Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a short-term solution focused intensive therapy which can lead to fast relief from distress for clients. It has been medically proven that when people confront what they fear repeatedly without getting the negative outcome they feared the sense of phobia gradually subsides. This does not only help in changing the mental frame of a person in a natural manner, but also helps in building back the lost confidence and sensitivity towards self. Working in a CBT way with clients helps them to challenge the pattern of negative thought processes that have become ingrained in their psyche over time and overcome these by working towards a more positive way of being for the client.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Low Mood, Anxiety or Depression
Anxiety
Whether it is social phobia, specific phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, general anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, or similar, it falls under the category of anxiety disorder and calls for psychotherapeutic treatment. And this is where counselling and psychotherapy can help.
How I can help…
Using an intensive CBT approach, I support clients by showing them the way to deal with and confront their conflicting issues, without fear or phobia. It has been medically proven that when the people confront what they fear repeatedly without getting the negative outcome they actually fear, the sense of phobia gradually subsides. This helps the client to reframe their negative thinking which in turn rebuilds their self- confidence, self-worth and self-esteem.
Depression
Depression is a mental illness, which one should not confuse with the short-term emotional distress, anxiety attacks or feeling low, which also are constituents of depression. Anyone can feel low for a brief period of time or have anxiety attacks once in a while, but that does not mean they are suffering from depression. Depression is much more serious than that, and is a persistent feeling of sadness, loneliness, grief, uselessness, and emotional pain.
How I can help…
Counselling clients presenting with depression involves listening, understanding, analysing and evaluating their problems and then deciding on a specific intervention plan. Research has proven that psychotherapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be very effective in treating this debilitating illness and I use this approach together with an integrative psychotherapeutic approach to help the client deal with depressive symptoms and manage their wellbeing on a day to day basis.
Other Issues
Often clients who present with anxiety or depression may be dealing with other life events, either past or present. It is important to be aware that coming for counselling involves looking at the client in a holistic manner and working through all issues with them.
In such cases, I will integrate other suitable psychotherapy approaches in my work with clients, for example, using a psychodynamic approach to deal with issues relating to the past or a trauma- focused approach to deal sensitively with such issues as historical child abuse or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Integrative Psychotherapy
Counselling and psychotherapy supports people with their emotional issues, which can range in severity or intensity. The main aim of this form of therapy is to change the quality of life for the client by defining their path of life more clearly. Whether it is the problem of repressed childhood that you are facing, or an emotional breakdown due to divorce or the loss of a loved one, I can support you to revive your mental health, become re-energised and more focused in moving forward with life.
There are many emotional issues that refuse to die down. With time, these issues can transform into a sort of emotional tumour that impacts negatively on our daily life. Lack of concentration or enthusiasm, low self-worth and self-respect, unwilling to change or make choices, feeling discouraged, angry or resentful are emotions which can spiral into our lives in various ways, creating problems in our relationships, professional life, and our health. Integrative psychotherapy and counselling helps to address the root cause of the problem and ultimately lead the way to a better and brighter way of being in our world.
As an integrative psychotherapist I draw on many different approaches in my work with clients. Every client presentation is unique, so the psychotherapeutic plan will be specific to the client. Some of the approaches I use include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy, Relationship therapy, Systemic Family therapy, Narrative therapy, Art/sand/ biblio-therapy, Trauma focused therapy and others. Be assured that no matter what your presentation might be, you will be met with kindness, sensitivity and a non-judgemental stance to support you during the counselling process.
