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Multi Modal CBT Online Training Course Multi Modal CBT Welcome to my new online training course, Multi Modal Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I continue to offer my conventional training course delivered over three days (see my Workshops page for more information), but have now developed the course into an online/video version. ​ This Multi Modal CBT Course is easy to use within an integrative approach and delivers an added-value aspect which enables a finely tuned targeting of the presenting issue. ​ My focus in this course is on teaching interventions and techniques. We will examine thoughts and beliefs and discover how these are connected to emotions, moods, imagery, sensations and behaviour and how to effect change. We will explore the behavioural, sensory, affective, imagery and cognitive modalities, learning how to diagnose and treat the root of the issue. Throughout, we will look at ways of adding a creative dimension to help clients to integrate their learning. ​ The course is intended for psychotherapists and psychotherapists-in-training, counsellors and student counsellors, life coaches and other interested parties (members of the public). ​ To access and purchase this online Multi Modal training course, please visit my Vimeo Page or click the button below. Vimeo Multi Modal CBT Course

Resources Resources Introduction Welcome to my resource page, where you will find a variety of useful resources I have made available to all visitors to my website. ​ I also have a library of Premium Resources that I use with, and make available to, my current clients. A list of these resources can be viewed here . When I begin working with a new client, I ask them to register to access my 'Client Hub'. Once approved, clients are able to access the Client Hub where they can update their personal information and access the library of Premium Resources. ​ Whilst the Premium Resources are not accessible to non-clients, the freely available content I make available on this page will be managed and updated regularly, so bookmark this page and pop back soon! Resources Available To All Website Visitors CBT4 ABC Form A chart showing how it’s not the activating event that triggers the consequences but your beliefs. Download CBT5 ABC Belief Monitoring Similar to the ABC form, but a different layout you may prefer. Download CBT6 Changing - Benefits versus Costs A form when you’re considering a big change, assisting you to lay out the pros and cons of the situation. Download CBT8 Questions to Challenge Faulty Thinking A handout listing some of the ways we can challenge our 'faulty thinking' -- once we've established what faulty thinking is (unhelpful thinking). Download L1 Optimising the Therapy Hour A leaflet from me to you, with some suggestions as to how best to proceed once you’re in therapy. Download M1 The Brain and Change We live by habit when we’re no longer aware of what we’re thinking, doing, or feeling; we become unconscious. A handout on why change is so hard. Download M3 Body's Alarm System A handout on what happens when we are facing dangerous or frightening situations and why some peopl sometimes seem to overreact to stress. Download M6 Stress What stress is. Download M7 Body's Alarm System Information on how the body copes with stress. --- Q1 HADS Scale Questionnaire A questionnaire to help measure how anxious or depressed you are. Download Q4 Locus of Control Handout to help you discover how strongly you believe you have control over the situations and experiences that affect your life. Download TA5 OK/Not OK Matrix The positions or attitudes we take as a way of getting through our lives. Download Premium Resources for Registered Clients The list of Premium Resources shown below is accessible by my current clients via the Client Hub. Log In to Client Hub CBT1 Coping Self Talk for OCD Sufferers Once you’ve established some of your intrusive thoughts, the triggering situations and the associated faulty beliefs and thinking errors, you can begin to challenge these faulty ideas generated by your brain when it’s in OCD mode. CBT2 Challenging Faulty Beliefs A form to help when you are plagued by faulty thinking — this chart helps you measure the level of belief, label the type of faulty thinking that’s at play and to substitute it with a more helpful thought. CBT3 ABCDE Thought Record A CBT form to help you challenge your core beliefs once and for all. CBT7 Faulty Thinking A list of different types of thoughts which we can label as ‘faulty ‘because they’re not helping us to develop helpful behaviours. CBT9 Theory A Theory B Worksheet and Example A handout which can be useful when we need a new perspective on a challenging situation. L2 Privacy and Data Protection Statement My statement to clients outlining the framework to which I adhere in order to protect your privacy. L3 Dream Interpretation Guide 2018 A guide to dream interpretation using just one of the ways we can interpret our dreams. Freud said dreams are the royal road to the unconscious. Making a note of your dreams and bringing them along to your therapy session will prove extremely beneficial. M2 Feminine and Masculine Polarities A sheet with some adjectives to describe the difference between feminine and masculine ways-of-being; try to avoid the cry of ‘stereotyping’ — this needs a discussion to accompany it! M4 Cycle of Experience Gestalt A handout explaining the cycle of experience, which, when interrupted, is sometimes call 'unfinished business'. This handout will help when exploring and working with the ways you interrupt your own cycles of experience. M5 Masculine versus Feminine A sheet with some adjectives to describe the difference between feminine and masculine ways-of-being; try to avoid the cry of ‘stereotyping’ — this needs a discussion to accompany it! M8 Genograms A handout to help you draw your family genogram (an emotional and psychological family tree). Q2 Impact of Events Scale An brief questionnaire to measure how much a troubling or traumatic event has impact you. Q3 Modality Profile A questionnaire to help you explore your stronger and weaker modalities - behaviour, feelings, sensations, imagery and thinking. TA2 Stop The Drama Triangle An illustration of the so-called ‘Drama Triangle’ an unconscious psychological game in which we either play Victim, Rescuer or Persecutor - and how to stop it/get out of it! TA3 Drivers Behaviours we adapt in order to bring about a desired result from other people — can be positive or negative. TA4 Ego States Ego States are a consistent pattern of thinking, feeling and behaving. Parent, Adult and Child ego states and the interactions between them form the foundation of transactional analysis theory. TA6 Life Script Components A summary of the building blocks which comprise our life script, written before the age of seven and then unconsciously acted out for the rest of our lives, unless we make it conscious. TA7 Types of Script Written’ before the age of 7, our life script then goes unconscious and — because it’s not conscious — it rules the roost! Have a look at this handout to see what type of script you may have been acting out, all your life! We can change our script. TA8 Injunctions Injunctions are things we were told as children — verbally or non-verbally — that we must or must not do. These injunctions then become accepted unconscious rules which affect our adult lives. TA9 Life Script Development According to Transactional Analysis, by trial and error, during childhood (before the age of 7, we develop a 'life script' which is made up of certain building blocks. This life script - with a beginning, middle and end then goes into the unconscious and dictates how we live our lives. We can change it. TA10 Rackets A handout drawing on the Transactional Analysis model explaining how 'racket emotions' can be used to cover up feelings not favoured by your family or culture of origin. LIST-Premium Resources

