Counselling, Psychotherapy & Coaching 
 
Sudbury Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Therapies

Therapies 

Counselling & Psychotherapy
The 'Talking Therapies'

Talking is incredibly therapeutic, but having someone to listen - to sit with you and really hear what's in your heart and head, without judgement or trying to ‘fix’ you - can be incredibly powerful in helping you to understand, work through and lift the emotional burden, stress, worries, anxieties, even trauma that you are carrying. Talking therapies offer just that. The structure and length of therapy will differ for every client, but what is offered, first and foremost, is a supportive, confidential and impartial space to share, reflect on and explore the personal and emotional difficulties and challenges that you have, and are, experiencing.  It's not for me to advise you, but I will sit alongside you on your journey of exploration and we will, together, work out what you would like instead, whilst acquainting you with the inner resources you need to be able to cope and continue on the pathway to healing and personal growth. As an Integrative Counsellor I am trained across a number of theoretical approaches, but I choose to mainly work in a humanistic way.  A humanist approach means considering your needs and  potential as a whole, holistic being - first focusing on the here and now and your future goals, and respecting that you are the expert on you and have the capacity to change.  The analogy I like to use is that I am like a 'sat nav' helping you navigate life's journey, but you are very much in the driving seat, and setting the direction. However, past experiences and relationships, especially in childhood, often create unconscious defences and behaviours which continue to play out in our present relationships and actions. Sometimes we need to open ourselves up to exploring our past at a deeper level in order to effect lasting change for our future. For this, I lean into psychodynamic theory and practice. However, I will always adapt how I work according to your needs, goals, preferences, and, of course, what you best respond to. As such, I offer both short and long-term counselling for adults of all ages, conducting regular reviews to ensure your experience of therapy meets your needs. 

EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing

EMDR is a non-invasive, systematic psychotherapy which helps with emotionally distressing symptoms that can follow trauma and other deeply disturbing life experiences. It is also being increasingly used for other presentations, including general anxiety. Modern research has highlighted that when the body is in a state of distress, normal memory processing within the brain becomes comprised. This is the reason memories of traumatic events can become locked - as though frozen in time in both mind and body - with all the associated traumatic sensory experience attached. This 'blockage' manifests itself in the present as panic attacks, flashbacks and PTSD symptoms. Until recently, it could take sufferers years of painful talking therapy to work traumatic experiences through to healthy resolution. EMDR changes this. EMDR is a relatively new psychotherapy, developed in the 1980s by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. Her extensive research and testing process validated it as a key treatment for trauma and other adverse life experiences. Indeed, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and World Health Organisation (WHO) now recommend EMDR as the therapy of choice for trauma. EMDR uses an eight phase protocol. Within this, the re-processing stage aims to stimulate your natural information processing system using bilateral stimulation - I use your choice of guided eye movements or tapping - until the painful intensity of the emotions and/or vividness of any disturbing images is desensitised. This then enables your natural memory network to file the incident as a past event, which changes your experience of it in the present. We then work to install new positive, resourceful states to improve your wellbeing and day-to-day functionality. EMDR is an incredibly powerful therapy which I prefer to integrate into open-ended therapy to ensure clients are adequately prepared, resourced and supported. However, it can be used in isolation for a specifically targeted problem, where results can often be achieved within 12 sessions. EMDR is not suitable for everyone. If it might be an option for you, we will assess this together and discuss the required commitment.

Hypnotherapy & Hypno-psychotherapy
Solution Focused, Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH) and Analytical Hypnotherapy

