What Can I Expect From Psychotherapy or Coaching?

At the core, my technique is socratic and led by you. The typical process begins with a free 20 minute consultation to assess your needs. Each appointment lasts up to 50 minutes, is delivered via videoconference, telephone or face-to-face and each session will look different. Through both psychotherapy and coaching you can expect to develop tools that can encourage significant improvements to your life, using solution-focused and emotional regulation techniques. Whether you are new to these approaches or seasoned, my approach has something to offer everyone. The relationship is time-bound so the focus is on one or two specific mental health problems or areas of your life at a time! Reflective work involves both of us showing up, I will hold you accountable and you’ll need to be open and honest in order to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others, the modality is not systemic however we will focus on relational dynamics and the work is likely impact a verity of life areas. Working with me, you’ll overcome mental health difficulties and emotional distress or learn how to prioritise self-care and/ or spirituality, the deepen authenticity and relationships, revolutionise your work-life harmony and establish a more organised routine for healthier habits. Typically some of the work we’ll do together will involve, but is not exclusive to:

1. Creating goals so that you can gain vision and clarity. You may already know what you want and I’ll help you to get there;
2. Problem solving to find advantageous solutions to difficult or stressful situations;
3. Exploring and challenging unhelpful thinking styles to break down barriers;
4. Explore your assumptions and rules for living, that have developed over your lifespan;
5. (Re)discover your values, strengths and qualities to ensure you’re living in alignment with your desires.

What Do I Need Before Engaging With Therapy?

Doing the work is hard. Intense sessions focused solely on introspection can feel draining at first, at times it can be a raw and painful experience, and you may outgrow environments or relationships in ways you did not initially anticipate, which is sometimes necessary for transformational change. This will develop into feelings of awakening and you’ll really recognise a shift in your mindset, body and behaviours. In order to get there you’ll need to be up for the challenge. Being ready looks like being honest with yourself, having a good sense of yourself or openness to build on your self-awareness, having the ability to put yourself in others’ shoes or adopt different perspectives and being prepared to give up the things keeping you feeling stuck. I ask of you to be committed to putting the changes you want to see into practice between sessions, being punctual, set-up on your device and having all that you need with you.

What Coaching Is Not

There is no doubt that all helping professions share similar skill sets or qualities and at times it’s pretty easy for the lines between these professions to blur. However it’s important you know the differences so that you get the specific support you need. As a coach and a mental health practitioner I will always be integral to what I think is ethically best for all of the people I work with. I want you to get the best out of your coaching experience and if that means investing time or money into talking therapies or another coach or specialist first, then I will encourage you to do so.

1. Coaching is not mentoring. Mentoring is an advisory position in which the mentee typically learns approaches that have worked for the mentor or others in a particular area.
2. Coaching is not teaching. Traditional teaching methods tend to be didactic, therefore the teacher provides all of the knowledge and insight and the learner critically digests the information or instructions.
3. Coaching is not consultancy. Consultants will provide you clear performance plans and answers for success and tend to focus more on organisational objectives and less on the individual or team members.
4. Coaching is not therapy, and because this is such a popular topic read on for a more detailed explanation as to why.

What’s The Difference Between Coaching And Therapy?

It is a normal part of life to feel stuck, overwhelmed, low in mood or anxious and at times we will address your feelings in the coaching sessions. However, the focus of coaching is not to overcome emotional distress or mental health issues. If you have been experiencing chronic depression, anxiety or trauma still impacting on your life, that’s not to say that coaching would not benefit you, but it is best to access the appropriate support for your needs at present. In short, coaches provide a space for you to address your thoughts and behaviours, this can have a profound positive impact on your feelings or mood, overall wellbeing and at times it can feel like a spiritual awakening but if emotional healing is your aim, talking therapy would benefit you more right now.

You may be appropriate for CBT with myself however when this is not the case and you would like support to manage your mental health please contact your GP or your local NHS Talking Therapies service. You can also have private talking therapies  with a counsellor or psychotherapist via this directory. If you feel you are in a crisis and need immediate support, please find and contact your local Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team or call 999/ visit your nearest A&E service. You can also talk to a listener at the Samaritans for free on their 24/hr helpline; 116 123. This information is for individuals living in England, however alternatives should be available locally to you if you live in another country.