Dream Guides Introduction to Dream Guides We all love to hear good stories. They amuse us, unite us, distract us and help us make sense of our own lives. Think of the number of people reading books, settling their children down at bedtime, reading fairy tales to them (often being asked to repeat old favourites), of the vast amount of money spent on churning out films and TV series to keep us entertained with dramas, fantasies, sagas, comedies and tragedies. Dreams, too, are stories. We’ve been fascinated by dreams for thousands of years. Every night we have several dreams. Some people swear they never dream, others only remember fragments and some remember them in great detail. Your dreams send a cascade of symbols, motifs, images and coded messages to you, messages about your life that are often not available to your conscious mind. Your dreams offer up a vignette of the state of your life as it is right now. ​ Download my 'Dream Guides'. One guide a general dream interpretation guide, and the other is a Gestalt Guide to Dream Interpretation. Just complete the simple form below to receive your free Dream Guides. Please subscribe me to future communications and offers. Your personal details will remain confidential and will never be shared with any party outside my therapy practice. Download Wisdom tells me I am nothing Love tells me I am everything Between the two my life flows Nisargadatta Maharaj | Hindu Guru Teachings | 20th Century

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Psychotherapy & Counselling Introduction Psychotherapy and Counselling. So what’s the difference? They’re both talking therapies, right? Depending upon the individual therapist and their training, there may be a world of difference, or none at all. Some counsellors provide brief treatment focussing on behavioural patterns. Psychotherapists tend to focus on longer-term working, concentrating on long-standing emotional problems. Although that is a grossly over-simplified explanation of the terms Psychotherapy and Counselling, it should suffice as an introduction to this page of my website. Benefits I grew up in the North of England, where I was somehow left with the impression that talking about my problems in anything other than a jocular way would make me a crybaby. As Gene Hunt (the blunt, 1970s copper in Life on Mars) famously said “This is Manchester. We don’t sauté our fish. We batter it.” This is Manchester. We don’t sauté our fish. We batter it. Gene Hunt | BBC 'Life on Mars' | 2006 However, aged 35 and finding myself in the Last Chance Saloon, humbled by a physical illness which medicine couldn’t help (M.E.), I stopped trying to laugh it off, took myself seriously, sought out therapy and never looked back. ​ Psychotherapy and counselling can provide relief from debilitating symptoms. It can help us — in ways which would be difficult without the assistance of a non-judgemental ‘other’ — to make the necessary changes to our behaviour in order to live fulfilling lives. It can address symptoms which are causing problems in our relationships, enhance the quality of our lives by enabling us to make more helpful life choices, help us to learn and apply better communication skills, give us the ability to change self-defeating behaviours, enable better expression of emotions, offer relief from depression and anxiety and increase confidence and decision-making skills, and can offer other benefits flowing from the ability to establish and maintain a healthy client/therapist relationship. ​ "The results of psychotherapy and counselling tend to be longer-lasting and less likely to require additional treatment than prescribed medication. For example, in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, psychotherapy clients/patients acquire a variety of skills that are used after the treatment ends and generally, these clients/patients tend to continue to improve after the termination of treatment." (Hollon, Stewart, & Strunk, 2006; Shedler, 2010). Professional Support Is Just A Click Away Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Process The first step in therapy is for us to meet for an initial consultation and get to know each other a little. ​ At the first meeting, I will be asking you lots of questions about the issues you’re struggling with right now and what you’re hoping to address in therapy. I will also be asking you about your childhood experiences, your relationship with your mother, father, other caregivers and your siblings. ​ Other important information I need will include any previous therapy you’ve had (how it went, how it ended, whether it was satisfactory, etc), your work history, relationship history, reasons previous relationships ended and your current relationship if you have one. ​ The reasons I ask these questions is that the answers begin to provide with me a blueprint upon which I can loosely base my therapeutic strategy for our work together. The ‘blueprint’ will be added to over time, as more information surfaces from our sessions. I will obviously allow time during the first session for you to ask any questions you wish to ask about me, therapy in general and how I see us working together in the future. ​ Psychotherapy and counselling are usually conducted on an open-ended basis and I usually suggest we review how things are going after six sessions to see if you’re getting what you hoped for from the therapy. ​ Subsequent sessions differ from the first, insofar as you come along to the session and either continue from where we left off the previous week (I may have extra questions to ask too) or you may have something in particular on your mind that you wish to discuss. It’s important that the client leads the session. I’m not one of those silent, blank screen types of therapists, but neither do I take control of the client’s session by asking leading questions or referring to something from the previous week’s