Did you know that you naturally go into a trance state about eight times an hour?  Healing in this normal state of awareness has occurred for many centuries across all cultures, and is arguably the foundation for modern day psychotherapy, whilst sharing fundamental similarities of purpose and method with mindfulness and meditation.  Modern clinical hypnotherapy safely works with your subconscious mind to explore what is happening for you, support healing and to better resource you, perhaps by using imagery, metaphor, symbolism and mental rehearsal.  It's very effective in helping you cope with and overcome present difficulties, such as stress, anxiety and phobias, and is fantastic for relaxation and self-regulation.  However, some people are concerned that they will ‘lose control’ under hypnosis, perhaps because of the stigma of stage hypnotism - which is something entirely different.  Under hypnosis you are in a heightened state of awareness, and even though you are relaxed, your subconscious mind remains in full control. You'll still be able to make choices and talk, and you can stop at any time if you need to. As I mainly work open ended, I tend to draw from hypnotherapy where we agree it will be helpful in our work together. If you are interested in hypnotherapy as a stand-alone, short-term, solution-focused approach for a particular problem, I will assess suitability before working in this way, and ask that you commit to a minimum of 3 sessions for ethical reasons. This will enable me to fully understand the problem and the outcome you seek, undertake the agreed therapeutic intervention, and check this (and any further support that is needed) afterwards.  Hypnotherapy is not suitable if you suffer from certain manifestations of depressive illness, epilepsy or psychosis (e.g. schizophrenia), nor is it a 'magic wand' or something that is 'done' to you. It needs commitment from you too. As an integrative counsellor who is also trained to an advanced level in hypnotherapy, I naturally work across a range of therapeutic approaches and may, for example, suggest adapting a technique from cognitive and behavioural hypnotherapy (CBH) to help bring about short-term positive change for a client having talking therapy.  Likewise, if it feels appropriate to support deeper work with longer term  clients, an adaptation of analytical hypnotherapy, parts therapy or inner child work could help to get to the roots of the difficulties. My approach creatively applies an understanding of the natural hypnotic states we all dip in and out of. When working with any hypnotherapy technique I will tailor my intervention to your needs and what you feel comfortable with - whether that be 'eyes open' or 'eyes closed' work (with or without hypnotic induction). A trusting client-therapist relationship and an open, curious mind is often all that is needed for positive change to happen.  

NLP 
Neuro-Linguistic Programming

NLP is a set of therapeutic goal-oriented techniques which will help you understand and positively change your pattern of thinking, feeling, behaviour and communication. It is an empowering and transformative personal ‘toolkit’ for modelling success – a way of implementing change, maximising performance and getting results.  As the name implies, NLP is broken down into three parts: Firstly, the 'neuro' part is about understanding how your mind works to gather information and set up the internal behavioural programmes and strategies you use, both consciously and unconsciously. Secondly, the 'linguistic' part is about making sense of this information through an understanding of the language you use and the results this gives. Finally, the 'programming' part is about putting this learning into practice, and the choices this gives around what you do and how you do it in order to achieve your desired outcome.  In essence NLP is about what works for us humans so that we can be the best versions of ourselves.  I use NLP very successfully in both a coaching and therapeutic context because of the fast and positive results it produces, and how it motivates for further change.  As a Master NLP Practitioner, I am also trained in the Rewind Technique, (also known as the Fast Phobia Cure or Theatre Screen). This is based on a technique originally developed by Richard Bandler, one of the co-founders of NLP in the 1970s.  The technique is helpful if you have been exposed to traumatic events or have developed PTSD-like symptoms or phobias.  In addition, I have undertaken masterclasses with renowned TV therapist Ali Campbell, one of the world's leading coaches, hypnotherapists and NLP practitioners. I regularly use his rapid change methodologies which are more refined, modernised and effective adaptations of traditional, and perhaps slightly outdated, NLP change techniques.

CBT 
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

How you think about situations (the cognitive) affects how you feel and what you do (the behaviour). For example, if you think that something is going to go badly you may experience negative emotions and feelings, which will ultimately mean that you either avoid the situation or might behave in a way to make it worse, and end up stuck in a negative loop.  CBT helps you identify and challenge this pattern of thought and behaviour and so change how you cope with tough situations.   It is very much a short-term, goal-led therapeutic style, focused on finding practical solutions for current difficulties. The therapy works with what is happening in the present, rather than looking at past causes and can be very be helpful for anxiety, stress, phobias, depression, compulsive behaviour and managing long term conditions.  It cannot wave a magic wand - it requires work on your part too - but may suit clients who do not wish, or aren’t ready, to undertake deeper exploration into their difficulties, but would like help with coping strategies and negative thinking.  CBT is a great starting point for longer-term therapy and resourcing clients, so I often incorporate elements into the start of therapy, where appropriate.  As a counsellor and hypnotherapist I use elements of both Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Hypnotherapy, and will discuss with you before proceeding with either.

