Calming stormy waters

Evidence based psychological therapy: Developing anchors and learning to surf

I draw on a range of evidence-based psychological approaches and interventions to support children, young people and families. All therapeutic work begins with an initial assessment which allows me to start getting to know you, your experiences, strengths and hopes for therapy. This first appointment also provides you the chance to get to know me and how I work. We will discuss what is working well and the areas you are finding more challenging to create a plan for moving forward.

I value working with you compassionately and collaboratively and will invest in getting to know you and your unique skills and strengths to build a safe space for you to talk openly, without judgement. My broad training in different therapeutic models means I can integrate different approaches to ensure the sessions are effective in helping you reach your goals.

The main models that inform my work are

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT looks at how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact. Once you understand this cycle you can look at ways to feel better, either by challenging thoughts and changing behaviours.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

ACT is an evolution of CBT but instead of engaging with thoughts (by challenging them) the focus is instead on noticing them, finding ways to tolerate uncomfortable feelings so you can engage in behaviour that aligns with your values.

Compassion Focussed Therapy

CFT is another evolution of CBT which focusses on developing self-compassion and self-soothing with the aim to combat feelings of shame, threat and self-criticism.

Narrative Therapy

This approach to therapy looks at the stories we tell about our identities and our lives, where they originate from and how we can find ‘exceptions’ to the dominant story. Lots of approaches are used within narrative therapy including seeing ‘problems’ as external to the person.

Behavioural approaches including Problem Behaviour Support

Behavioural approaches such as Positive Behaviour Support look at how we can improve an individual’s quality of life by understanding what a behaviour is communicating and then meeting this need through environmental adaptations or skill development.

Systemic therapy

Systemic therapy recognises that we do not live in a vacuum but operate across different levels and in relationship to others. Challenges are addressed by looking at our interactions, patterns of relating alongside wider societal influences.

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Areas I can help with

I specialise in supporting children, young people and families experiencing anxiety and low mood following a newly diagnosed, or pre-existing, health condition. I also have specialist skills and experience in supporting autistic children and young people as well as children with learning disabilities. 

Other areas I can support with include

  • School based difficulties including emotionally based school non-attendance and separation anxiety.
  • Understanding and managing behaviours that challenge.
  • Procedural distress including needle phobia
  • Low self-esteem and confidence
  • Anger difficulties
  • Sleeping difficulties
  • Stress and worry
  • Trauma
  • Bereavement and loss
Enquire about a session

Consultation and Training: Reducing the swell

Therapeutic work can be a stepping stone to making positive changes but it can only do so much if we live in environments that are challenging and distressing. That’s why I offer consultation and training to services and educational settings working with children and young people. Research shows that helping those around children and young people, to identify distress and provide support earlier, has a positive cascade effect on children’s wellbeing. Although storms are a part of what it means to be human we can work towards reducing the size of the waves by building mental health awareness and skills to support.

Consultation

A consultation provides the chance to think together about a difficulty, you or a family member are experiencing, in a reflective and safe space. We will consider all the puzzle pieces that have contributed to this difficulty and develop a plan of ‘next steps’ to begin shifting things. I wouldn’t promise that a consultation will provide all the solutions but it is an effective starting point to help move things forward.

A consultation can be for parents, family members, education staff or other important figures in a child’s network. 

Typical requests for consultation include focusing on understanding and managing behaviour that challenges and parenting support. In some cases, I can offer school observation if it’s felt that this would strengthen our understanding and recommednations.

A consultation lasts for 50 minutes following which I will provide a summary of our discussion and recommendations of support. Sometimes further consultations to review progress may be requested, or if indicated, individual therapy for families. Plans for follow-up or therapy will be discussed during the consultation.

Organisational Support

 

I can work with organisations and schools to improve their wellbeing culture including support with implementing systemic changes such as trauma-informed practice, mental health policies and whole school approaches to mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Training

I am experienced in delivering dynamic and engaging teaching sessions, workshops and lectures. I have developed and facilitated training in several areas to a range of audiences including education staff, parents and other healthcare professionals.

Past training titles include:

  • Attachment Across Systems.
  • Coping with COVID-19: Supporting Young People.
  • Supporting Young People with Allergies.
  • Mental Health Awareness.
  • A History of Learning Disabilities.
Please get in touch to discuss further

Adaptations and
Important Information

Adaptations and Anti-Discriminatory Practice

I understand the practical challenges some children and families face in accessing psychological support.  If you need shorter sessions, sessions with or without family present, an interpreter, visual aids or even sessions outdoors please do get in touch to see what is possible. I’m happy to hear your suggestions and will do my best to meet your needs. I am committed to providing an anti-discriminatory service and strive to ensure this ethos informs our work together.

Accessing Crisis and Urgent Mental Health Support

Please note that Waves Psychology is not a crisis and emergency service. If you require immediate and urgent support with your mental health then please contact your GP in the first instance or for advice call 111 (and select option 2). In a mental health emergency such as the risk of suicide, please call 999 (UK) or attend your nearest Accident and Emergency department.

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