Find Your Right Path in Life
Professional Counselling based in Farnham, covering Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire,
United Kingdom
Prices & FAQs Frequently Asked Questions
How much will it cost?
Initial telephone consultation free, to assess suitability and discuss your needs. (20 Min )
£65.00 Per Session (each session is 50 minutes long, EMDR sessions may require longer but this will be discussed prior to session ) *
Block Booking price 6 sessions £325.00 ( 6 sessions for the price of 5, subject to review) if preferred. * **
For Supervision fees please contact me for further information.
For services such as form filling, letter writing etc, fees are applicable and available on request.
What to expect in my first session
Before we agree to work together you will need to have an initial consultation via telephone, roughly 20 mins, where we can discuss how I work, what are your expectations and what you would like to gain from counselling. We will discuss your presenting problem/s, needs and how therapy may help you to meet these needs. It will also give you a feel of how I work as a counsellor and if this feels right for you, we will then agree on how to continue our work forward and arrange a time and day that suits you.
Your first session will be a space for you to talk confidentially and an opportunity to ask any questions or concerns that may have arisen since your initial consultation.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy is a solution focused therapy, it has been evidenced to help with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks and depression. It works by creating and strengthening positive networks in the brain, providing you with the internal resources that can be easily accessed, helping to build emotional resilience. EMDR helps the brain to adjust its view of past situations so you can build positive thoughts and outcomes about yourself and life. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and has been recommended by the World Health Organisation and NICE National Institute for Health & Care Excellence as approved by NHS.
Recent research has evidenced in a British study of 72 patients in an acute mental health crisis, results showed that of the 57 who completed treatment, significant improvements were made across all metrics, including a reduction in suicidal ideation. The majority needed fewer than 10 sessions and no onward referral for further psychological therapy. The study authors noted that significant cost savings were realised by virtue of retracted referrals for further therapy and early discharge from acute wards (Proudlock & Peris, 2020).
Another study in 2012 of 22 people found that EMDR therapy helped 77% of the individuals with psychotic disorder and PTSD, finding that their hallucinations, delusions, anxiety, depression symptoms, and self-esteem were significantly improved after treatment, and not exacerbated during treatment. This showed that EMDR can be applied to this group of patients without adapting the treatment protocol or delaying treatment by applying stabilising interventions beforehand (Van den Berg & van der Gaag, 2012)
Many longstanding and reputable agencies are attesting to its effectiveness for trauma, PTSD, and more. There are numerous controlled trials showing its effectiveness for an ever-widening array of conditions, and its generally briefer duration tends to be cost effective. It has been shown to be safe as well as effective, and the list of positive effects is already long, while there are few short-term negative effects.
If you would like to know about the process of EMDR follow this link to my de-mystifying EMDR blog https://www.serenityspeaking.com/post/de-mystifying-emdr
Understanding Trauma
Levine (1997) states:
‘Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathic witness.’ In other words, trauma is subjective, being experienced differently by each individual. It may accordingly be exacerbated by conditions of worth, for example believing that it is ‘weak’ to react in line with real feelings.
Trauma can derive from a single event and is often misunderstood by medical models, that have believed it has to be a life threatening event. This is not so, as any event that causes significant emotional stress can be classed as trauma. It can derive from a single event known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or multiple events known as Complex Post traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) or recently named Developmental Trauma.
With any trauma it is important to understand how this can impact on somebody's view of their world, as they are experiencing past trauma as if it is still currently happening. People often re experience their trauma as a sensory trigger such as smells, sounds, sensations that remind them of the trauma. Once a person experiences trauma this then puts an imprint onto the nervous system and this is why people with trauma experience triggers. The memory of the trauma is stored as a physical response within the body.
A key part of any trauma therapy or recovery is to treat it slowly take time to explore the thoughts and feelings and how these are impacting the person, In therapy it is a safe place to explore the trauma and its affects without re-traumatising the person.
How many sessions will I need ?
BACP recommend approx. 6-12 sessions held weekly, however this is only a guide and can be longer if needed or dependant on how long you have had your concerns/problems. It is important to remember that this is a process that is guided by you, I will regularly review this process with you to assess how the therapy is going. For EMDR therapy, again is it recommended 6-12 sessions. It is possible that some EMDR session may require longer than 50 mins I will discuss with you beforehand, the main aim of either therapy is to work to your required goal as efficiently and effectively as possible. If at any point your circumstances change or you feel therapy is not working for you then we can discuss possible referrals to another source of help.
What hours do you work?
Mon-Wed-Thurs-09.00 am-18.00 pm
Tues- 09.00- 17.00pm
Fri- 09.00 am - 16.00pm
Do you offer online therapy?
Yes, I offer online, telephone or face to face therapy. Online is done via Zoom and each session lasts for up to 50 mins, again weekly. Once our working relationship, day and time has been agreed, I will email you with a personal secure link to attend each session. It is best done via downloading the Zoom app as this has a secure connection for us to work safely. I will discuss the suitability of online work with you in our initial discussion. Online therapy can be as effective as face to face therapy with the added benefit of convenience. I would point out that if this method is to be used then I would recommend you have an area that is quiet and away from any interruptions, to help maintain your confidentiality.
Clinical Supervision
I have a L6 certification of clinical supervision including online and telephone work.
Currently taking on new supervisee's, if this is something you are interested in please contact me further so we can arrange a discussion and see if you wish to start working with me.
"Offering supportive reflection to help you enhance and grow your own practice... "
What are your qualifications?
Advanced Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, awarded by CPCAB (http;//www.cpcab.co.uk/) 2020
Certificate EMDR Trauma Focused Therapy 2021
Centre of Excellence Diploma in Neuroplasticity 2021
Level 3 CPCAB, Certificate in Counselling Studies 2018
Level 2 CPCAB, Certificate Counselling skills 2016
Online & Telephone counselling 2.0 (BACP & ACTO Accredited) 2020
Open University Cert, Combined Psychology & Health & Social Care 2002-2004
L6 Certified Clinical Supervision including online and telephone work. Counselling Tutor 2022
TQUK level 2 certificate in Understanding Children's and Young Peoples Mental Health 2023
Certificate L1 & L2 in Complex Trauma Pesi UK 2023
I currently work on behalf of the Police Firearms Officers Association
I am an Accredited member of the NCPS (National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society) & an Accredited registered member of BACP (British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy)