our past and present experiences affect our relationships. We then find the roots of our behaviour patterns, resolve conflicts that are inevitably there and come to a reconciliation with ourselves.

Ultimately, relationship difficulties are about our relationship with ourselves first. As we understand how we are within ourselves we develop a better relationship with ourselves. When this happens, we like ourselves more and we find it easier to like others and they in turn find it easier to like us – what we all want.

Sex & Sexuality/LGBT

Sex
Although sex is the one thing most of us have in common, it is also something that many people find it difficult to talk about. Counselling provides an opportunity to talk about sex without fear of judgement. We may find that not talking about sexual issues can cause us to feel frustrated, ashamed, anxious or depressed. It may cause us to avoid relationships or damage relationships that we are in.

Sexual matters in counselling may include issues such as negative emotions or experiences around sex, sexual difficulties, lack of interest in sex, sex addiction, relationship problems and sexual abuse. We may encounter sexual difficulties in our life at any age.

Sexuality/LGBT
Counselling and psychotherapy can help gay, lesbian and transgender clients to explore their issues, many of which can present at any stage in life.

There has been much misunderstanding of homosexuality and gender re-assignment in the medical, psychiatric and psychological professions in the past. It is crucial that therapists themselves are properly trained in this field. LGBT clients should ensure that the therapist they choose is affirmative of LGBT lifestyle. It can be extremely damaging in therapy if a therapist works from a model of sexuality that is outdated or that subscribes to viewpoints that suggest sexuality can be reorientated through therapy.

I have considerable training and expertise in LGBT issues and work with clients to help them overcome any negative thoughts that they may be experiencing, as well helping them to work through the obstacles that may be hampering them from leading a happy and fulfilling life.

Stress

Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger, whether it’s real or imagined, the body’s defences kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response. The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. In emergency situations, stress can save your life. It also helps you rise to meet challenges by helping you to perform under pressure and motivates you to do your best.

However, modern life is full of demands, deadlines, hassles and frustrations making stress so commonplace for many people that it has become a way of life. People’s mind and body pay the price causing major damage to your health, mood, productivity, relationships and quality of life. Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body.

Long-term stress can also rewire the brain leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Health problems caused or exacerbated by stress include:- pain of any kind, heart disease, digestive problems, sleep problems, depression, obesity, autoimmune diseases and skin conditions such as eczema. Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it is important to know your own limits and to recognise when your stress levels are out of control.

One’s ability to tolerate stress and to stay calm and collected under pressure depends on many factors, including the quality of relationships, general outlook on life, emotional intelligence and ability to relax. Counselling can help people examine their lives for stress and look for ways to minimise it and adopt healthier lifestyle habits.