Issues

Anxiety counselling in Tunbridge Wells and Online.

Anxiety is the number one reason for people seeking therapy. Anxiety isn’t picky about who it chooses and it can have a devastating impact on a person’s life.

Anxiety is a natural protective response designed to keep us safe however if you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, panic attacks may be striking more often and bubbling up from nowhere leaving you feeling powerless and panicky most of the time. Of course this may well be affecting your life in many ways and often the fear of the anxiety can start to feed the anxiety!

Anxiety can lead to unpleasant symptoms such as avoidance, stress, racing thoughts, racing heart, sweating and dizziness, making your world smaller and smaller.

You don’t have to suffer anymore. Start getting some control over your anxiety today.

I am trained in recognising and helping people recover from the many different guises that anxiety presents itself in. Sometimes this is uncontrollable worry (GAD), sometimes panic attacks, OCD and PTSD. (autonomic dysregulation)

My approach to treating anxiety

All therapy is exploratory, we will start with some psychoeducation surrounding the bodily response triggering anxiety and then take some time to look at the triggers contributing to this response. We will examine and challenge any automatic or negative thoughts and together come up with some strategies to help you cope.

This is likely to include psychodynamic, humanistic CBT and mindfulness approaches but this will very much depend on you, your life experiences and preferences.

Anger management Tunbridge Wells and Online.

All emotions welcome!

When I was training to be a therapist I had a real issue with anger. I just couldn’t access it or allow it out. Anger was an emotion that quite frankly terrifired me!

Anger is a necessary emotion, just as all human emotions are, with a specific role in keeping us safe. It’s not the anger that is frightening, anger is empowering and indicative, but it is what we do with that anger that is the issue.

If you are reading this you or those around you, have probably noticed the symptoms of your anger. Maybe you fly off the handle quickly or react in explosive ways to minor events., it may have shocked you how you have reacted and you may be looking for ways to improve communication and work in more positive assertive ways to get your needs met.

Start managing your anger in a more productive way today.

Working in an integrative way with a heavy emphasis on the therapeutic relationship , I will help you to learn techniques to calm the autonomic nervous system, look at the bigger picture and get your point across through assertive communication.

We will not be trying to rid you of anger we will be learning to harness it’s energy in a more productive way.

Trauma therapy Tunbridge Wells and Online.

Is it safe to come out yet?

Long after we have experienced a trauma of some kind, our body hangs onto the memory. There are complicated physiological reasons for this but processing what has happened to you and becoming present can be a challenging, worthwhile and life-changing process.

Many of the presenting problems that you may be dealing with right now such as addictions, self-harm, self-sabotage, eating disorders or perfectionism are likely to be a direct attempt by you to regulate the powerful unaddressed feelings you have been left with. Add low self-esteem, chronic shame and anxiety and depression to the mix and you can see why abuse really is the gift that keeps on giving!

In the words of Carolyn Spring “Recovery is my best revenge”

I know how difficult it can be to trust other people if you have experienced sexual, physical or emotional abuse and that’s why this type of therapy takes time. There aren’t any quick fixes but you can start to feel less shame with a compassionate and empathic therapist trained in the skills required to help you to self-regulate, be present and slowly open up.

Recovering from trauma through therapy in Tunbridge Wells and online.

I have a very special interest in helping people to recover from trauma and helping them to break away from the secrecy and shame their abuser may have left them feeling was theirs to hold. Recovering from trauma and realising you are not to blame can be incredibly hard and emotionally overwhelming. This type of therapy is something you might want to do in stages as new insight feels safe to explore.

I am a Clinical Counselling Trauma Practitioner and continue to train in this area.

For anyone reading this who has experienced such trauma if nothing else I would like you to know you are not alone. Maybe it’s too much to reach out today but I hope you will keep revisiting the possibility everyday. I will work with you to file that trauma safely in the past enabling you to feel safe invulnerability and closer realtionships.