session. There are good reasons for this, which I’m happy to discuss. My style is client-centred, entering the session open to the client’s agenda with none of my own, trusting that the client’s higher self, so to speak, knows what needs addressing next. ​ Having undergone years of therapy myself, I have traversed the terrain and this, along with years of professional training, qualifies me to accompany you on your journey. Knowing the landscape and knowing it well, I can be your trusted guide as you find your particular path. I can, like a Sherpa, help you with your baggage and hold a guiding light for you. I will know when to suggest we rest and when we should press on. I can encourage you when you feel like quitting. I can help motivate you when you’re feeling low. And I can be with you when you just need to feel low. I know the valleys and mountaintops, the moods to be expected when you hit an obstacle and want to quit, the sense of achievement when you overcome it — and the feeling of exhilaration when you conquer your own sense of limitation. ​ There will, of course, come a time when you feel you wish to leave therapy. ​ You can, of course, terminate therapy any time you wish, although I prefer a minimum of four weeks’ notice. I ask for this, not for my sake, but to enable what we therapists call a good ending. ​ During these 4 weeks, we can honour the journey we’ve been on together, look at the highs and lows, what was most helpful and what wasn’t. We can begin to see what’s been planted, what’s failed to thrive, what needs some fertiliser, what’s flourished, what needs harvesting and also what seeds may need planting for future growth. ​ I encourage you to give honest feedback to me. I’m open to constructive evaluation throughout our time together. I’m a trained professional so there’s no need to hold back. ​ I hope that throws some light onto the mysterious process of psychotherapy! This is an over-simplified explanation and it has to be because the way it works is reliant — as much as any clever interpretations or techniques — in the therapeutic relationship you and I will co-create. It’s a gift and a curse at the same time. You get the pain much worse than anybody else, but you see a sunrise much more beautiful than anybody else. Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan KBE | Interview, BBC Radio 4 'In the Psychiatrist's Chair' | September 1992

Multi Modal CBT Workshop Multi Modal CBT (with a touch of the transpersonal) This has been a popular workshop since 2002! This 3-day workshop, part-lecture and part- experiential, is aimed at counsellors, psychotherapists, students of counselling and psychotherapy, life coaches, trainers, and members of the public. The workshop makes integrating CBT easy and my transpersonal and integrative training helps bring CBT to life. ​ £350 Price is per person for a 3-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest

About Me About Me When you’re looking for a therapist, it sometimes helps to know a little about that therapist’s background, so I hope you find this information of interest! ​ Most therapists had careers prior to becoming a counsellor or psychotherapist and I’m no exception. ​ Until the early 1990s, I had a 20-year career in the advertising industry where I worked on some famous brands. My job included taking the client’s marketing brief, developing a strategy to achieve client goals, and converting that into marketing materials. In short, I held the responsibility to oversee the whole advertising process from initial brief through to the creation and implementation of TV commercials, press, poster and radio campaigns, constantly liaising between the advertising agency and the client to ensure successful outcomes. ​ A chronic illness (M.E., otherwise known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) caused me to re-evaluate my career choice and, uncertain of what I wanted to do, I left the world of advertising. Despite being seriously unwell, I trained in bodywork which included Therapeutic Massage, Clinical Aromatherapy, Indian Head Massage and Reflexology, all of which I loved. ​ My physical illness, however, was not responding to anything my doctor suggested. Alternative therapies helped to an extent, but I was in my 30s and felt like someone two or three times my age. Setting aside my previous attitude of bewilderment, if not contempt, about counselling and psychotherapy, humbled, I decided to consult a psychotherapist. ​ The first session left me reeling. I felt physically and mentally re-invigorated after just 50 minutes with my therapist (Annie Lloyd) and, moreover, I had some idea about why this illness had me in its grip. The next two years saw me recover from M.E. and I felt that, if psychotherapy and counselling were this effective, I’d like to undertake training myself. ​ In 1993, I began a five-year training programme at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education in Little Venice, West London. I graduated in 1998 with a Diploma in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy and went on to obtain an MA in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy in 2000. I then obtained Diplomas in Supervision and Advanced Psychotherapy and sometime later, trained in the excellent and sought-after trauma treatment called Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming (EMDR). ​ I now have a busy private practice in London for three days each week and in Lidlington, Bedfordshire on two days a week, doing a job I love. ​ I am also a staff member at my training college, CCPE in Little Venice , London, and I lead regular weekend workshops on a variety of topics for fellow professionals and the public. Do take a look at the Workshops section of this website for further information. Wisdom tells me I am nothing Love tells me I am everything Between the two my life flows Nisargadatta Maharaj | Hindu Guru Teachings | 20th Century Therapeutic Style About 10 years ago, I asked an Apple technician for help and he sent me a ‘share screen’ request. At his bidding, I accepted this request and he said, “I can now see your desktop ~ can you see that red arrow? That’s my arrow.” I remember being astonished! “Whoa! How did you do that?” I asked, looking around the room to see if I was being filmed. Thinking about that mind-blowing experience today, I find it hard to believe that I was so amazed by this technology. There are some people who find the idea of transpersonal experiences as mind-blowing as my screen-sharing experience with Apple, but soon enough accept the idea of different levels of consciousness. ​ There are others who believe that what we see, is all there is. From the more every day to the less usual — everything is welcome in a therapy session. ​ I’m a transpersonal and integrative therapist. What on earth does that mean? To begin with, discussions about ‘the transpersonal’ can still be a bit like the screen-sharing experience I had. ​ ‘Trans’ means beyond, so ‘transpersonal’ means ‘beyond the personal’. Transpersonal is a term used to describe experiences and views of the world that go beyond the ordinary. ​ A transpersonal therapist views people as spiritual beings — there is a spiritual wellspring in each and every one of us, from which our psychological structures arise. The wounding we receive as we progress through life often causes us to veil this spiritual nature, and in doing so, we forget who we truly are. Transpersonal therapy is a holistic, humanistic approach which embraces the whole person — spiritual, creative, social, physical, intellectual and emotional. ​ The spiritual dimension includes aspects such as searching for meaning and purpose in life, listening to the call of the heart, or the call of the soul, acknowledging meaningful coincidences (synchronicity), valuing imagination and intuition, taking guidance from dreams, cherishing the capacity to love, listening to the instinctual nature, appreciating joy and humour, seeking a sense of connectedness, and so on. It can be found in nature, art, literature, poetry and music. And in many other places too. ​ A transpersonal & integrative psychotherapy journey with me will encourage experiences that challenge your sense of whom you believe yourself to be and will leave you feeling you’ve extended your sense self. Your First Step Toward Professional Support Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Therapeutic Approach As an integrative therapist, I tailor my approach to your needs. ​ I do this by drawing upon a number of theoretical models such as client-centred therapy, gestalt therapy, process-oriented psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic psychotherapy, transactional analysis (TA) and Jungian therapy to name but a few. ​ Ideas about ways of working in-session arise from the material presented in the session. It’s not all talking therapy with me. Incorporating the transpersonal aspect, we may draw upon symbolism, active imagination, drawing, toys, role play, bodywork, movement, and so on. No pre-existing skills are required by the client and (of course) everything is negotiable between the two of us! I won’t force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with — there’s more than one way to beat an egg! ​ I believe that the style of relationship I foster provides an opportunity for a genuine, heartfelt and sincere meeting. This helps us remain aware of our mutual influence on the therapeutic process. I don’t have a top-dog/under-dog style, I aim for a journeying-alongside approach. ​ If any or all of this information strikes a chord with you — don’t hesitate, Contact Me now to book an initial consultation. "The great lesson from the true mystics, from the Zen monks, and now also from the Humanistic and Transpersonal psychologists -- that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbours, friends, and family, in one's back yard…, and that travel may be a flight from confronting the sacred -- this lesson can be easily lost. To be looking elsewhere for miracles, is to me, a sure sign of ignorance that everything is miraculous." Abraham H. Maslow | Book, 'Religions, Values and Peak-Experiences' | 1964 Qualifications EMDR Certification Levels 1,2 & 3 Alexander Richman Associates | 1 Year | 2010 Diploma in Advanced Psychotherapy Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 2 Years | 2001 ​ Diploma in Supervision Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 1 Year | 2000 ​ Master of Arts in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy De Montfort University | MA Award with Distinction | 2 Years | 1999 ​ Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 4 Years | 1998 ​ Certificate in Stress Management Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 1 Year | 1997 ​ Certificate in Fundamentals of Counselling & Psychotherapy Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) | 1 Year | 1994 Affiliations I am accredited by the UKCP

Workshops Introduction I run a number of workshops for members of the public as well as for professional CPD. Please come back and check this page regularly to see what workshops are planned or simply Contact Me for more information. Information about current workshops is detailed and most are held in Central or West London but I’m happy to consider travelling to other locations on request. Workshops A Question of Love A workshop (open to members of the public, as well as interested professionals) designed to explore the theory or romantic relationships and shed light on what causes us to get trapped in repetitive patterns of dysfunctional relationships or to have difficulty developing them at all. ​ £250 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest Addiction? Affliction? Or a Guide to Wholeness? A 2-day workshop, part-lecture and part-experiential, aimed at counsellors, psychotherapists, students of counselling and psychotherapy, life coaches, trainers, and members of the public. I have over 30 years’ experience in the field of addiction. This exciting workshop is designed to get to the root of the addiction and help the layperson understand their addiction and student and graduate counsellors and psychotherapists assist people suffering from this debilitating condition. ​ £250 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest CBT: Multi-Modal CBT (with a touch of the transpersonal) This has been a popular workshop since 2002! This 3-day workshop, part-lecture and part- experiential, is aimed at counsellors, psychotherapists, students of counselling and psychotherapy, life coaches, trainers, and members of the public. The workshop makes integrating CBT easy and my transpersonal and integrative training helps bring CBT to life. ​ £350 Price is per person for a 3-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest Balancing the Chakras This workshop is open to members of the public as well as interested professionals. When the chakras are out of balance, the liberating and manifesting currents of the life force are blocked, causing many symptoms and is the reason many of us become stuck in repetitive patterns of behaviour. In this workshop, we will learn how to balance the chakra system by working psychologically, physically and spiritually. Techniques will include massage (clothed), reflexology points, sound and breath work, Hatha yoga postures and others. ​ £250 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest Psychology & the Chakras This workshop is open to members of the public as well as interested professionals. A wonderful journey through the chakra system first laid down thousands of years ago in the yoga Upanishads ~ direct teachings received from the ancient Indian sages. In this workshop, drawing upon the model formulated by Anodea Judith, we will learn how the chakras have relevance in life today, how they pertain to developmental stages, how the chakras become out of balance, the types