There’s a huge range of counselling, CBT and psychotherapy models practised in the UK these days. So what’s the best approach for the issues you’re bringing to me? This is something I’ll consider very carefully.

I am trained in counselling, CBT and psychotherapy (Psychodynamic and Jungian). You may be aware that CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is validated by NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).

As an integrative therapist I might use techniques from one or more models that are most relevant to your situation. I do this because people have varying needs and no one approach works in all situations.

Interestingly research over the past 40 years has consistently suggested that the most important ingredient to achieving a successful clinical outcome is to develop a productive therapeutic relationship regardless of the particular theoretical approach. This is something I place great value on.

Together, we can discuss which approach(es) you would like to take in our initial one-off assessment after you’ve told me a little bit more about yourself.

Counselling, CBT and Psychotherapy are offered online via video-conferencing.

Short-term therapy for individuals

I offer short-term counselling for a wide range of concerns. If you are a self-referring private patient, I will undertake an initial one-off assessment and explain the ways we can work together. If you decide to proceed, then I ask that you commit to doing a minimum number of sessions so that you can give yourself the best chance of achieving your therapeutic goals.

According to NICE guidelines, CBT is the treatment of choice for shorter-term interventions that focus on a particular issue such as generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia), phobias and depression. I offer a minimum of 10 sessions to work with these concerns.

Longer-term therapy for individuals

Psychotherapy is undertaken over a longer period of time. It can be helpful as an exploratory intervention to make sense of interpersonal relationships and to develop effective ways to deal with longer-term psychological and emotional problems. The idea is to 'shine a light' on your early life experiences to enhance your self-awareness so you are better able to make connections with current concerns and deal with problems in the 'here and now’.

I offer integrative supervision to both qualified therapists and to students. I also offer single modality supervision including Psychodynamic or CBT approaches. Supervision is offered in person or online via video-conferencing.

"Acupuncture is one of the longest established forms of healthcare in the world. It originated in China approximately 2,500 years ago and is now practised across the globe. For acupuncturists who use a traditional theory, the focus is on the individual, rather than an isolated complaint. The physical, emotional, and mental aspects of life are seen as interdependent. Acupuncturists use subtle diagnostic techniques, such taking the pulse and observing the tongue, that have been developed and refined for thousands of years. Treatment involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body to regulate the flow of ‘qi’ along pathways in the body known as ‘meridians’. Acupuncturists may also use other techniques such as moxibustion, cupping, tuina/massage, and guasha."

(British Acupuncture Council website 2021)

Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and more recently the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have endorsed the use of acupuncture for particular clinical interventions. Acupuncture has been practised in China for over 2,000 years. Very fine needles are inserted in specific points around the body to elicit the body's own healing responses. A usual treatment may involve the insertion of up to 10 needles for up to 45 minutes.

The World Health Organization endorses the use of acupuncture for the following conditions: anxiety, depression, stress, arthritis, asthma, back pain, aches, pains, circulatory conditions, facial paralysis, infertility, menstrual problems, migraines, sciatica, many skin conditions and ulcers.

Other people use acupuncture to help deal with pain, and even addictions such as smoking and alcohol.

An acupuncture treatment can also help with feeling better when dealing with serious illnesses and the undesirable effects of medications. It is also good to receive as a preventative treatment so as to maintain a sense of 'feel good'.

Many patients find a combination of acupuncture and cupping therapy beneficial. Take a look at this video which shows you just how relaxing these procedures can be…

It certainly isn’t necessary to have a specific illness in order to benefit from acupuncture. A number of wellbeing improvements can be achieved such as better sleep, digestion, energy and vitality, emotional and mental functioning. Acupuncture can also be very useful for cosmetic treatments such as facial rejuvenation.

As part of my practice I run a quit smoking service which involves doing a number of sessions over a short period of time. You might also find it helpful to access the support of a self-help organization called Quitza.

What does a session involve?

The initial consultation is about discussing your lifestyle, your medical history and any symptoms that you may have.

It also includes a physical check-up involving pulse and tongue diagnosis. This is then followed by a personalized 15-20 minute treatment to give you an idea of how acupuncture can help you. This means placing and moving very fine needles in the relevant part of your body. This enhances and balances the flow of energy around the body.

The follow up sessions would focus on feeding back on any effects from the previous treatment and updating on any relevant signs and symptoms ahead of receiving a treatment.

How many sessions will I need?

To begin with it is good to space your sessions at weekly intervals. Once an improvement sets in, the treatments will be spaced further apart.

Some people only need a short course of treatments such as six weeks before seeing an improvement, whereas others may need a longer period of treatment.

Ultimately the course of treatments will depend on the nature and duration of presenting symptoms.