How I Work: An Integrative Approach
I create a judgement-free, calm and supportive space where you can truly express yourself openly and authentically. I work in a genuine and empathetic way, helping you feel at ease as we work through your issues. As an integrative counsellor, I draw upon various modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focussed Therapy and Brief or Solutions-Focussed Therapy, individually tailored to your specific needs.
Understanding Your Needs
An integrative therapist can help most effectively when you hold three things in mind at once – this gives us a map of which areas to work on:
- Your story – what happened, how it shaped you and what meaning you’ve made of it
- Your patterns – how you cope, protect, avoid, relate and survive.
- Your capacity -what strengths, resources and resilience you already have.
Different Therapeutic Modalities
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The idea behind CBT is that our thoughts and behaviours influence each other. By changing the way we think or behave in a situation, we can change the way we feel about life. The therapy examines learnt behaviours, habits and negative thought patterns with the view of adapting them into positives. CBT is rooted in the present and looks to the future. While past events and experiences are considered during the sessions, the focus is more on current concerns. CBT helps you to understand any negative thought patterns you may have. You may learn how they affect you and, most importantly, what can be done to change them.
Compassion-Focussed Therapy
Compassion-Focussed Therapy (CFT) is a way of understanding how our body, brain, thoughts, emotions and behaviours work together to influence our daily experiences. This type of therapy helps us to stop, notice our feelings, and understand them in relation to how our minds and bodies work by cultivating self-compassion. The core premise of CFT is to help you understand and change patterns of negative self-talk and self-criticism, fostering a kinder and more compassionate relationship with oneself, improving emotional well-being and enhancing resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
Solution-Focussed or Brief Therapy
Solution-focused brief therapy is also known as brief therapy, SFBT, or the solution-focused approach. The focus is to set clear, concise and realistic goals. Rather than discussing your current concerns in detail, we will explore how your life will be once these concerns are resolved. We focus on what you want and your strengths and only delve into the past as far as is necessary to understand your concerns. SFBT is a type of humanistic therapy, which means it considers you - the client- the expert on yourself and your situation. It’s based on the belief that every individual has the knowledge of what would improve their situation and helping those who are goal-oriented and have a desire to change.
Get in touch
Ready to start your therapeutic journey? Get support today. Deciding to reach out is your first step to achieving the life you want. To book an appointment, call 07467 402786 or email use secure contact form.
I offer an initial FREE 15-minute telephone consultation to gain insight into what brings you to counselling and will explain how I work. I will ask what you would like to get out of counselling and how we might work together. There is no obligation to continue. You will have the opportunity to clarify any questions or concerns you have about starting therapy. If you want to proceed, we can book your first assessment session either in-person or online.