General
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Clinical psychology is the branch of psychology that aims to reduce psychological distress and to enhance the promotion of psychological wellbeing. Clinical psychologists MUST have completed an undergraduate degree in psychology (3-4 years) AND a postgraduate, doctoral-level training course in clinical psychology (3 years). As such, we have a very broad understanding of both the science and application of psychology, both in general (e.g. how perception and human development works) and to the field of health care (e.g. as applied to different populations such as infants, young people and adults, and different problem areas such as both physical and mental health, addictions, relationship problems). We have a professional obligation to keep up to date with the latest research and best practice in our area. This means that we are uniquely equipped to adapt, change or totally rethink a treatment/therapy plan if something unexpected comes up or the first approach does not suit you.
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Yes, I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The HCPC is the regulating body of all Practitioner Psychologists and other allied health professionals, from ambulance staff to speech and language therapists. This means that we are held to high standards of care and accountability in our professional practice. Learn more or look us up here.
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You can learn more about EMDR here and IFS here. IFS in particular lends itself to beginning a path of curiosity and learning about your inner world, even without a therapist. However, it is usually necessary to engage the help of a therapist at some point, especially to help with aspects of trauma that your system may still be holding.
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Whilst not neurodivergent myself, I have many neurodivergent family members and friends. I set up and ran the NHS diagnostic service in my local area in 2015 and provided both diagnostic and therapeutic input to autistic people within the NHS for several years. I then worked in a specialist autism service where I also extended my skills to working with ADHD, before setting up my independent practice in 2018. About 80% of my clients at any time identify as neurodivergent in some way.
Therapy Process
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That's not a problem - many people come to see me just to have a dedicated space to explore what is troubling them and what direction they might go in. I can provide that and also use my wide knowledge of available approaches to help point you in the right direction - even if the right thing for you is something I don't personally offer.
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No. You are free to come, try out my service, and stay for as long as you want. I don't put limits on how long anyone works with me. However, how long you can commit to will have an impact on the focus of our work. As a rule, anything under 6 sessions is likely to be either exploratory or educational in nature. 6-20 sessions may be a good number for working on relatively recent or "single issue" traumas, such as medical procedures, road traffic accidents or assaults. Childhood trauma, especially if consisting of multiple incidents over a prolonged period of time, may take longer.
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It depends. The usual advice is not to work with 2 therapist on the same issues at the same time, to avoid possible confusion. However, if there is a clear rationale, agreement and communication between the 2 therapists, it can work well.
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Not at all. I am happy to accept and work with you whether you are neurodivergent, neurotypical, or not sure yet. We can keep an open mind and see how your experiences of the world fit into the wider picture, diagnosis or not.
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No, not routinely. However, your GP is your main health co-ordinator, so there may be times that I may discuss with you whether or not certain information should be shared. Sharing information in this way would only be done with your explicit consent, except in certain circumstances (see confidentiality policy) - usually relating to perceived high levels of risk.
Fees
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See my current fees here. I reserve the right to review my fees on an annual basis. You will be given at least 2 months' notice of any price changes.
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I will invoice you after our session. Payment is due within 14 days and payable by bank transfer.
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Most of my clients are self-funding. The only insurance provider that I am registered with is WPA.
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My system sends out lots of reminders - one when I put it in the diary and one 48 hours in advance. I also send out video links a few days in advance. Hopefully this should be enough to avoid missed appointments. Unfortunately if you do miss an appointment without sufficient notification (see my cancellation policy) you will be charged the appropriate amount.
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It depends when you cancel - please see my cancellation policy.
Service Info
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My usual hours are 9.30 to 4.30 from Sunday to Thursday (Fridays and Saturdays are my weekends off). I am usually not far from my email between these hours, unless I am in a clinic (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sunday mornings). My last appointment is 2.30.
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Unfortunately I am not able to offer a crisis or emergency service at MySelf Psychology. If you need help urgently, please contact your local A&E or consider contacting one of the crisis services on my resources page. You are welcome to email me occasional reflections or updates in between sessions if it is helpful for you to organise your thoughts, but please note that I may not always have time to read them before the next time we meet.
EMDR
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Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a well-evidenced psychotherapy that was developed by Francine Shapiro in the 1980s to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. EMDR is based on the idea that traumatic memories are stored in the brain in a fragmented way, and that by stimulating the brain in a specific way, it is possible to help you process these memories and reduce distress.
EMDR has several phases, including history taking, preparation and the most well known - reprocessing. This involves asking the client to focus on a traumatic memory while the therapist uses eye movements, tapping, or other forms of bilateral stimulation. As you focus on the memory, you may experience a range of emotions, thoughts, or body sensations. The therapist helps you to stay with these and to allow them to come and go. Over time, the impact of the memory lessens, impacting your view of yourself and the world in a positive way.
EMDR has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and phobias.
EMDR can also be used effectively for performance enhancement - e.g. helping eliminate psychological blocks related to sports, speaking or other performance activities.
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I use a platform called Bilateral Base, which has in-built tools for EMDR use (both audio and visual). Some people prefer to provide their own bilateral stimulation (BLS) by self-tapping under guidance. The exact form of BLS can be adjusted to suit your needs.
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Absolutely - feel free to let me know about they way you experience your own internal world and we can adapt how we do things. It is increasingly understood that people vary in their ability to see internal images. We can work with memories, emotions or parts of us in all sorts of different ways.
IFS
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a type of psychotherapy developed by Richard (Dick) Schwartz. It views the mind as a system of parts, rather than a single, unified entity. Each part has its own unique purpose, function and "secret history", and by understanding and working with these parts, it is possible to heal emotional distress and achieve greater well-being.
IFS therapy is based on the idea that each person has a core Self, which is the wise, compassionate, and loving part of ourselves. The Self is surrounded by parts (like cloves of garlic on a stem), which are often created in response to trauma or difficult experiences. These parts - even the ones that seem unhelpful or dangerous - have at their core a positive intention for us (e.g. to protect us from danger or numb us out of unpleasant experiences).
IFS therapy can help you:
Learn to identify your parts
Understand the purpose of each part
Develop a relationship and better communiation with your parts
Through this increased communication, update their outdated ways of viewing and acting in the world and leave to better internal and external harmony.
It is a relatively new type of therapy, but it is quickly gaining popularity due to its effectiveness, its compassionate approach, and its focus on healing the whole person.
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Anyone who has completed at least a Level 1 IFS training can provide services as an IFS practitioner. To call yourself an IFS therapist, you must also have a professional therapeutic training and background. As a clinical psychologist, I am an IFS therapist.