Trauma & PTSD Specialist
Aside from being a trauma and PTSD specialist, (I treat anxiety too as they are closely related), I personally get what it feels like to struggle with trauma and PTSD. So I know what treatments work, how and why. And I know Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), the trickiest form of PTSD inside out. I decided to become a therapist as I was fascinated with neuroscience, trauma and psychology, and I wanted to help anxious, traumatised people (like the old me) get better.
Before I began retraining as a trauma & PTSD specialist in 2016, I had a career in Marketing & Ecommerce. I was a company problem fixer, so I have a deep understanding of corporate career pressures. Besides, it taught me why people behave the way they do and how to resolve problems quickly. After that, I trained as a Clinical Hypnotherapist with the London College of Clinical Hypnosis and qualifying as an accredited psychotherapist shortly after. Not satisfied with that (I am an overachiever), I set out to learn specialist therapy treatment methods with international trauma experts like Bessel Van der Kolk, Janine Fisher, Lori Gill and Laurel Parnell for trauma and PTSD .
Specialist therapist for PTSD & trauma
My therapy treatment approach is holistic, meaning I treat mind, body and brain. After all, the mind, brain and body are connected. So as a trauma specialist, I work very differently than other mental health professionals. After all, most therapists focus on treating the symptom and not the origin. And treating symptoms is why it usually takes many months, even years to see any improvement after spending thousands of pounds. But neuroscience, research, and treatment methods have advanced and changed.
So why does my therapy method work?
So what makes me different as a trauma & PTSD specialist? Firstly, I do not treat symptoms because I treat the root cause. As a result, the symptoms like anxiety, trauma and depression extinguish, so you no longer have to try to manage them. Secondly, I do not do talking therapy/counselling because this can be re-traumatising. Instead, I use advanced neuroscience-based methods that use both hemispheres of the brain, so it will start to balance. Thirdly, my sessions are interactive and involve you as an active participant. So you need to do the work required, the more you put in, the more you get out of it.
What I do is different from CBT or hypnotherapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy analyses your behaviour; you learn to change your behaviour with coping strategies or breathing exercises. CBT is an excellent tool to deal with problems you are experiencing now. But it does not focus on issues from your past, the root cause of anxiety and depression. CBT is a tool to manage your anxiety. It does not make it go away!
Traditional hypnotherapy is therapy under hypnosis (trance) where the therapist gives suggestions to release anxiety and to feel more relaxed. I do not work like this (and I do not play relaxing whale music either) Instead, I help you find the root cause, so the origin of your depression, anxiety, and trauma is removed. As a result, it stops you from being fearful of the past (depression or trauma) or dwelling on the future (anxiety).
Latest specialist therapy techniques to treat anxiety, PTSD & trauma
I use a combination of the latest advanced techniques of clinical hypnotherapy, EMDR, psychotherapy, Kinetic Shift, Somasense somatic experience, neuroscience, RTT, and NLP for rapid, lasting change.
I am one of the very few therapists trained and certified in advanced Bi-Lateral Analysis Stimulation Technique (BLAST) - an accelerated, gentler, and less clinical version of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitising Reprocessing). EMDR is often used by psychiatrists and psychologists to treat trauma.
I use BLAST and other techniques to treat people with trauma like first responders, military, police force quickly and efficiently with excellent results.
Accredited Psychotherapist & Clinical Hypnotherapist
Qualifications, Experience & Professional Associations
- Certified Trauma Integration Clinician (CTIC) Clinical Stream
- Dip Clinical Hypnosis
- Comprehensive Resource Model - neuro-biologically based, affect-focused trauma treatment model
- Advanced Memory Reconsolidation, the Flash Technique & EMDR by Philip Manfield, PhD
- Intensive Trauma Treatment training by Bessel Van Der Kolk
- Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional training through the Institute of Certified Anxiety Treatment Professionals (ICATP)
- Trauma Treatment Telehealth training: Integrating Proven Approaches & Online Therapy to Help Clients Heal by Janina Fisher’
- Trauma & PTSD Experiential Course by Carol Kershaw, Ed.D.; Bill Wade
- Somasense by Claire Jack
- RTT Rapid Transformational Therapy by Marisa Peer
- Bi-Lateral Analysis Stimulation Technique Advanced Therapist
- Dip Stress Management
- Kinetic Shift Practitioner
Member of the National Council for Psychotherapists, International Council for Psychotherapists and the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis. So I abide by their strict codes of conduct and ethics, as well as Continuing Professional Development protocols.
DBS (criminal record check) certificate available on request.
As you can see, my professional associations, experience and qualifications indicate a wide breadth of knowledge and a second-to-none level of integrity. Rest assured - you (or your child) are in safe hands.
Anxiety Disorders (including comorbid depression and trauma) that I treat:
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Clinical Depression
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Anxiety Disorders and Phobias (GAD General Anxiety Disorder, SAD Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder)
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
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Trauma
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Pain Management
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Stress Management
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Sexual Abuse
By treating the symptoms of anxiety and depression, you are merely sticking a plaster on a festering wound.
A 2013 University of Liverpool research study showed that traumatic life events are the single most significant cause of anxiety and depression, followed by a family history of mental illness, income, and education levels.
“Depression and anxiety are not simple conditions, and there is no single cause,” said Professor Peter Kinderman, Head of the Institute of Psychology, Health and Society who led the research.
“While we know that a person’s genetics and life circumstances contribute to mental health problems, the results showed that traumatic life events are the main reason people suffer from anxiety and depression. However, the way a person thinks about and deals with stressful events is as much an indicator of the level of stress and anxiety they feel.”