Weekend appointments are available as well as weekday appointments. Although we will agree a number of sessions,

we will usually be able to continue support for as long as it is beneficial.

Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a major part of our work. CBT is known to be one of the most effective approaches for a wide range of emotional problems, but it does not work for every problem and so we also use other psychological therapies to best help an individual. Regular and frequent monitoring will be used to check that treatment is working.

Links: www.babcp.org.uk

EMDR

We can also offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) which is specifically designed to help when someone has been involved in a traumatic event.

EMDR is a therapy pioneered by Dr Francine Shapiro. In 1987, whilst walking in the park, she noticed that after rapid eye movements the intensity of certain disturbing thoughts and feelings were reduced. Therapists and researchers worldwide have used her findings to develop EMDR, which uses rapid eye movements to relieve chronic distress. Recognised worldwide it is a successful non-drug, non-hypnosis procedure. This treatment is also recommended by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence.)

How does it work?  

During sleep we naturally undergo rapid eye movement (REM), which creates altering stimulation of the right and left hemispheres of the brain in an effort to process information. But when we suffer a traumatic experience it can overwhelm our brain and we become unable to fully process this information, resulting in a disturbing memory affecting us long after it occurred.

By moving the eyes rapidly back and forth, whilst concentrating on the troubling memory, EMDR therapy kick-starts and speeds up this natural healing process.

EMDR helps complete our information processing, and can replace “negative, maladaptive“associations of the memory with “positive, adaptive” associations. A rape victim, for example, may believe he/she is to blame for the attack. By reprocessing the victims associations with the memory, EMDR can enable the person to see the attacker is to blame.

Links: www.emdr.com    www.emdr.org.uk

Sessions are private. However, it is often helpful to share information, for example with the G.P. and permission for this will always be sought.

By agreement, we can offer telephone support, text messaging and email contact when helpful, between sessions.

many people find that reading about their difficulties in between sessions helps them to gain even more benefit from each meeting.

We can also carry out assessments of memory functioning, IQ or brain injury problems.

can be arranged in particular circumstances.

• Payment – Fees will be discussed in advance and are payable at the time of each appointment unless agreed otherwise.
• Late cancellation – 24 hours notice of cancellation is requested, otherwise a late cancellation fee may be applied.
• Making time to attend – It is important to be able to attend on a fairly regular basis for treatment to be effective. It may be important to consider whether it is possible to make sufficient time in the weekly schedule to attend for an hour once a week or fortnight.
• Time to practice the techniques we discuss between sessions is essential.