TFT 
Thought Field Therapy

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) is a specialised technique for the reduction of emotional distress, particularly from anxiety, panic, phobias and trauma.  It works in a similar way to acupressure, in that it stimulates the body’s energy meridians by tapping on various parts of the body.  It is the original tapping therapy - Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) was derived from it, but unlike EFT the use of additional mantras is not needed.  In my experience, TFT is most successfully used for helping to eliminate negative emotions when used in conjunction with other therapies, such as counselling, to support the overall change work.  The process is simple: You'll be asked to think about whatever your specific problem is, quantify your feelings on a scale of 1 to 10, and then tap on your body in specific places, the energy points, in a certain order.  Many tapping therapies use standard algorithms, but as a Diagnostic Practitioner I am trained to a higher level, and can work with you to identify a personalised tapping sequence for the problem you need help with.


Coaching & Personal Development
Mind-Body Wellbeing and Confidence Coaching

Coaching helps achieve greater self-awareness, self-management, peak performance and personal growth.  It's particularly suitable for improving skills and behaviour to attain better future outcomes.  Coaching builds on and develops your existing strengths, usually in preparation for a specific goal.  Maybe you are stuck in a rut and want to break out of the pattern. A relationship breakdown may have set you back and you are seeking a new start.  Maybe you are looking to return to work but have lost your confidence.  Perhaps your children have left home and you are at a loss as to where life is going now. Or perhaps you would like help to improve a specific skill such as public speaking.  The applications are endless.  Whatever the case, coaching focuses on present day situations and actions - the 'here and now' - rather than delving into the past.  It's a collaborative approach and tends to be more structured than counselling, so you should expect to be asked to take steps towards your goal as part of the process and to feedback progress.  As an Integrative Therapist I can help you develop the skills, self-belief, confidence and performance levels that will help you to step into a the future and a new, improved you. I use a mix of person-centred, solution-focused, CBT and NLP coaching, along with visualisation and therapeutically guided imagery. For ladies I can also offer Style Coaching™ for confidence, self-belief and personal style. These mind-body coaching sessions combine psychological and physiological self-development techniques with personal consultations on style and colour, tailored for your unique body shape, colour characteristics and personality. The result is a tangible difference to your confidence and self-esteem, both inside and out, whatever age or stage of life you are at. These are tailored packages for ladies, so please ask for details

The Human Toolbox™
 Psycho-Educational Wellbeing Programme  

Humans have a brilliant set of inner tools and resources, developed over thousands of years, to ensure we stay safe, happy, self-regulated and emotionally balanced.  Yet nowadays few of us really understand or fully use them.   As a result, our mental well-being is suffering in the stress of modern times. Simply knowing about the tools that you inherently possess is often enough to start the process of positive change - anxiety drops, energy and curiosity increase, and life begins to look and feel a lot better.  Like all tools, you first need to learn how to access them, understand how and why they work and then become skilled at using them in your daily life through practice. The Human Toolbox™ is a structured 8-week educational programme for mental well-being, created by an experienced and well-respected Suffolk counsellor.  It features ‘Bodd’, a typical human – so unique and yet so similar in emotional and physical needs and traits. The programme's original purpose was to help young people understand their big feelings and stay mentally and emotionally well and engaged with life, but it was soon realised that adults also greatly benefit from it.  As an authorised Human Toolbox™ Practitioner I can offer the full 8-week programme, with personal support, for adults both individually or in small groups (please ask for details). As a counselling client, you may very well meet Bodd and his therapeutic toolkit in your session too!  Once you’ve mastered the art of using your Human Tools you’ll never look back – and you’ll know more about being human than so many others.
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