of issues this causes and how to diagnose chakra imbalances. Everybody will leave with their own ‘chakra map’. The follow-up workshop ‘Balancing the Chakras’ goes into more detail on how to work with imbalances in the chakra system. ​ £250 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest Gestalt: Gestalt and the Dreambody A two-day experiential workshop for counsellors, psychotherapists and student practitioners. Drawing on gestalt and process-oriented psychotherapeutic techniques, I will teach you how to work with a variety of modalities to help assist the client out of their comfort zone. Working in this way bypasses the intellect and facilitates the process known by Gestaltists as ‘selfing’. By working subtly, using advanced skills, the call of the soul is more easily heard and inner guidance becomes more accessible. By learning to listen to our dreaming body and its changing modalities; from talking to seeing; from hearing to sensing; from movement to feeling; we learn to harmonise with the natural process of life and to move with that, not seeking to control it, but simply observing its direction and facilitating that. ​ £250 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest Gestalt: One Day Gestalt Refresher A one-day experiential workshop for counsellors, psychotherapists and those in training, who have already attended my 3-day gestalt seminar at CCPE. The workshop is intended to be a refresher day and participants are invited to bring along cases for supervision and guidance in gestalt techniques ~ although this isn’t essential ~ participants can work on their own material too. ​ £115 Price is per person for a 1-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest A Matter of Life and Death This two-day workshop is designed for those working with the subject of dying, death and bereavement. Our beliefs about death and dying affect how we live - to fear death is to fear life. It follows therefore that to embrace life to the full we must first come to terms with loving, loss of all types, and bereavement. Through experiential and creative exercises we will explore the subject of death. We'll examine losses we may have experienced in our lives so far, and what we have learned. During the workshop, we'll be drawing on the works of some of the great teachers including the Dalai Lama, Stephen Levine, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Deepak Chopra, Rumi, and others. And for those of us who work as therapists, we’ll be asking - how can we help others in their suffering? And how can we help others if we have unfinished grief of our own? ​ £250 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest Women and Weight In this 2-day workshop we will explore our unwanted excess weight and look at this from a different point-of-view. Is our weight a burden we’re forced to carry or does it hold a message from the unconscious that we need to hear? When we discuss our struggles with food and weight, we are talking not just about bodily urges but issues such as emotional appetites and wanting to be loved. ​ £250 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest

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Balancing the Chakras Workshop Balancing the Chakras This workshop is open to members of the public as well as interested professionals. When the chakras are out of balance, the liberating and manifesting currents of the life force are blocked, causing many symptoms and is the reason many of us become stuck in repetitive patterns of behaviour. In this workshop, we will learn how to balance the chakra system by working psychologically, physically and spiritually. Techniques will include massage (clothed), reflexology points, sound and breath work, Hatha yoga postures and others. ​ £230 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest

Welcome Welcome to Lynn Somerfield Psychotherapy, delivering therapy services across London and Bedfordshire. People seek support from a therapist for all sorts of reasons. You may be struggling with anxiety or depression, your relationship may be in trouble due to an affair, communication problems or family stress. Perhaps you’ve suffered a bereavement, or you have a serious illness. Maybe you struggle with OCD and it’s causing relationship and work problems, or you’re suffering from insomnia, panic attacks, or flashbacks related to a traumatic incident. You may have an eating disorder. Maybe you can’t seem to form relationships with others. Perhaps you’re anxious in relationships, or too distant. Perhaps you have a problem with dependency on alcohol or drugs, maybe even an addiction. Believe or not, none of these things is abnormal. They are the things that make us human! Recognising your own mental health issues and then finding a counsellor or psychotherapist sometimes isn’t an easy process. I have designed my website with this in mind... Over the coming pages, I have provided information to help you understand more about psychotherapy, find out more about me, my background and training, and my approach to my work. Should there be a topic I have not covered or you would like to arrange an initial consultation with me, simply contact me . ​ I look forward to hearing from you. Reach For A Helping Hand Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Specialities As a transpersonal and integrative psychotherapist, I am able to support clients with a broad range of mental health worries. Below I have provided a summary of my primary specialist support areas. You can find more information by clicking through on the 'Learn More' buttons, or by simply contacting me . Abuse Issues ​ Learn More Addiction or Dependency Learn More Anger Issues Learn More Anxiety Learn More Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Learn More Depression Learn More Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) Learn More Grief & Bereavement ​ ​ Learn More Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Learn More Panic Attacks Learn More Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Learn More Relationships Learn More Stress Learn More The Chakras Learn More And don’t think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It’s quiet, but the roots are down there riotous Jalaluddin Rumi | Poetry Writings | 13th Century