What Other Psychotherapeutic Modalities Might Be Helpful For Me And My Main Problem?

CBT is typically brief (no longer than 24 sessions/ 6 months) and present focused, meaning the issue you bring to therapy should be impacting you at the current time or likely to resurface due to difficulty maintaining coping strategies. Whilst it is person centred, other forms of psychotherapy may suit your needs better, particularly if your issues are historical or relationship focused, more concerned with bereavement or existential and philosophical, for example wanting to explore your distress in the context of the meaning of life. CBT can be greatly effective because many people don’t want to know the ‘why’ behind the ‘how’, that’s not to say we won’t touch on why, but the emphasis is solution focused; building coping strategies for now and the future. Where CBT may not be appropriate, counselling, psychoanalytic or psychodynamic therapies, systemic, couples or family therapy, existential, psychodrama or art therapies are all privately but widely available.

What Can I Expect From Reiki?

This energy healing technique requires a quiet and private environment just like talking therapies. If you would like to receive hands-on healing this will involve me touching your body directly and it is advised that you dress as you would feel comfortable. Physical touch does not involve massage or acupressure and should never be inappropriate or sexual. Physical touch is also not compulsory and hands-off healing with the hands hovering over and around the body is a common and just as effective option. Distance Reiki can also be provided but only following a consultation and 50 minute assessment, similarly to face-to-face services. 

What Reiki Is Not

Reiki can sometimes attract people experiencing emotional distress and mental health difficulties, this can be managed if not chronic, complex or severe. However Reiki should not be used as a first point of call for mental health problems, whereby talking and somatic therapies are more adequate. Spiritually bypassing emotional distress is common; attributing all of your mental health difficulties to spirituality, astrology or other divinatory practices and ‘negative’ energy can be harmful and maintain the problem for longer. This does not mean there are no influences or invalidate such practices. I myself have practiced in a variety of divinations for 22 years, ancestrally. However, it is unethical of practitioners to provide you Reiki at a time when it ultimately may not help you. This is why I emphasise assessment in my work and therefore your needs can be clearly identified at the consultation and assessment stages. In some cases an integrative approach may be provided using a mixture of my methods.

Is The Lineage Within Reiki Training And Practice Important?

Every qualified Reiki practitioner and master should easily be able to detail the training linage they belong to and you can find mine on the Reiki page. This is ethically and practically important because in-person attunements are where a physical transfer of energy takes place; an adjustment of the individuals body, making them more adept for channelling existing universal energy and you want to feel assured that you are in knowledgeable and safe hands. Individuals who have attained their first grade teachings at level I (Shoden) are self-practicing healers, second teachings at level II (Okuden) are practitioners like myself and third level trained individuals are considered teachers or masters (Shinpiden).

What Happens After Engaging With One Of My Services?

People sometimes ask me, what happens when therapy or coaching ends, what’s next? And that’s a good question. The style of my work will allow you to put much of what we do into practice long after we end our therapy and coaching sessions. This is because I don’t just teach you strategies, I guide you to learn how to do it all on your own. You’ll develop new ways of perceiving yourself and the world. The reason that many make tremendous improvements in their lives is mostly to do with how open they were to change and how ready they were to sit with uncomfortable truths and feelings. My role is to act as a mirror, to provide you space to reflect and develop.

In terms of contact, I provide ongoing communication with all of my clients via email and through social media. So that you get the chance to check-in with me from time to time or ask those nagging questions you forgot to ask in our last session! I like to make myself available to past clients because that level of consistency beats any follow-up call I’ve ever had. However, on demand and crisis support cannot be provided. 

Fees

Everyone feels a little uncomfortable discussing money but I am transparent about my fees. All of my 1:1 50 minute sessions are priced at £80.00 and 25 minute Reiki sessions are £50.00 (consultations are free). It is important that you commit to your appointments when you are financially able. Instalments for any agreed upon packages are always available to make payments easier for you and each session is to be paid in full 12 hours prior to your appointment to avoid cancellations as you may still be charged in alignment with the service contract. Pending payments interfere with the process of treatment and is typically paused until payment is received.

