How We Achieve
Lasting Change

The process is collaborative, evidence based and goal focused. Therapy sessions can take place online or at my Wirral clinic.

The Process

Achieving meaningful change begins with an initial assessment to understand your difficulties, background, and goals. Together, we create a tailored treatment plan that draws on a range of therapeutic approaches, addressing both your current symptoms and the underlying causes.

How psychotherapy
can help you

Starting therapy can feel daunting. Many people come to therapy after struggling for a long time with unhelpful thoughts, patterns, or behaviours. You may recognise that something isn’t working anymore but feel unsure how to make meaningful and lasting change. You’re not alone in this.

Choosing a therapist can also feel overwhelming. There are many psychotherapists and counsellors, each offering different approaches and levels of experience, and it can be hard to know what the right fit for you will be.

When you first get in touch, I offer an initial assessment. This helps us to start making sense of what you’re experiencing, explore your background and current circumstances, and think together about your hopes and goals for therapy. It also gives you a chance to get a feel for how I work and whether I’m the right therapist for you.

If, after the assessment, you decide that psychotherapy feels like the right step and you feel comfortable working with me, we can arrange further sessions. These can take place either online or at my clinic on the Wirral. We will also discuss the pace and frequency of sessions so that the work feels manageable and supportive for you.

I work with clients experiencing a wide range of difficulties. Once we have a clearer understanding of your situation, I will suggest therapeutic approaches or interventions that may be helpful. Because I’m trained in several evidence-based models, we can tailor therapy to suit your needs, drawing on one approach or integrating several to support you in moving towards your goals.

Below are the psychotherapy approaches I offer.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on finding practical, effective solutions by helping you develop new ways of thinking and responding to situations that have been causing difficulty. In the early sessions, we take time to understand the problems you want to address and identify the goals you would like to work towards. These goals are flexible and reviewed regularly as therapy progresses.

Together, we create a personalised treatment plan. CBT is an active and collaborative approach, so you’ll be invited to practise new skills between sessions through “therapy tasks” that help you build confidence and maintain progress. Sessions are typically 50 minutes and can be weekly or spaced in a way that best supports your needs.

CBT is recommended for a wide range of difficulties, including:

  • Anxiety (including social anxiety and health anxiety)
  • Depression
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Panic
  • Phobias
  • Anger
  • Low self-esteem
  • Perfectionism
  • Coping with menopause-related symptoms

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy designed to help you process distressing memories in a safe and supported way. Treatment takes place over several stages. A key part of the work involves bringing a troubling memory to mind and identifying the most difficult part of that memory. We also explore any negative beliefs, emotions, and physical sensations linked to that moment.

While focusing on these aspects, you are guided to follow left-to-right eye movements, or to notice alternating taps or sounds. This is known as bilateral stimulation and has been shown to support the brain’s natural ability to process memories.

You are encouraged to simply notice whatever arises during this process, without needing to control or analyse your thoughts. The memory is revisited repeatedly until it feels less distressing. For some people this happens within one session; for others it takes several sessions at a pace that feels safe and manageable.

EMDR is a highly recommended treatment for PTSD, and it can also be helpful for a range of other difficulties, including:

  • Anxiety
  • Panic
  • Phobias
  • Anger
  • Low self-esteem
  • Pain
  • Addictions

Schema Therapy

Schema Therapy integrates ideas from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Attachment Theory, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Humanistic/Experiential approaches such as Gestalt Therapy. It was specifically developed to help people with long-standing, deeply rooted patterns that have been difficult to change, even with other forms of therapy.

Schema Therapy is particularly helpful when early life experiences such as unmet emotional needs, instability, or trauma have shaped the way someone sees themselves, others, and the world. These early “schemas” can influence how a person copes, relates, and responds, often leading to patterns that feel stuck or self-defeating.

This approach is well suited for people who:

  • have chronic or recurring emotional difficulties
  • experience problems linked to childhood trauma or neglect
  • live with complex post-traumatic stress symptoms
  • struggle with attachment-related issues
  • have tried other therapies but found the benefits limited or short-lived

Schema Therapy offers a structured yet compassionate way of understanding these patterns and developing healthier, more supportive ways of relating to yourself and others.

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

Compassion Focused Therapy is based on the understanding that our brains contain several emotional systems that influence how we feel and respond to the world: the threat system, the drive system, and the soothing (or contentment) system.

When these systems become unbalanced particularly when the threat system is overactive it can lead to distress, self-criticism, shame, and emotional difficulties.
CFT aims to restore balance by strengthening the soothing system, helping it to regulate the other two. This creates a greater sense of safety, calm, and emotional stability. The approach brings together a range of tools and techniques, some drawn from other evidence-based therapies, to help you develop warmth, understanding, and compassion towards yourself.

A core part of CFT is Compassionate Mind Training, which focuses on building the skills needed to experience compassion, soften harsh self-criticism, and cultivate a more supportive inner voice.

Compassion Focused Therapy can be particularly helpful for people who experience:

  • Intense feelings of shame or guilt
  • A history of bullying
  • Physical or emotional abuse
  • A strong or unrelenting inner critic
  • Difficulties trusting others
  • Struggles with feeling kindness or compassion toward themselves

I don’t just treat symptoms.
I create lasting change.

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