Anxiety, Trauma & PTSD Specialist Therapist

I know what it feels like to struggle with anxiety, trauma and PTSD. As an anxiety, trauma & PTSD specialist, I know what treatments work, how and why. And I know Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, 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 Clinical Hypnotherapist 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, a very demanding course. Not satisfied with that (I am an overachiever), I set out to learn specialist therapy treatment methods for anxiety, trauma and PTSD.

Specialist therapy treatment for anxiety, PTSD & trauma

My treatment approach is holistic, meaning I treat mind, body and brain. After all, the mind, brain and body are connected. So I work very differently to other mental health professionals. Most therapists focus on treating the symptom and not the origin. Treating symptoms is why it usually takes many months to see any improvement after spending thousands of pounds.   Neuroscience, research, and treatment methods have advanced and changed. 

So why does my therapy method work?

Firstly, I do not treat symptoms because I treat the root cause.  As a result, the symptoms like anxiety 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. Thirdly, my sessions are interactive and involve you as an active participant. 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 therapy techniques to treat anxiety, depression & trauma

I use a combination of the latest advanced techniques of clinical hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, Kinetic Shift, 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.

Anxiety, Trauma & PTSD Specialist Therapist
Professional Therapy Accreditations

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

 

  • Dip Clinical Hypnosis
  • Dip Stress Management
  • RTT Rapid Transformational Therapy by Marisa Peer 
  • Trauma & PTSD by Bessel Van Der Kolk
  • Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional through the Institute of Certified Anxiety Treatment Professionals (ICATP)
  • Kinetic Shift Practitioner
  • Bi-Lateral Analysis Stimulation Technique Advanced Therapist

Member of the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council, National 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:

 

  • Clinical Depression

  • Anxiety Disorders and Phobias (GAD General Anxiety Disorder, SAD Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder) 

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Trauma 

  • Pain Management

  • Stress Management

  • 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.”

Hannah - how this therapy helped her to overcome anxiety, depression, trauma & PTSD

Dom- how this therapy helped him to feel very different after one therapy session

WHAT CLIENTS SAY?

KIND WORDS FROM MY LOVELY CLIENTS

Mark Baker

Testimonial

I suffered from severe anxiety and PTSD for over 30 years, had CBT, group therapy, and counselling which only made things worse. I tried to cope by drinking. My friend recommended Venka; it was my last attempt at treatment. She gave me a safe place to be myself, and she fixed me, glued me somehow back together in three sessions with 'homework' in between. Powerful stuff that changed my life.

Victoria Williams

Testimonial

EMDR was recommended to me by a couple of people.   I was at a crisis point and felt backed into a corner with nowhere else to go. So I figured that I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I was dealing with recurring nightmares and anxiety around two frightening incidents in my life. Both were affecting my day to day life, and both were affecting my relationship with my boyfriend.

I had tried conventional therapy. It didn't help because my pattern of thinking never changed, instead I would over complicate the issue by talking non stop about it. It would throw up feelings and thoughts that were not helpful to me.

I was skeptical but open-minded to try Venka's method of Bi Lateral Analysis Stimulation Technique (improved EMDR). It was deceptively simple. I followed instructions, answered honestly, and relaxed into the process. I wanted it to work; I didn't want to fight the process or try to outsmart it. After the first session, I feel less frightened. My heart doesn't race in the middle of the night, and men don't scare me the way they did. I can sift through negative thought patterns and think a lot more clearly now. A past experience is no longer crippling me—no more panic attacks.

It took longer and was more expensive to run from my past than it was to confront it and heal from it.

Peter Gardiner

Testimonial

I saw Venka to help me overcome my PTSD from a serious car accident as traditional counselling only made it worse. Venka was very reassuring and calm. The treatment took about 1.5 hours, and I left feeling completely different, relaxed, and lighter. I no longer have flashbacks.

Jackie Tan

Testimonial

I had been seeing a psychotherapist in Bond Street previous to making an appointment with Venka. The first session was a deep-dive into my limbic system, and Venka was a calm, empathetic, and professional guide. She adapted the session to suit my needs. I left feeling lighter, yet more grounded.

Jessica Harris

Testimonial

The problem I contacted Venka for was anxiety-related, with significant life changes coming up and a new relationship that caused me anxiety as well. At worst of times, the endless “thinking loops” caused me sleeping issues where I couldn’t fall asleep as well as waking up a lot during the night. These sleeping issues started a few years ago when I had some other life changes going on, so it seems to be a recurring thing that I don’t seem to be able to relax when stressed or in times of uncertainty. I had tried CBT before when I had sleeping issues.

I always felt good after a session, and it certainly helped me to be more aware of my thinking patterns. However, I didn’t think that I had any useful tools in an acute crisis when overthinking. Venka was very welcoming, she made me feel comfortable, and we had an initial chat about the problem I’d like to tackle. After the session, I had a weird sensation in my body – I felt exhausted but incredibly relaxed and relieved at the same time.

It’s tough to describe. The exercises Venka taught me, particularly the one where I’m “parenting myself,” has an impact on me to this day, and I revisit this thought whenever I feel lonely or anxious. It has a soothing effect on me, and I calm down more quickly.