What can I help you with?
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Adjustment
Relationships
Prolonged
Grief
Confidence
Self Esteem
Self Growth
Neurodiversity
Anxiety
It is normal to have healthy and regulated anxiety. However when anxiety is not regulated in a healthy way, it becomes problematic, and distressing symptoms may be experienced, which can interfere with daily functioning and wellbeing. Some of these symptoms include:
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Faster, irregular, or more noticeable heartbeat (palpitations)
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Rapid breathing or shortness of breath
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Sweating, trembling, or shaking
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Jelly legs
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Constipation and diarrhoea (in the absence of a medically-diagnosed condition)
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Nausea
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Muscle tension and pain (in the absence of a medically-diagnosed condition)
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Dizziness or lightheadedness
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Ringing in ears
These symptoms can result in difficulty sleeping and concentrating, as well as irritability and restlessness. In more extreme cases, individuals can experience intrusive thoughts and panic attacks. Anxiety that remains unhealthily regulated for a long time can become generalised with no specific trigger. In addition to triggering factors such as genetics, brain function, life experiences, medical conditions and substances, anxiety is also triggered when complex or "forbidden" emotions start to rise.
If you would like to learn how to master your anxiety, ISTDP is an evidence-based psychotherapy that can help you to identify the unique ways in which anxiety manifests in your body, as well as provide you with the tools to regulate it.
BWRT can also help with phobias and anxiety related to confidence and performance (e.g. exams; interviews)
Depression
While it is normal to experience life's usual ups and downs, if you have a persistent low mood, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities and other symptoms that affect your thoughts, feelings, wellbeing and daily functioning, then you may have depression.
Symptoms of depression include:
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Persistent low mood, including feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness
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Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you usually enjoy, including social withdrawal
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Changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping too much or too little
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Changes in appetite or weight
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Feeling constantly tired or low in energy (even if you have been sleeping normally)
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Irritability, frustration, or restlessness
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Low self-esteem, feelings of guilt, or worthlessness
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Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
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Feeling constantly tired or low in energy
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Unexplained aches and pains
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Thoughts of death, harming yourself or suicide (if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or have thoughts of harming yourself, please seek immediate help from your GP and/or Psychiatrist, local emergency room or call Samaritans on 116 123)
Sometimes depression is caused by a significant negative life event such as a relationship break-up, loss of a loved one or losing a job, but you can also become depressed for no obvious reason.
One of the main purposes of ISTDP is to help you understand what is underlying the depression - once this has been identified, understood and worked through, the symptoms usually resolve. In addition to psychotherapy, medication or hospitalisation (in extremely severe cases) may be necessary.
Trauma
Trauma is the emotional, psychological, and physical response to an overwhelmingly distressing event that exceeds a person's ability to cope, leading to lasting negative impacts.
Causes of trauma include:
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chronic trauma - ongoing or repeated stressful experiences, including developmental trauma (childhood abuse or neglect), domestic violence, bullying, or living in an unstable environment
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witnessed trauma - witnessing a distressing event happen to someone else, such as a loved one being harmed or a violent crime
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secondary trauma - exposure to the trauma of others, such as first responders, healthcare providers, or those who consume a lot of news about violent events
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event-based trauma - a single, intense event such as a car crash, natural disaster, or violent attack
Symptoms can include:
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flashbacks or nightmares
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hyper-vigilance
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sudden emotional outbursts or mood swings
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withdrawal from family and friends
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difficulty concentrating and sleeping
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feeling anxious, sad, fearful and/or angry
Unresolved trauma significantly distorts how we see the world as well as how we relate to ourselves and others. While it its usual to experience some of the symptoms for a short period after the traumatic event, if symptoms persist, then it is important to get help.
BWRT is especially useful for specific traumas as it aims to "rewire" neural pathways by working with the brain's automatic processing in an awake state, meaning it doesn't require revisiting the trauma in detail.
For developmental and attachment trauma, ISTDP seeks to identify and heal the attachment trauma within the safety of a healthy and secure attachment relationship with the therapist.
Adjustment
Life is fast-paced and full of changes, some of which are anticipated and welcomed, while other changes may be sudden, unexpected and distressing. Even the most resilient and resourceful people may struggle with major life changes such as divorce or break-up of a significant relationship, job loss or change, retirement, moving house or relocation to a new place, and illness.
Although adjustments are transient and usually resolve once we have become used to, or acclimatised to the new change, they can cause emotional and behavioural distress which go beyond what would be considered a normal reaction to stress.
Emotional and behavioural changes can include:
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anxiety, nervousness and restlessness
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feeling easily overwhelmed by something that doesn't usually elicit a strong reaction
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frequent crying or weeping
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unusual irritability
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insomnia or feeling tired but unable to sleep
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difficulties concentrating and remembering things
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social withdrawal
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decreased performance (e.g. at work; university)
ISTDP and BWRT can help with understanding and managing the symptoms, identifying if the life event has triggered past unresolved trauma, as well as helping you to develop the skills to cope during the distressing period.
Relationships
Do you find that no matter how hard you try, you keep ending up in the same type of relationship that starts well, but inevitably fails. Or are you attracted to the kind of person who you know will end up being an unhealthy and incompatible match? This is what Sigmund Freud termed "the repetition compulsion" which is the unconscious tendency to recreate past traumatic or painful experiences through new relationships and behaviours. This often involves repeatedly seeking partners who are similar to those who were abusive or emotionally unavailable, or reenacting familiar but unhealthy relationship dynamics in a subconscious attempt to gain mastery or resolve the original trauma.
