Therapy; a space to think, feel and reflect

Anxiety is a normal part of everyday life and is linked to our internal fight and flight response.  Anxiety starts to become a problem if it gets in the way of you doing the things you want to do or leads to you engaging in behaviours you want to stop but can’t.

Psychological symptoms of anxiety may include feeling tense or nervous, having difficulty relaxing, feeling tearful, experiencing obsessive thoughts or intrusive memories,  worrying about the past or future, fearing the worst, having difficulty concentrating and difficulties with sleep. Physiologically you may experience a faster or more noticeable heartbeat, chest pains, headaches, you may feel lightheaded and dizzy, shaky, hot, breathless, sweaty and notice a loss of appetite. GAD, SAD/social phobia, health anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia and phobias are treatable with therapy sessions.

Get in touch and find out how therapy could help you.

Self-esteem is often but not always linked to childhood experiences and the messages you received about yourself growing up. Early experiences may include being punished, neglected or abused, feeling that you have failed to meet the high standards of others, belonging to a family or peer group that is discriminated against, feeling that you are the odd one out at home or school, being on the receiving end of other people’s distress and/or not receiving enough praise or interest from your family. 

If you have low self-esteem, you may notice that you withdraw and avoid challenging or new situations because you feel you will be unable to cope. You may also find that you engage in behaviours to cope like drinking or smoking too much.  Living with low self-esteem can also contribute to the onset on of anxiety and depression.  Low self-esteem is very treatable with therapy sessions. Get in touch and find out how therapy could help you.

Approximately one in seven couples has trouble conceiving and there is currently an infertility crisis in the UK that has received relatively little media attention.  The associated stigma attached to infertility for men, women and couples may be partly to blame.  The psychological impact of infertility, miscarriages and unsuccessful IVF cycles can elicit all sorts of painful feelings including shame, guilt and loss and has been linked to prolonged grief disorder.  It can also create confusion about gender identity, impact upon self-esteem, put a strain on relationships and lead to anxiety and depression.

For some individuals and couples, donor conception may be an option, whereby a donor egg, donor sperm or a donated embryo are used to facilitate conception.  While offering a much longed for solution, this avenue can also evoke all sorts of painful and often conflicting feelings including a sense of loss. I offer a safe, nurturing space where you can explore and make sense of your experience, heal and move forwards. Get in touch and find out how therapy could help you.

Post-natal depression is a type of depression that affects more than one in ten women and up to one in ten men  and it can be a lonely and isolating experience. It starts any time within a year of the baby being born. There are a number of factors that may make you more susceptible to postnatal depression including a history of mental health problems, particularly depression earlier in life, a history of mental health problems during pregnancy, not having close family or friends to support you, a difficult relationship with your partner, recent stressful life events, such as a bereavement and having experienced physical or psychological trauma, such as a traumatic birth. 

Sometimes the expectations of becoming a mother or father do not align with the reality of becoming a parent. I offer a nurturing space to help you make sense of the challenging and often conflicting experience of becoming a mother or a father and to help you find joy in your life again. Get in touch and find out how therapy could help you.