My Approach
When we know there is something not right with us, but we don't know what it is, it can be a confusing and isolating experience. Friends, colleagues and family may well be there to support us, but if internally, our world is fraught with confusion, pain, anger or discomfort, it can feel impossible to know what to do for the best. Attending for therapy is a practical step towards identifying, managing and overcoming these challenges, in a safe environment, with someone qualified to assist you.
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Everybody is different. My approach in working with clients is to integrate elements from evidence based therapeutic approaches within modern psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the foundational approach, but I also use techniques from what are classed as the 'third wave' developments of CBT, including mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT), compassion focussed therapy (CFT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). I also use the approach of person centred therapy (PCT), as well as aspects of life coaching.
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I am fully insured to work as a psychotherapist, counsellor and mindfulness teacher in the UK, and hold the following qualifications: COSCA Counselling Skills Certificate Course delivered by the Glasgow Cognitive Therapy Centre, SCQF level 11 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy accredited by Edinburgh Napier University, and Mindfulness Teaching Skills with the Mindfulness Association UK. I am a member of the BABCP and am eligible and working toward accreditation with both the BABCP and COSCA.
Joining the Dots
Joining the dots in one's own life as a metaphor for what we do in therapy, has always felt to me like a great way to illustrate the work we do. If you have a join the dots puzzle in front of you, and are able to clearly see the whole picture, it can be pretty easy to join those dots, revealing the hidden picture. But in our own lives, we are right in the midst of things, and it becomes like trying to complete the puzzle with the paper pressed right up against your face! A therapist helps us to stand back, to see all of the dots from a wider perspective, giving us the opportunity to join the dots in our own lives for ourselves.
I chose the dots as a pattern for my contact cards with this in mind.