According to Freud it happens because of:
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unresolved trauma - a lot of trauma is buried or unconscious which means a person may be unable to consciously remember or process a traumatic event which can lead them to compulsively repeat it in a new situation as a way to unconsciously work through it
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familiar patterns - what is familiar can feel "normal," even if it's painful. Unconsciously, people may seek out relationships that feel familiar because they represent the only model for connection they know, particularly if they grew up with insecure attachment styles
ISTDP focuses on the connection between early life attachment experiences and current emotional problems, using a collaborative, client-therapist relationship to help people understand their behaviour, feel and express their emotions and change self-defeating patterns.
Prolonged Grief
Prolonged grief is characterised by intense, persistent grief that continues for an extended period after a loved one's death, and significantly impairs daily life, wellbeing and functioning.
Prolonged grief is distinguished from normal grief when the bereaved person has:
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an intense and protracted yearning for the deceased
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difficulty accepting the death or disbelief that the death has occurred
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a persistent preoccupation with the loss
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been avoiding reminders of the person or their death, or constantly thinking about them
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difficulties taking part in social activities, hobbies, or responsibilities like work
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beliefs that they did not do enough or are not good enough
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thoughts of not wanting to live without the person or wanting to die to be with them
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persistent feelings of sadness, pain, anger, loneliness, or emptiness that do not fluctuate or remit with time
Prolonged grief is more likely to develop when:
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the death was sudden, traumatic, or unexpected
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there was a very close or emotionally dependent relationship with the deceased
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there was a recent falling out or the bereaved person was cut off from the deceased person
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there was a lack of social support after the loss
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a history of mental illness, particularly depression, is also present
BWRT uses a specific protocol to help change prolonged and complicated grief into a normal grieving process. ISTDP can help you to identify, feel and express the complex emotions about the death and loved on lost so that the normal grieving process and start.
Confidence and Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is your overall sense of self-worth, and is about valuing yourself as a person, regardless of achievements.
Confidence is your belief in your specific abilities and trust in your skills and performance.
Both are very important for mental well-being and can be built through experiences and mindset shifts. However, if you are experiencing chronically low confidence and self-esteem, or you are struggling to bounce back after experiencing an event or situation that has knocked your usually healthy perception of yourself and your capabilities, you may benefit from psychotherapy.
Underlying poor confidence and self-esteem is the belief that you are not good enough, which usually develops after receiving repeated and negative messages from others, such as loved ones, teachers or the media. We learn that we are not good enough as we are, and that in order to be loved and accepted, we need to change and become what others expect of us ("people-pleasing"). This is a survival mechanism we adopt during childhood which, as we progress into adulthood, can become a fixed and habitual way of relating to all others, even to those who send us positive and affirming messages.
If you consistently find that you are:
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hiding yourself away from others for fear of being judged
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focusing on what others want and expect of you instead of on what you want
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refraining from trying new things
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avoiding tasks or activities that you find challenging
You will likely find yourself in a viscous cycle because these unhealthy behaviours are reinforcing your underlying doubts and fears.
ISTDP can help you to identify the point at which you gave up on yourself and consequently turned to others for validation, and heal the wounded child within so you have the opportunity to thrive and flourish as the unique and wonderful human that you are.
While BWRT can help you to isolate a distressing memory or memories of being undermined, demeaned and disrespected so that your preconscious brain can develop a new response.
Self Growth
You don't have to be experiencing a diagnosable psychological difficulty in order to seek psychotherapy. You may want to understand yourself with more insight and clarity, become more confident in making your own decisions, or enhance your wellbeing and lifestyle.
Self-growth is the conscious and intentional process of developing skills, attitudes, and behaviours to increase personal well-being and realise your potential. It is a lifelong journey that involves improving self-awareness, developing new strengths, and making positive changes to achieve goals and live a more fulfilling life.
Self-growth involves:
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understanding your own identity, values, and passions to identify areas for growth
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ability to consciously observe and understand your own thoughts, emotions, and actions
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a belief that your intelligence and talents can be developed over time through effort, rather than being fixed traits
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learning to overcome setbacks and manage emotions to better cope with life's challenges
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setting and working towards new goals in both your personal and professional life to reach your potential
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actively working to enhance capabilities, such as communication, time management, or leadership skills
ISTDP and BWRT can healthily and positively support a process of development and growth, albeit in very different ways!
Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity is the concept that human brains function and process information in many different ways, and these differences are a natural variation of the human brain. It recognizes that conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia are not disorders to be fixed, but rather part of a spectrum of human cognitive diversity. This perspective encourages acceptance, inclusivity, and an understanding that environments should be adapted to accommodate different strengths and needs, rather than trying to change the individual.
You may already define yourself as neurodivergent, or you may be starting to think that you are, or you may have received a diagnosis and are struggling to come to terms with what that means for you. While coming to understand oneself as neurodivergent later in life may come with an element of relief and the development of self-compassion, it can also bring into sharp focus the consequences of being misunderstood, or misdiagnosed, as well as the array of different emotions that have been suppressed, and which now need to be understood, felt and expressed safely.