Specialities Introduction to Specialities As a transpersonal and integrative psychotherapist, I am able to help with a broad range of issues. ​ Below I have provided information surrounding my main specialist areas. Please feel free to scroll down through each specialist therapy area, or use the 'Quick Menu' provided to jump directly to the area you would like to learn more about. If there is something you would like to discuss that is not covered on this page, please simply contact me . Quick Menu Abuse Addiction or Dependency Anger Issues Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Depression Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) Grief & Bereavement Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Panic Attacks Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Relationships Stress The Chakras Reach For A Helping Hand Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Abuse Issues Abuse comes in many forms. Abuse can happen to anyone and often the situation has developed so gradually that victims are not even aware that they’re being abused. It’s impossible to detail the many ways abuse is meted out, but here’s a broad sweep of the subject. Psychological Abuse Where we are prevented from making choices or expressing opinions, subjected to threats, bullied, intimidated, etc. Physical Abuse Where we are hit, slapped, kicked or punched. Financial Abuse This can include theft of possessions, money, benefits; we may be subjected to fraud, scams, rogue traders and so on. Discriminatory Abuse We may be abused on the basis of race, religion, gender or gender identity, age, disability or sexual orientation. Sexual Abuse We may have received unwanted sexual attention such as touching, teasing or innuendos or forced into non-consensual sexual activity. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Abuse Addiction or Dependency Addiction is a huge subject, so let me try to convey some of the main points. ​ There’s a fine line between dependency and addiction. ​ Dependence can lead to addiction. Dependence can occur with the chronic use of drugs (including alcohol). We are dependent when we are using to the point where it is causing significant difficulties in our lives and we are losing the willpower to control our drug use. ​ When someone is addicted the use of drugs causes major problems with school, work or home life (or all three). They may act out-of-character, lie or even steal to get the drug They may suffer physical issues such as ulcers, kidney or liver damage. ​ Addiction is the disease which is called the ‘disease of denial’. Why is that? Why would anyone wish to be in denial of any disease? Usually, we run to the doctor and hope to be reassured, or have a diagnosis confirmed and a clear treatment plan outlined. ​ The roots of addiction may be far-reaching. It may be genetic, trans-generational, trauma-based, environmental or psychological. ​ The drug-of-choice which is causing the problems usually feels (to the person suffering from the dependency) like their best friend. Their salvation. The drug-of-choice is usually helping them to compensate for, or avoid, something they may not even be aware of! ​ Essentially, we may, for a variety of reasons, not have sufficient internal resources to soothe ourselves and we may, therefore, be in the position of seeking that outside of ourselves. And in an attempt to find a way of coping with stress, we may engage in unhelpful behaviours which are not conducive to a balanced, healthy life such as overeating, drinking too much alcohol, taking drugs, sexual addiction, impulsive and unnecessary shopping, workaholism, etc. ​ In therapy, we work on exploring the ways we can soothe ourselves. We will look at many aspects of this difficult and sometimes life-threatening disease and begin to find ways of developing new adaptive behaviours to help us deal with those difficult situations which trigger us to use the very thing that seems to comfort us - but can kill us in the end. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Addiction or Dependency Anger Issues Anger is a normal human emotion. But the ways we express our anger can be healthy or unhealthy. There are two types of unhelpful expressions of anger: Passive Aggression This includes behaviours such as sulking, procrastinating, smirking, ’forgetting’ to do certain things. Overt (Open) Aggression Examples of behaviours include physically lashing out, shouting, verbally abusing others, bullying, sarcasm, criticism, shouting and bickering. If you think you have anger management issues and you want to work on making different choices, counselling can help you develop new, healthy, assertive behavioural skills in response to triggering situations. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Anger Issues Your First Step Toward Professional Support Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Anxiety Anxiety is an emotion we experience when we are worried or afraid. It is a future-oriented emotion and it’s usually about what might happen. It can be mild or severe. Some people suffer from anxiety every day as if they are hard-wired for worry. It can make your heart race, cause you to sweat, shake or become short of breath. Anxiety can also cause you to become overly careful or avoid anxiety-provoking situations. You may begin to worry in relatively harmless situations. It can feel overwhelming and interfere with your life and relationships. It can be totally debilitating. Counselling is highly effective in the treatment of the symptoms of anxiety. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Anxiety Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by demonstrating how you think directly impacts the way you behave. It's most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can also be useful for other mental and physical health problems. In my opinion, CBT is a fantastic therapy when used as an integrative package to the other therapies I offer to my clients. I run courses on CBT for fellow-professionals, and the public, that deliver a host of techniques around how to best free yourself from any distorted beliefs that may be getting in the way of you living the best life you can! Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Depression Feeling down from time to time is perfectly normal, but if you find that you’re feeling hopeless and despairing, if your low mood is affecting how you think, feel and perform your daily activities such as working, eating, studying sleeping and having fun, you may be suffering from depression. Counselling can help with depression in many ways — let me name just two! (1) We can explore the way negative or distorted thoughts lead to emotional, behavioural and physical consequences. ​ (2) We can examine the stressors in your life and see how these impact on you. We then play with ideas about making new choices which will help you change the way you live and see your life. ​ Don't suffer in silence. If you feel you could be suffering from depression, take your first steps towards a better life and book an initial consultation with me today. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Depression Reach For A Helping Hand Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) This type of fast-trauma reduction has, with good reason, grown steadily in popularity for the past couple of decades and is a treatment recommended by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence). It is particularly indicated for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD often occurs after experiences such as military combat, physical assault, rape, or car accidents. Complex PTSD can be the result of repeated traumas, such as an extremely unsafe environment whilst growing up due to emotional, mental or physical abuse or even being born into a war environment or having to flee one’s homeland for example. ​ To explore the use of this therapy, please book an initial consultation or simply contact me to obtain more information. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) Grief & Bereavement We all lose a loved one eventually. Your loved one may be a parent, a spouse, a sibling, a friend, or a companion animal. The loss may be sudden or it may be expected. Everyone experiences grief in their own way. Some commonly experienced emotions are rage, shock, anger, guilt and longing. Other feelings, such as relief, are more difficult to address. It’s as if we feel there are acceptable and unacceptable emotions. There are recognisable stages to the grieving process. These include denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. But the stages don’t necessarily follow neatly in order - they may be experienced more like a pinball machine, bouncing back and forth for a while. If you’re struggling with your grief, counselling can offer a safe, empathic space for you to explore your loss whilst coming to terms with a ‘new normal’. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Grief & Bereavement Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) OCD is a common condition which has two main parts: 'obsessions' and 'compulsions'. Obsessions are unwelcome and irrational thoughts, images or urges, that repeatedly come into your mind. They cause you to feel anxious or uncomfortable. Compulsions are repetitive activities that you carry out to reduce the anxiety caused by the obsession. These may be things like repeatedly washing your hands or checking a door is locked, repeating a specific phrase in your head or checking how your body feels. OCD is no laughing matter. It can disrupt your daily life, your relationships and cause you to feel ashamed. It’s often accompanied by anxiety and depression. It’s often not diagnosed because it can be accompanied by other mental health conditions. ​ The good news is that counselling can help OCD sufferers a great deal. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Professional Support Is Just A Click Away Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Panic Attacks A panic attack comes on suddenly. It is a feeling of intense anxiety and can include shaking, sweating, feeling disoriented, nauseous, irregular heartbeats, breathlessness and dizziness. It can be very frightening. People sometimes feel like they’re going to die. Most panic attacks last between five to thirty minutes. If you feel you are suffering a panic attack, try this... (1) Breathe in as slowly, deeply and gently as you can, through your nose. (2) Breathe out slowly, deeply and gently through your mouth. Some people find it helpful to count steadily from one to five on each in-breath and each out-breath. (3) Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. (4) You should start to feel better in a few minutes and you may feel tired afterwards. If you’ve had more than one panic attack and you’re struggling to deal with them, do seek help for your anxiety. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Panic Attacks Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Trauma occurs when there is a shock to the body or mind, or to both. It results from a deeply distressing or disturbing experience and although armed services personnel are commonly diagnosed with PTSD, it can occur in all walks of life. ​ The symptoms of PTSD are varied and can include flashbacks, nightmares, mood swings, panic attacks, avoidance of things that trigger memories of the original trauma, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, eating disorders, cognitive delays (sluggish mind) and lowered verbal memory ability (forgetting words). ​ Symptoms start within 3 months of an incident but they may not be particularly discernible until years later. Without treatment, it can remain with you for life. ​ The best way to treat PTSD is a fast trauma-reduction method called EMDR, a therapy discussed in more detail in the EMDR section of my website. ​ People can also suffer from a condition called Complex PTSD. This a psychological disorder that can develop in response to prolonged, repeated experience of trauma in an environment in which the individual has little or no chance of escape such as an abusive childhood featuring physical, emotional, mental or sexual abuse, neglect, ongoing intimate relationship abuse, prolonged school bullying, victims of kidnapping, slavery, trafficking, unhappy boarding school experiences, cult membership. Such experiences can include protracted feelings of terror, worthlessness, helplessness and loss of a sense of identity. ​ Treatment for C-PTSD requires longer-term therapeutic work, as a good therapeutic relationship needs to be built, trust issues will need addressing, EMDR will need to be used to reduce the more debilitating symptoms of trauma before work can be done on helping the client to work on unresolved issues from the past, to establish good boundaries, a support network of trusted people and more. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Relationships Couples counselling is a specialised form of therapy where two people meet with a couples counsellor to discuss their relationship difficulties. You may feel your relationship is on the rocks for some reason — perhaps there has been infidelity or betrayal of some kind — or just going stale, or other stresses. Perhaps you feel that your attempts to communicate either escalate into arguments or go nowhere. With willingness on both sides, I can help you learn to listen to each other, and much more. Couples counselling can save relationships. It surely has to be worth a try? You can book a 12-week course with me, after which, whatever your decision, you will both be equipped with some communication skills and insight into relationships that you didn’t have prior to therapy, which will either enhance your current relationship or at least stop you continuing to make the same mistakes over again! Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Relationships Your First Step Toward Professional Support Take your first step to a life of positive mental health Book an Inital Consultation Stress The most common signs of stress are low energy, recurrent headaches, pains, tense muscles, diarrhoea, constipation and nausea, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, frequent colds and infections, loss of sexual desire or ability to ‘perform’ sexually, anxiety, a feeling of being overwhelmed, an inability to motivate yourself, racing thoughts...and the list goes on...and I know we could all tick these boxes at times! Long-term stress is however extremely debilitating and finding ways to deal with it can feel like pushing a rock uphill. Often, people who’re suffering from stress have fallen into particular ways of thinking or behaving which they think are helpful, but are actually not. There are ways of dealing with stress and exploring alternative, helpful ways of dealing with it which are proven to be extremely helpful. If your car isn’t working well, you take it to a mechanic. If you are not functioning well under pressure, counselling can definitely help you. