My approach
My training as a psychologist allows me the flexibility to draw on a wide range of psychological theories and practice of therapeutic and coaching models. Both my therapeutic and coaching approaches have originated from The Cognitive and Behavioural school of thoughts. These approaches complement one another and my sessions are tailored to each individual needs.
My Therapeutic Approaches:
Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
I have a particular interest and specialise in treating Anxiety Disorders (panic attacks and generalised anxiety), Phobic Disorders (social phobia, agoraphobia and simple phobia), Post-traumatic Stress Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, Somatoform Disorders and Body Dysmorphic Disorders.
I also have extensive experience in working with people with Depression, Relationship Problems, Self-Esteem Problems and Body Image Disorders.
The aim of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy is to help you through a wide range of emotional and psychological problems as well as helping you adjust to a range of physical illnesses: it is the treatment of choice for stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, low-self-esteem , obsessive compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most researched and validated form of psychotherapy. The Department of Health strongly supports and confirms the evidence validating the effectiveness of CBT as a time limited and cost effective therapy.
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
I began practicing Mindfulness Meditation six years ago and incorporating it into my practice both in groups and with individuals who presented with the wide range of difficulties I described above.
The aim of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy MBCT is to help you become aware of unhelpful automatic internal processes (thoughts, images, emotions, bodily sensations and impulses) and learning to attend to them in an accepting, non judgemental and non-reactive way.
MBCT has been recommended as a treatment for depression in the NICE guidelines (UK Institute of Clinical Excellence). It is a powerful way of decreasing the high risk of relapse which has been observed with Depression. New published research now also demonstrates that MBCT is effective in the treatment for Anxiety Disorders.
My Coaching approaches:
Recently, I have become interested in expending the knowledge and experience I have gained in clinical mental health to the general population. There are two main reasons for this:
First of all, Psychology as a discipline has been mainly focussing on mental health from a disease model of human functioning which neglects the psychology of the fulfilled individual and the thriving community. Secondly, I have become interested in the prevention of mental illnesses and coaching seems to do just that.
We know that there are human strengths that act as buffers against mental illness and we also know that focussing on one’s strength has a significant impact on overall satisfaction with life, sense of purpose, and achievement of personal goals.
Cognitive and Behavioural Coaching
The aim of Cognitive and Behavioural Coaching is to support individuals in building on their strengths and problem solving abilities to improve their well being, adaptability, flexibility and their performance in personal life and work domain.
Mindfulness based Cognitive Coaching
The aim of Mindfulness Cognitive Coaching is to learn to be present and fully awake, moment to moment. To become aware and observe the automatic internal processes (thoughts, images, emotions, bodily sensations and impulses) that comes between us and our dreams and aspirations. This in turns opens up an array of choices rather than automatic self defeating reactions and helps your mind be focussed, calm and clear.