What is the Counselling & Psychotherapy process?

Counselling & Psychotherapy involves sitting and talking with a counsellor about any issues or difficulties that you are experiencing.

I will work in partnership with you, asking questions to understand you and assisting you to find ways to manage your situation more effectively.

Over a number of sessions I will try and help you to tell your story and make sense of difficult feelings. In this way you will be enabled to find the resources to help yourself.

Will you the counsellor solve my problem?

Counselling itself does not solve problems. Alternatively, working with a counsellor enables you to view things from another perspective that ultimately helps you to find your own solutions. It’s not for me to solve your problems but rather to try and help you explore different ways of viewing your particular situation, hence enabling you to confront difficult feelings and make important changes if necessary.

Will anyone be told that I am coming for counselling?

No. These sessions are private and confidential and are not recorded in your medical notes. However if it is strongly felt that confidentiality needs to be broken, (e.g. in the situation where you or others are at risk) it would be discussed with you first and the best way forward would be a joint decision.

What is EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitizing Reprocessing)

In addition to my main qualification as a Psychodynamic Counsellor I am an EMDR accredited practitioner qualified to work with adults.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a complex and powerful therapy that combines well with other approaches. It is recognised by the National Health Service advisory body, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an effective treatment for children and adults who have experienced trauma. It is also being developed as an effective treatment for a range of other anxiety related problems including phobias and negative thinking.

If someone has experienced trauma, it is perfectly possible that the ongoing distress could be fairly quickly dissipated with EMDR. Depending on the nature of the trauma EMDR can often be a quick treatment of 5 to 8 sessions.  More complex traumatic experiences may require more sessions.

It is true that this can often be a quick treatment, for example 5 to 8 sessions of EMDR. However the more complex the trauma memories are, the longer the treatment will take.

EMDR treatment always involves taking a personal history. Steps are taken to ensure that the client has the resources to be calmed and grounded before any treatment is commenced.

I strongly believe that EMDR is best offered within a broader framework of psychotherapy to ensure a thorough assessment and careful attention to each person’s unique needs.

For further information about EMDR, please go to www.emdrassociation.org.uk