specialisms

Trauma

A Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience or set of experiences. Often, we recover from these events on our own but sometimes a trauma has such an impact that it affects our ability to cope and move forward. Trauma can leave us with recurring physical sensations, emotions and images that are replayed in the mind and easily triggered. These can impact everyday life and functioning, sleep, mood and relationships. Specialist therapy, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing) has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of trauma.

EMDR

At the time of a traumatic event, strong emotions can interfere with our ability to process the experience and one moment or incident can become frozen in time. This memory becomes 'locked' into our central nervous system so that recalling the traumatic event may feel as though the person is reliving it all over again. Images, smells, sounds and feelings are still there and can be triggered in the present. These memories impede our daily functioning and impact on the way we view ourselves, others and the world around us. EMDR therapy allows the individual to process the traumatic memory so that it becomes less upsetting. The major significance of EMDR is that it allows the brain to heal its psychological wounds naturally, similar to the way the body heals itself from physical injury.

Childhood Abuse and Neglect

Childhood abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child. It can be physical, sexual or emotional but just as often about a lack of love, care and attention. Children who experience childhood abuse or neglect often feel responsible, guilty or shameful about what happened to them. Sometimes abuse and neglect is not recognised as such at the time but becomes obvious later in life. This complex legacy can result in pervasive feelings of depression or anxiety as adults, and a fragile sense of self. A therapeutic relationship can provide a safe container to explore the complex feelings resulting from abuse, with the understanding that trust may take time to develop.

Depression

On a spectrum from ‘low mood’ to ‘absolutely debilitated,’ Depression is known as ‘The Black Dog’ – a shadowy sense of doom that stays with you. Dark feelings of Depression can result in pervasive low mood or a sense of hopelessness that makes it hard to contemplate wellbeing or joy. Though we may become skilled at hiding our feelings this bleakness affects many of us, often in response to difficult experiences such as job loss, break-up or bereavement. A sense of worthlessness or hopelessness can also develop over time, resulting in feelings of despair, increasing isolation, lack of motivation, exhaustion and negative thinking. The difficulty of living with these symptoms can even lead to suicidal feelings. In this state, in can be hard to get perspective on what might help you to feel better – and dealing with Depression on your own can feel overwhelming. A trusting and confidential therapeutic relationship offers genuine support to help you cope. It will help you explore and challenge difficult thoughts and work with oppressive feelings.

Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety is often dismissed by those around us as nothing more than feeling agitated or slightly stressed. However, to those who are suffering from these feelings they are very real and can feel debilitating and overwhelming. Panic attacks can trigger sensations that feel life threatening and attempting to avoid high anxiety can limit your choices, so that the avoidance is also part of the problem. Therapy will look at what is triggering your feelings of anxiousness and panic. It will use practical ways to help you understand your bodily responses and gradually take control of them. I will encourage you to take a step back and explore which things are causing anxiety in your life and gently explore potential changes.

Managing Anger

Anger is a healthy emotion, but causes problems when we can’t keep it under control (this can be as scary for the angry person as those on the receiving end of the anger). Expressing anger in an aggressive or verbally abusive way can seriously affect our relationships and result in feelings of shame, regret and fear. I have experience working with groups and individuals in developing strategies to manage anger and develop a better understanding of its triggers, as well as working with those affected by the anger of others.

Living with Chronic Illness

‘Chronic illness’ means living with ‘debilitating symptoms that persist for a long time.’ Chronic illnesses are not generally prevented or cured by medication and won’t just ‘disappear.’ This makes living with them an endurance test and, as a result, chronic illnesses often take a psychological toll, potentially leaving us with low mood, confidence, fatigue - even anxiety or anger. It can be hard to function when living with adversity, pain, debilitation and fatigue. Physical issues can impact on relationships, family, work and everyday life. Often others really don’t understand what you’re going through, even when they try to empathise. If you’re feeling under-supported and misunderstood or would like to explore the impact poor physical health is having on your mental health, I think therapy can help.

Bereavement, Grief and Loss

No one is ever prepared for the emotional fallout following the death of someone. There are so many possible responses that you can find yourself reeling as if on an emotional roller-coaster. Therapy helps you to process all the different and varied emotions you may feel taking you through the feelings of grief and loss. Loss can take many forms; loss of a relationship, a career, status in the world as we move through life stages, independence when a baby is born. Therapy offers an opportunity to reflect on our experiences in a supportive and caring environment.

Low Confidence and Self Esteem

Living with low self-confidence can be energy sapping and leave you miserable and frustrated. A critical inner voice can be debilitating, leaving you comparing yourself unfavourably to others, doubting your own judgement and putting your needs last. Often, it can be difficult to understand why this has occurred and there is a feeling of ‘stuckness’. Therapy can help you identify your self-critical thought processes and encourage you to develop a more compassionate and caring attitude towards yourself. It can lead you to a happier and contented life where you can know your own value.