Person-Centered/Humanistic

This approach revolves around what the client brings. The Counsellor provides 'unconditional positive regard' (non-judgmental) empathy and sincerity. This type of therapy can take longer than some other counselling, as it works at the pace of the client's self-discovery and healing.

Psychodynamic

This approach was developed from psychoanalysis. It explores how past (especially childhood) experiences affect current feelings, thoughts and behaviours. The client's unconscious processes are brought into conscious awareness. This facilitates the client's ability to change unhelpful behaviour and thereby improve their quality of life.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy  (CBT)

The UK's NHS offers this approach - it has proved successful by the number of people reporting improvements after CBT treatment. The therapy challenges the clients' unhelpful beliefs, thoughts and behaviours. Sometimes the CBT offered focuses on conscious thoughts, conscious beliefs and behaviours- when clients are mostly triggered by their unconscious and automatic.  Positive conscious thoughts are not always enough to manage unconscious automatic reactions. 

CBT requires the client to 'try out' new ways of behaving and thinking in their life and report back at the next counselling session. This can bring about fast positive changes in the client's life.  

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

This treatment combines CBT with mindfulness meditation. It has a good reputation for helping with depression.

MBCT aims to help individuals notice the process of their thoughts in a non-judgmental way and to develop the ability to be in the moment more often, rather than frequently being driven by a ruminating, stressful mind.

Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)

Have you ever had a dilemma? If you have, you may say to a friend, "Part of me thinks I should do this...and another part of me thinks  I should do that!"  Internal Family Systems therapy recognises that psychologically we are not just one person, but we have different parts of the self that have developed to cope with the environment we have found ourselves in during our lifetime. IFS- encourages clients to notice the parts of the self in a non-judgmental way, and ask that part what their role is. For example, a part of the self may be from the past, when a person was bullied, and that part is over-cautious, causing unnecessary anxiety in the present. That part of the self needs to know it's okay now -it's safe.

Integrative Counselling

This is the therapy I offer (specifically 'The Clarkson Five Relational Model')

As an 'Integrative Counsellor', I treat the client as a whole. Taking experiences from their whole life into account. I am led by the client's needs using person-centered and psychodynamic approaches. I use therapies (in the style of those mentioned above) that facilitate the client's awareness of behaviours and influences. Increasing awareness and providing useful psychological tools empower clients in the areas of better relating with others and making good life choices.

​Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a therapy that helps individuals process traumatic events so that they are no longer overwhelmed by disturbing memories/ reactions. EMDR has a good reputation for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The therapy uses a bilateral stimulation of the eyes, while the client remembers the trauma in manageable degrees.

EMDR is particularly good at treating trauma that triggers the body into the fight/flight (Hot) response -but for clients who 'freeze', dissociate (often as a consequence of childhood trauma), there are adaptations to the EMDR  technique,  such as 'Attachment Focused EMDR'  as practised by Laurel Parnell.

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