I invite you to use this website to learn about my work as a clinical psychotherapist. Daily life can be challenging and we can often overlook our own well-being. Therapy is known to reduce emotional stresses, support therapeutic change and promote personal growth.
Within society, mental health has a prominent place, where understanding and acceptance is essential. By allowing people to put themselves first, they can reach out and seek the support and help required. Although taking the first steps can seem daunting, within this collaborative process, I am here to support you on your therapeutic journey, along with promoting your psychological growth.
I am a professionally qualified integrative clinical psychotherapist and EMDR practitioner, incorporating expressive arts therapy, where I draw on different techniques and models, from person-centred, existentialism, CBT, psychodynamic, mindfulness, creative therapies including play therapy and EMDR, to be able to offer you a personalised and flexible way of working to your specific needs and difficulties.
EMDR is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). EMDR is a powerful therapy that facilitates people to recover from issues that have been triggered by traumatic events. By reprocessing difficult memories, reduces distress and is especially known for treating PTSD, anxiety, depression, as well as a range of other mental health conditions and is suitable for all ages.
For a number of years, I have worked with clients of all ages and from a diverse range of social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, supporting the human experience. My focus is to step into your unique world and understand what you are experiencing and help to establish a real sense of who you are. This is always in a safe and confidential space, where you will feel trusted and are neither judged nor forced to make a decision that is not right for you. For some clients, only a few sessions are required for results, for others, therapy may take longer.
My aim is to build a trusting and supportive relationship, where you are heard and understood. Working together at your pace, we will explore your thoughts and feelings, which may help you gain clarity, giving you an understanding of the person you are. I will help you find ways of expressing yourself, allowing you to acknowledge what is important and look for new ways of dealing with problems, so that you can move forward to a more fulfilling life.
My focus is to help individuals to become aware of who they are. I achieve this by providing a neutral safe space, listening to your concerns, and helping you overcome emotional stress and behavioural issues.
My aim is to encourage you to talk and I will be there for you every step of your journey. My goal is to help you grow from your struggles, heal from your pain, and move forward to where you want to be in your life.
EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - adults, adolescents and children
I am an EMDR practitioner, which is an evidence-base integrative psychotherapy and works effectively for PTSD, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, phobia's, pain and OCD, as well as many other mental health conditions.
EMDR therapy enables the resumption of normal information processing and integration. Specifically, EMDR addresses issues involving the past, present and future by targeting past experiences, current triggers, and future potential challenges, results in the alleviation of presenting symptoms, a decrease or elimination of distress from the disturbing memory, improved view of the self, relief from bodily disturbance, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers.
In EMDR, specific and well-defined treatment procedures facilitate information reprocessing by utilising an approach to treatment that optimizes client stabilisation before, during, and after the reprocessing of distressing and traumatic memories and associated stimuli. The EMDR approach to psychotherapy is to facilitate the client’s innate ability to heal. Therefore, during memory reprocessing, therapist intervention is kept to the minimum necessary for the continuity of information reprocessing.
EMDR for children and adolescents (aged 9 and above)
EMDR is recognised as an effective therapy also for children and adolescents who have experienced traumatic events and PTSD by the World Health Organization, as well as by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. It is very common for children and adolescents to feel distressed following a trauma. In most cases symptoms improve within a few weeks. A small percentage of children and adolescents will go on to develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as other symptoms such as anxiety or hopelessness. Some children and adolescents may benefit from receiving therapeutic support to recover from the trauma and EMDR is one such therapy that can help. EMDR has also shown to help children and adolescents with a range of other psychological difficulties, including anxiety and depression.
Depression and anxiety are some of the most common and uncomfortable emotions that we can experience at some point in our lives. Through effective counselling, I will strive to help you recover motivation and perspective, in a space where you feel safe and supported, where you have a voice to be heard and understood. Depression and anxiety can leave you feeling isolated and lonely, this can be the start of your therapeutic journey and through a collaborative process, I can help you to understand and recognise signs and find ways to support and manage your symptoms.
Play is their talk and toys are their words. Early intervention with children has proven to show, that they are less likely to suffer from serious mental health issues and difficulties later in life if they receive support at an early age.
Growing evidence indicates that promoting positive mental health also improves a range of positive school outcomes, including attitudes to learning, better attendance and lower exclusion rates. I am fully trained in child safeguarding and I have Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service clearance to work with children, so little ones are in safe hands.
Many individuals can experience symptoms associated with painful and traumatic circumstances. Anxiety, fear, and hopelessness are a few emotions that can linger after suffering from post traumatic events.
Addiction can affect anyone at any time, but there are many techniques that can be adopted to help put a stop to the controlling symptoms that addiction can bestow.
Life can throw us many curves and veer us off course, I can help you work through your difficulties such as divorce, separation, trauma, redundancy, bereavement and relationship issues both professionally and personally.
I appreciate how busy your lifestyles can be, so at Open Therapies I offer fully encrypted end-to-end, confidential therapy sessions over Zoom or the phone if you are unable to attend in person.
I offer effective one to one therapeutic counselling, please contact me on 01753 944402, or alternatively, please fill in your details below via SEND MESSAGE, where I will get back to you usually within 48 hours.
I offer a creative play therapy space where you or your child can have a confidential space to explore, where the narrative can be interpreted through art, play and imagery.
Before your first appointment, I will email you my contract and Data Protection policy. During your initial session, I will spend time taking a history to understand the reasons for seeking help at this time. If we decide to move ahead and work together, we then schedule a follow-up session. If I think another therapist may be a better fit, I will provide an appropriate referral. All contracts sent out to clients will be done so via email, these MUST be signed prior to the first session.
Research shows that sharing emotions with others tends to ease stress and be therapeutic. But it’s not simply the act of talking that is helpful. Rather, effective therapy is about becoming self-aware and learning how to use that awareness productively. Talking to a properly trained professional in an atmosphere of comfort and impartiality promotes insight that leads to therapeutic change.
This entirely depends on the presenting issues and the working alliance that can be achieved. Often, by the time people come for help, their issues are entrenched in their lives and it can take time to understand and shift the contributing factors underlying the presenting problem. But I tell my clients that if they are motivated toward positive change, they should experience the benefits of our work within a few weeks. Endings are important within the therapeutic alliance and I will go through this on our initial session.
Clients can pay by cash, bank transfer or via their insurance company either prior to each session, as per our working agreement. I have professional indemnity insurance and I am also registered with several insurance companies, including BUPA, Aviva, Healix, Vitality and Axa. Initial consultations (50mins) are £65 and each 50 minute session thereafter start at £65. Longer EMDR sessions (90mins) are £115 . Please note that any correspondence requested that is not within the therapy session will be chargeable. These fees start at £50 and will include emails, letters and other documentation.
Information we discuss in therapy is never shared without written consent except when I am required to breach confidentiality and notify legal authorities and family members. This is covered in my contract. If you have any questions about confidentiality with respect to our work together, please do get in touch.
Typically, I see clients once a week, but everyone’s needs are different. Most often, clients like to reserve a regular time so they can count on sessions being the same time each week, but I am flexible. Whilst I always start therapy in person, I also conduct long distance therapy by Zoom or phone if necessary. If you do need to cancel your appointment, please give at least 48hrs prior notice in order to avoid being charged the full amount. Cancellations within 48hrs must be paid for in full.
Please contact me with any questions and to book an appointment.
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