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I work with a range of issues including anxiety, stress, depression, shame and isolation, self-criticism, low self-esteem and life/work transition difficulties. I also work with people who have experienced childhood or current relationship abuse and trauma, as well as difficulties in relationships with others. I provide a non-judgemental space in which issues can be explored and worked-through safely.

THE BASICS

In sessions you will experience me listening carefully, supportively and non-judgementally in order to understand things from your perspective. I will reflect back to you what I have observed in terms of what you have communicated, broader patterns that appear to be occurring for you, or aspects of the interaction between us, in order to help you to be able to see things clearly and to be able to begin to make sense of things. Essentially, this is based on a Person-Centred Approach.

EXERCISES, STRATEGIES & SAFETY

You will also experience me offering body relaxation, breathing, safe-place visualisation, mindfulness and being-in-the-present exercises if appropriate to your needs, as well as sharing information about what might be happening in your mind and body if you are experiencing emotional difficulty. These exercises are not required for everyone, and not everyone finds they take to them in the same way (for example some people do not feel calmed by a focus on breathing), however you may find these helpful particularly if experiencing difficulty with such things as persistent anxiety, bodily tension, overwhelming fear and difficulty feeling safe or present in the room if thinking about traumatic incidents.

DEVELOPING SELF-COMPASSION

In addition, you will experience me offering strategies for for helping you to identify self-critical thoughts, shame and the experience of difficult emotions in a self-compassionate way, aiming to develop the tools needed to 'turn the volume down' on bullying, self-critical inner talk which may be causing you difficulty. In this I draw from Dr Paul Gilbert's Compassion-Focussed Therapy which identifies strategies for helping to balance the mind's main emotional systems effectively through a variety of strategies designed to help develop self-compassion and inner calm.