Anxiety
The threat response is an essential part of our lives, it stops us walking out in front of cars or sticking our hands in flames, by sending messages to our body to help us get out of harms way. The threat response is also called fight or flight, both of which can result in common presentations of anxiety.
I aim to help you understand how to manage anxiety in all its presentations, and explore on a deeper level why you feel unsafe. Together we will find ways to develop your internal sense of safety, and to turn down your threat responses. There is no on off switch for anxiety, its all about turning down your internal sensitivity to what you perceive as threat, so for example the annual review at work does not need to feel like a life or death bear attack.
It is absolutely appropriate to be a little anxious, it can be a reflection of how much you value your job to care about the review, it can even help spur you on to make a better presentation. It is not okay if you are so anxious that you are having disturbed sleep or physical symptoms and your thoughts are running wild with catastrophic stories that leave you in a state of paralysing fear.
Bereavement
Loss is inevitable, pain is a reflection of the depth of relationship we had with that person. Whether this is the death of a loved one, or the end of relationship or career. The impact of the loss is always significant, supporting you through these difficult times is a privilege, to sit with you in the dark and to help you find a way through to understanding and accepting a life beyond the loss.
Living well with Chronic Illnesses
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness can be life changing. It brings with it a lot of complex and conflicting feelings, and a daily reminder that life will never be quite the same. So although we can't change the diagnosis we can work through the complexity of emotions that come up over and over again, as you realise the impact and progress of the diagnosis has on your daily life, family and friends and personal identity. Using a variety of approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, we can work towards a place of acceptance. Acceptance does not mean giving up, it is the beginning of a journey into a new way of being and approaching life. We can work together to build a comprehensive and robust toolbox to support your emotional wellbeing supporting you through the ups and downs of chronic illness.
I have my own chronic illness so this is close to my heart, When I was first diagnosed, I spent a long time fighting shadows, resisting the diagnosis and being in the dark emotionally. My aim is to support others so they can navigate the path to emotional wellness in an ever changing terrain.
Supporting Hidden Carers
When we care for others who are in emotional or physical distress it can be deeply conflicting and there is a often a lack of support as all the focus is on the person being cared for. This is the case not only for obvious caring situations like living with or / and looking after someone with chronic or terminal illness or mental health issues, but also more subtle and hidden caring situations. For example, supporting or looking after an elderly relative. As the population is living longer there are an increasing number of the retired population who are looking after their parents, this can be deeply challenging for many reasons no only emotional but also possibly physical limitations. Depending on your relationship with your relative complex and conflicting feelings can arise. These can create real difficulties for the carer the person being cared for and the wider context or work or family dynamics. Counselling offers a safe place where you can gain space for you to process how you feel and develop coping mechanisms that may support the caring dynamic of relationship.
I was a young carer for my father and continued this on for many years transitioning into caring for my mum after my father passed away, and I experienced so many diverse and conflicting feelings within both these roles with very little support, so this ignited my passion in supporting people in similar situations.
Trauma and Abuse
I am an integrative and trauma informed counsellor, which means that I work with a variety of approaches sensitively with a conscious mindfulness of the impact trauma has on our physical, cognitive and emotional body. I provide counselling which is adaptive and creative to ensure that working together we can work towards finding clarity and understanding & ways to implement lasting change. Abuse affects us at a deep level and can decimate our self esteem and faith in people and the world. Together we work towards rebuilding your sense of self, reclaimig your life and rebuild trust with people and the world.