I am especially experienced in working with clients with anxiety, trauma and self esteem issues, as well as chronic pain and illness.

Anxiety, trauma and self-esteem:

Being stuck in a cycle of anxiousness and/or having low self-esteem can be overwhelming and can stop you from living life as you would like. There are often unresolved issues from our past which have been internalised and act as triggers in our day-to-day life.  They cause anxiety, low self worth, anger as well as depression. I can support you to make sense of this, recognise patterns, find new meaning and new ways of coping. You may also be having physical symptoms such as headaches or IBS. Your body may actually be carrying the weight of your anxiety and past trauma.I welcome the opportunity to work through this with you and support you to live your best life. I can support you to identify patterns, develop strategies and offer further insight and perspective to resolve personal issues and find new ways forward.

Situations, events and experiences which are stressful, upsetting and or confusing can be traumatic. As Gabor Maté says, 'trauma is not what happened to you. It is what happens inside you because of what happened to you.' Trauma manifests itself in many different ways and take many different forms. Being rejected, abandoned, humiliated, unsupported, harmed, or witnessing harm, growing up in difficult circumstances, racial, cultural, gender and/or sexual identity discrimination or harassment, to name a few. Trauma may be stored in your body for years, and then something happens, and triggers that experience. We know, for instance, that adverse childhood experiences can be triggered many years later, and unprocessed trauma can lead to issues in your adult life, such as anxiety, depression, addiction and both physical and mental health disorders. Feeling safe and grounded is the first step in working with trauma. Understanding your triggers and where appropriate, working through the trauma will not change what happened to you in the past, but it will enable you to live better in the present and going forward.  

Chronic pain and chronic illness:

I also support clients with chronic pain and chronic illness, such as CFS/ME, fibromyalgia and autoimmune conditions. The focus on chronic conditions is mainly concerned with managing, often debilitating, physical symptoms. However, the psychological and emotional impact of these conditions and symptoms are equally relevant and important.

In my research and my work with clients I frequently encounter people who do not feel believed or heard and sometimes have been told ‘there’s nothing wrong with you’ ‘it’s all in your head’ ‘or ‘you need to try harder’. This in turn can add to your physical and psychological pain.

I will listen, hear and believe you, working alongside you with empathy and without judgment. Since your mind and body are connected, both your physical and psychological symptoms need addressing from a holistic mind-body perspective, whatever the cause. You might have a diagnosis and are in a great deal of pain which is becoming steadily more intense. Perhaps, for example, you have been investigated for numerous conditions and illnesses and the cause for your pain cannot be found on a blood test, MRI or x-ray. All pain is created in our brains, whether it is caused by a structural or emotional cause; the pain you experience is no different, whether or not a doctor can find the cause. Our understanding of pain has shifted greatly in recent years and neuroscience research has recognised pain's biopsychosocial component. For more information, please see my article on the Welldoing website, entitled  'How Can Therapy help Chronic Pain and Illness' 

Sometimes there are unresolved life experiences and fears which are ‘trapped’ in your body, which activate your brain’s pain response, like when you touch a hot stove - it is your brain’s way of alerting you that something isn’t right. We can work through these unresolved issues, which when released, can lessen, and sometimes alleviate, emotional as well as physical pain - with the benefit of neuroscience and  cutting edge research, we now understand physical and emotional pain are interlinked. This means that even where there is an undeniable structural issue causing your pain, there is a possibility of turning down your pain volume.

I will support you holistically to live an enriched life. We can utilise various techniques and will decide together which are appropriate for you. Whatever the cause of your pain, a mind body approach may be of great benefit in pain and symptom reduction. 

Whatever your reason for seeking support, I will tailor your therapy to your particular circumstances and your needs and aspirations as a unique individual.