Is This Worth The Money? Why Don’t I Just Read On Self-development?

It may not be the right time for you or the services I offer might not be the right fit for you currently. You need to be ready and willing to make life changes by being honest about what is stopping you from moving forward in your life. Sometimes people do amazingly well at teaching themselves strategies, watching videos, reading on self-improvement, journaling and meditating. However I understand that you may not yet have the insight to what’s keeping you feeling stuck, have the time this takes or self-motivation to do the work alone and you may be seeking expert interventions. Every time you have a session with me, that session comes with 10 years of professional experience that is psychologically grounded, as well as my lived experience! I provide you all the tools you’ll need to fast-track yourself to making groundbreaking life changes and I’ll hold you accountable to the progress you want to make along the way. If you’re questioning whether the cost of therapy, coaching or Reiki is worth it, ask yourself these easy questions: What was the last thing I spent the equivalent amount of money on? What did I get from that experience? What is it costing me in staying the same? It’s really that simple.

Is CBT A Regulated Profession And Is That Important?

YES, YES and YES! Cognitive and behavioural psychotherapists have trained extensively under postgraduate accredited courses and maintain frequent CPD and supervision to meet requirements of the BABCP to practice. Accreditation under the governing body is nationally regulated. As a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist for the NHS I receive weekly supervision and when working in private practice I attain supplementary supervision.

Is Coaching A Regulated Profession And Is That Important?

The short answer to these questions is no… and yes. Whilst coaching has several professional bodies that people subscribe to, such as the International Coach Federation (ICF), the Association for Coaching (AC) and the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC), it is not a requirement to register with one or study a course accredited by them. Pretty much anyone can call themselves a life coach as the title is not protected and even NLP trained coaches are not licensed clinicians. This is why it’s important you choose a coach who you feel comfortable working with, who has sound experience and credentials. I do not subscribe to the above organisations at present because they are not yet regulated or licensing governing bodies. However they do provide coaches invaluable structures that I believe should be adhered to irrespective of subscription. The organisations publish research in the field of coaching and promote the use of ongoing mentorship and supervision in coaching.

I completed my certified coaching training in 2019 with The Academy of Modern Applied Psychology, which covered all of the core components for coaching skills. I have refined my competencies working in a multitude of affiliated roles and use my coaching skills as a therapist and coach. I adhere to the ICF’s code of ethics, particularly in relation to maintaining; professional conduct, confidentiality and continual development. I am highly focused on additional training and my own continued personal and professional development, which you can check out on my about page. I provide pro-bono sessions for practice based learning and when I need a coach or mentor I invest in myself.

Is Reiki A Regulated Profession And Is That Important?

The short answer to these questions is again, no… and yes. Much like coaching a practitioner may subscribe to a host of Reiki organisations and there is no legal obligation to register with any of the following bodies: The Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), The Reiki Association or The UK Reiki Federation. Unfortunately Reiki is an unregulated profession which means there is no standardisation or quality control for teaching or practice. Many people claim to be Reiki practitioners and even teachers, but lack essential face-to-face training and attunement with a master belonging to a legitimate lineage. There are also ample Reiki practitioners who deviate from the practice of Reiki or have developed their own techniques in the name of Reiki in which their legitimacy should be questioned. That’s not to say they are ineffective and possibly could be bodywork practices in their own right.

Complaints Procedures

Second to money, not many people like to talk about complaints, but procedures for feedback exist for a reason and knowing your rights helps to safeguard clients, practitioners and our communities. Unfortunately, malpractice does occur within helping professions, to date I have no complaints to disclose in my NHS nor independent practice. However, as a holistic provider of psychological and physical healing, I very much value ease of access for processes and transparency. Therefore, if you have been harmed in any capacity by a psychotherapist or health related provider, these formal organisations are easily accessible for you, with the BABCP, the National Counselling Society, the Professional Standards Authority, the NHS Constitution and the UK Reiki Federation.