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question Stress The Chakras Before you’re tempted to dismiss this as 'new-age nonsense', have a read of this... ​ The chakra system originated in India between 1500 and 500 BC recorded within some of the oldest written texts called the Vedas. The chakras have been described as centres of organisation for the reception, assimilation, transformation and expression of life energy (known variously as chi, ki, prana, the life force and so on). ​ The ancient chakra system can be used as a map for the process of becoming whole. The chakras are formed throughout childhood and traumas occurring during childhood can cause imbalances in the chakra system. ​ When the chakras are out of balance, the currents of the life force can be blocked. Which means we become stuck in repetitive patterns of behaviour, either focusing excessively on a particular type of energy or spending a lot of time avoiding it. ​ Although I don’t force any type of system of learning on my clients, I do lean on the chakras as a map to understand what’s going wrong and why, and in twenty or more years of practice, this wonderful theoretical model has never failed me. ​ My chakra courses are open to both professional colleagues and the public. See my Workshops page for further information. Book an Inital Consultation Ask a Question The Chakras

Psychology and the Chakras Workshop Psychology and the Chakras This workshop is open to members of the public as well as interested professionals. A wonderful journey through the chakra system first laid down thousands of years ago in the yoga Upanishads ~ direct teachings received from the ancient Indian sages. In this workshop, drawing upon the model formulated by Anodea Judith, we will learn how the chakras have relevance in life today, how they pertain to developmental stages, how the chakras become out of balance, the types of issues this causes and how to diagnose chakra imbalances. Everybody will leave with their own ‘chakra map’. The follow-up workshop ‘Balancing the Chakras’ goes into more detail on how to work with imbalances in the chakra system. ​ £220 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest

Contact Me Contact Me There are a number of ways to contact me so please choose your preferred method from the options below and I will respond to you at my very earliest opportunity! Email My email address is lynn@lynnsomerfield.com Email Me Phone My mobile phone number is 07762 738 238 Call Me Location I tend to work at different locations throughout each week. You can view my locations using the button below. My Locations Contact Forms I have made a number of Contact Forms available on this page. Please select the one you require from the list below. Ask a Question Book an Initial Consultation Workshop Sign Up My Locations & Days Mondays & Tuesdays Room 11, 9 Orme Court Bayswater London, W2 4RL Wednesdays CCPE, Beauchamp Lodge 2 Warwick Crescent London, W2 6NE Thursdays & Fridays Lidlington Bedfordshire MK43 0RJ Locations Ask a Question Ask me anything, but please keep in mind that my expertise will be best utilised if your questions are related to Psychotherapy and Counselling! Please subscribe me to future communications and offers. Your personal details will remain confidential and will never be shared with any party outside my therapy practice. Submit Your Question Ask a Question Book an Initial Consultation The first step in any therapy journey is for us to meet for an initial consultation and get to know each other a little. At this first meeting, I will be asking you lots of questions about the issues you’re struggling with right now and what you’re hoping to address in therapy. ​ If you would like to book an initial consultation with me, please complete the form below. Your County... What issues would you like support wth (select all that apply)? Abuse Issues Addiction or Dependency Anger Issues Anxiety Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Depression Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) Grief & Bereavement Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Panic Attacks Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Relationships Stress The Chakras OTHER (please specify below) Please subscribe me to future communications and offers. Your personal details will remain confidential and will never be shared with any party outside my therapy practice. Submit Your Enquiry Book an Initial Consulation Workshop Interest Registration Please use the form below to register your interest in one or more of my workshops. Once I receive your interest form, I will get in touch with you with workshop dates and locations. Which workshop(s) you would like to register interest in (select all that apply)? Integrating Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Public & Professionals - 3 Day) Addictions, Altered States and Uncontrollable Urges (Public & Professionals - 2 Day) Fat, Food and Body Image (Public & Professionals - 2 Day) Gestalt and the Dreambody (Professionals Only - 2 Day) One Day Gestalt Refresher (Professionals Only - 1 Day) Chakras and the Development Stages (Public & Professionals - 2 Day) Balancing the Chakras (Public & Professionals - 2 Day) A Question of Love (Public & Professionals - 2 Day) Good Grief (Public & Professionals - 2 Day) Please indicate which type of workshop attendee you are... Private Attendee Professional Attendee I understand that a 50% non-refundable deposit payment is required to reserve my seat for this event. Please subscribe me to future communications and offers. Your personal details will remain confidential and will never be shared with any party outside my therapy practice. Register Your Interest Workshop Interest Registration

Addiction? Affliction? Workshop Addiction? Affliction? Or a Guide to Wholeness A 2-day workshop, part-lecture and part-experiential, aimed at counsellors, psychotherapists, students of counselling and psychotherapy, life coaches, trainers, and members of the public. I have over 30 years’ experience in the field of addiction. This exciting workshop is designed to get to the root of the addiction and help the layperson understand their addiction and student and graduate counsellors and psychotherapists assist people suffering from this debilitating condition. ​ £230 Price is per person for a 2-day workshop inclusive of course materials. Download Leaflet Register Interest

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