Addiction

Addiction can be classified as a behaviour pattern or use of substances, despite negative consequences and despite your best efforts to stop. I offer a flexible approach to treatment for addiction and bring over 5 years experience working in a rehabilitation service. The treatment process involves understanding the causes and consequences of addiction and developing new ways of coping without the substance or behaviour. I believe in maintaining a non-judgemental approach to addiction.

Anger

Anger can be a very energising and powerful emotion, which can be damaging to interpersonal relationships and can lead to a build up of tension that can cause health problems. The scale of anger will range from suppressed passive anger, to more outward and aggressive anger. I work on the principle of achieving ‘healthy anger’ - a way of expressing anger in a constructive and not destructive way. Through learning coping techniques and developing assertive skills, anger can be understood and managed.

Anxiety

Anxiety is the body’s alarm system, letting us know when we might be in danger. It works very well. In some cases, too well. This system can be triggered by real events, as well as perceived events, and we sometimes have anxiety for specific things - like social events - or a more generalised anxiety. I work with first identifying the anxiety, then working through thoughts and behaviours that increase anxiety. The eventual goal is to separate thoughts from facts and to learn essential skills to cope with anxiety.

BPD

Borderline personality disorder is an often misunderstood and under supported condition. When emotions are so intense and long lasting, this can lead to destructive behaviour to self and to those around you. The only evidence based treatment method for BPD is dialectical behavioural therapy. The aims of this therapy are to regulate emotions, tolerate distress, and improve interpersonal relationships. I have received extensive training in and am a member of the DBT team at the Priory.

Depression

One in five adults will have an experience of depression in their life. We sometimes feel depressed after a loss or when we are rejected or when we feel disconnected. Depression increases negative experiences in the brain, and decreases positive ones. Symptoms include low energy, demotivation, overthinking, self criticism, over or under sleeping and eating. It can be a difficult cycle to break. First we look at the prompting events of the depression, then some effective strategies for increasing positive events and activating behaviour.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness underpins many of the skills which I feel are useful for balancing emotions. I take a more practical, in the moment during daily life approach, rather than just focusing on traditional meditation practice. The cause of many emotional difficulties is our wandering mind - this makes us vulnerable to making judgments and assumptions which lead to emotional distress. By using our senses - sight, sound, taste, touch smell - we can ground and anchor ourselves to the present moment. The more we learn to do this, the more our emotions become balanced.