What to Expect
My core training is in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT is a form of psychological therapy that can help people manage their mental health difficulties by breaking them down into smaller parts. As your therapist I will work with you to develop an understanding of how thoughts, emotions and behaviours are inter-connected and specific thinking and behaviour patterns keep your symptoms going. Once we have developed a shared understanding of the ‘vicious cycle’ we can identify and work towards your goals for change.
CBT is focused on promoting change in the here and now. When appropriate, It can be helpful to explore how past events have contributed to current difficulties, as beliefs, attitudes and interpretations stemming from our past experience may be self-limiting and impact us in the present.
During the early sessions (the ‘assessment phase’) I will gently enquire about your problems, past experiences, and your main goal for therapy. I will ask you to complete a brief questionnaire and if required additional questionnaires to help us develop an overall plan for therapy.
Each session thereafter has a clear structure which starts with a discussion about how best to use the session time to ensure we are working towards your goal/s. For example, you may wish to prioritise discussing a difficult situation that occurred between sessions with the aim of learning helpful ways to cope if such a situation arises again. In the final part of the session we will discuss how you can put your learning into practice, and discuss a task or tasks you can undertake that is most likely to help you progress towards your goals (for example, adapting the way you think about events or act in certain situations). CBT is both a pragmatic and pro-active form of therapy and I will provide support and encouragement throughout your therapy journey.
CBT is fundamentally a collaborative project between therapist and client, and both are active participants in the process, with their own areas of expertise: the therapist has knowledge about effective ways to solve problems, and the client has expertise in their own experiences of their problems. CBT is an active approach to therapy and requires a joint effort to be most effective. In the early stages of therapy, the therapist may take more of a lead to help the client develop a clear understanding of the aims of therapy, but responsibility is increasingly picked up by the client as session progress for example, having a greater role in setting up between session assignments for subsequent meetings.
As an 'integrative' psychotherapist I draw from so called ‘third wave’ CBT therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness. For further information about these approaches, and further information about CBT, see the links below.
I have experience working with the following difficulties using a CBT approach in NHS, charity, and private settings. I have provided helpful links with more information about each mental health difficulty:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (worry)
Depression
Social Anxiety
Health Anxiety
Panic Disorder
Specific Phobia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Post Traumatic Distress Disorder
Low self-esteem.