Counselling & Psychological Therapy

If you are coming to therapy with a specific issue, I see my main job is support with this issue, and ultimately to make myself redundant in an efficient and effective way as possible. My time and skills cost your resources; your money, your time and commitment. l am always holding in mind that our time together to be as focused as possible to alleviate the symptoms of your distress, so that you can get closer to the life you wish to lead; after which you will hopefully no longer need to see me. 

Coming from a medical science background, I am keen to use evidence-based approaches and ensure I stay up to date and informed of recent research literature and NICE guidelines. If I make a suggestion or give information during our time together I will explain my reasoning from this background and go into as much depth that you are interested in so that you can feel assured that our time is being well spent. 

I use therapeutic approaches such as  Brief Solution-Focused, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT) skills to work actively and collaboratively with you. If you are open to the idea of using psychometric tests such as those implemented by the NHS we can use these to see more objectively how you feel you are progressing at regular intervals. If there are elements of the traditional format of these models such as ‘homework’, or filling in paperwork that don’t work for you, we can work flexibly and creatively, as there are lots of other ways we adapt our work and I am keen to individualise these approaches to make them as accessible as possible.

If you then choose to continue working in a more long term framework we can use more exploratory and relational approach which can help to understand your journey of how you have come to where you are in your life, which can be a preventative of issues re-emerging in different ways. Please see Psychotherapy for more information. 

If your issue is relational or attachment related we may begin in this manner and I will always be honest if I think I believe a longer therapeutic journey might be necessary, or if I feel I cannot help you I will refer you to a colleague who is more specialist in your concerns.