Anita Duke MBACP (Accred), GHSC (Accred)

B.A.(Hons), Adv.Dip.SomTrauma, Dip.IntCouns, Adv.Dip.Hyp/Psych, Dip.EMDR, MPract.NLP, TFTdx, Dip.SC

I appreciate that you may wish to know more about my background before choosing to work with me. I hope the following helps.

I have over 30 years experience working in a variety of professional roles. After graduating in my 20s, I spent 14 years working in corporate sales and marketing senior management. Having made a life-changing decision to leave the business world given family commitments, I worked in various behaviour support, coaching and teaching roles in state education for another 12 years. It was during this time that I also trained as a therapist. 

In 2012, whilst still working in education, I began to privately practice as a therapeutic NLP life coach specialising in women's wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem. Having qualified in clinical hypnotherapy in 2014, I started to expand my remit. I have since qualified in integrative counselling, advanced hypno-psychotherapy, EMDR, somatic trauma therapy, parts therapy, breathwork coaching and Thought Field Therapy (TFT). I went on to work as a counsellor for a social enterprise affiliated to the West Suffolk NHS Foundation IAPT service, and an Anxiety UK Approved Therapist, before making the choice to return to private practice.

I launched Anita Duke Therapy in 2019, to offer my full repertoire of skills. I now work in full-time private practice, whilst continuing to support mental health charities through the practice connection with YANA. In 2023, I was invited to join the Bedfordshire Centre of Therapeutic Studies as an associate tutor. I now regularly facilitate workshops and reflective spaces for student counsellors. I am also a CPCAB approved tutor for the L3 Award in Breathwork Coaching.

Behind all of this, however, I have myself experienced the emotional roller-coaster that is human existence, and have met life, loss, and complex trauma at a deep and personal level. Some years ago, my whole world changed overnight. I had to find the strength and resilience to navigate high levels of distress, chaos, helplessness, fear, uncertainty and loss over a greatly prolonged period. I found myself caring for and supporting others, yet had lost my own sense of inner safety and control. I personally experienced the very real and often painful impact that the legacy of trauma, stress, anxiety and burnout can have on the mind and body.

Through my own healing journey I came to understand the value of therapy for working through complex emotions, life challenges and what stays stuck in the body. My own trauma history and recovery now greatly enriches my client work and informs my ability to sit alongside, hear your truth and compassionately hold you through whatever you are experiencing.

We cannot change the past, but it doesn't have to define us. It took me a long time to understand this, but in doing so I can now help you to move forward in life. Together we will connect to your inner wisdom and resources, and unlock your ability to resiliently face life's challenges, re-find joy and grow...

Qualifications and Training

Having trained as an integrative therapist over many years, I have developed an extensive breadth of understanding and competency across various counselling and psychotherapy approaches.

I have the following formal qualifications:

- Adv. Diploma in Somatic Trauma Therapy
- Diploma in Integrative Counselling

- Adv. Diploma in Hypno-Psychotherapy & Counselling
- Diploma in Integrative Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy
- Diploma in Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR)

- Advanced Certificate in Understanding & Applying Parts Theories
- Certificate in Online & Telephone Counselling (BACP approved)
- Certificate in Practitioner Specialism for Trauma Informed Practice

(NCIP approved - Level 7)
- Foundation Certificate in the Application of Polyvagal Theory

- CPCAB L3 Award in Breathwork Coaching

- Master Practitioner Certificate in Neuro Linguistic Programming

- Diagnostic Practitioner Certificate in Thought Field Therapy (TFT)

- Practitioner Certificate in The Human Toolbox™
- Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnosis 
- Certificate in the Practice of Hypno-Virtual Gastric Band

- General Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice (GQHP) awarded by the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC).

- Graduate Diploma in Style Coaching™

I remain committed to continued professional development (CPD) and continually update my skillset within my core therapeutic approaches. Examples of training and/or research I have undertaken in recent years includes:

• Advanced somatic practices for trauma treatment
• Functional breathwork
• Working with complex trauma using EMDR and parts approaches
• Working with the impact of antagonistic relationships and narcissistic abuse
• Supporting people through grief and loss
• Working creatively using inner child therapy and sand tray work
• Cultural attunment and working within diversity
• Introduction to Sensorimotor Therapy
• Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Rewind Technique (also known as NLP Theatre Screen / Fast Phobia Technique)
• Ali Campbell's hypnotherapy and NLP rapid change techniques

I also regularly update my training in relation to working with self-harm and risk, ethical practice and general practice management.

I hold an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and am fully insured for all therapies offered.