About me
Thank you for taking the time to read my profile. Firstly, I wish to say, well done! As the roots of therapy is to begin to recognise, notice, and develop awareness then this is the first positive step towards getting to a place where you feel, you want to be.
In working together I hope to engender and support positive change for you, individually tailoring sessions towards your presenting issues and associated goals. My therapy is conducted in a confidential, non-judgemental, safe space. We would work collaboratively, developing your skills through a choice of approaches, interventions and strategies and, at a pace which would work best for you.
My role as your therapist, is to nurture and support you to become your own therapist, by offering choices and finding integration of theory which gets you the best form of understanding relevant to what is going on for you. This allows you to take what works, discard what doesn’t, and to move forward with added strategies in place to promote healthy wellbeing.
How we would work together
I have been working as a therapist since 2016 and can honestly say, yes theory and concepts will offer up understanding of yourself in relation to issues and problems. However, experience has taught me that every client I have had the pleasure of working with, intuitively already knew where they wanted to be, though it took the therapeutic space to develop this.
By introducing aspects of compassion for oneself in relation to emotional wellbeing, I aim to provide the space to discuss what is important to you, and by supporting you to find alternative ways of thinking and of being, helps to alleviate and reduce psychological and physiological distress.
Past experiences impact our mood, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours and play out as patterns and themes in the present. If thoughts impact our emotions, and play out in behaviour felt in our bodies’ physiology, then exploring and changing one aspect can be the first step to regaining control and finding relief.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
- HNC in Counselling an Integrative Approach
- Professional Development Award in Addiction Counselling
- Dip Acc. Hyp (Hypnotherapy)
- PgDip CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy & Groupwork)
- Using Compassion Focused Therapy for Trauma: Enhanced applications for understanding and using Compassion in Trauma Treatment
- Mindfulness Certification Course
- Rewind Technique: Treating PTSD, Trauma & Phobias
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: The importance of Orienteering and Defensive Responses
- The Body Keeps the Score: Workshop
- Transgenerational Trauma: Recognising and Transforming legacies of pain
- Healing Transgenerational Trauma: Making the Invisible Visible
- Weight Loss & Gastric Band Hypnosis
My Experience
Since graduating my main work and focus was from a Trauma Informed therapeutic nature and I have supported both males and females of rape and childhood sexual abuse. Many have diagnosis of PTSD or Complex PTSD, though anxiety, depressive disorders and mood states impact and present as OCD, Phobias, Panic, Addictions, Anger, Eating Disorders and Relationship problems.
I continue to work in private practice though also as an Associate and Sessional Practitioner for other Counselling Services, Organisations and Charities. I am trained in one to one client work and as a facilitator of Psychotherapuetic Groupwork in key aspects of Anxiety Regulation, Stress Control, Anger Management and Worry Workshops.
The premise of my practice is the principle of Compassion, and raising awareness of this introduces and creates supportive inner self-dialogue which is less self-critical and is a foundation of our therapy together.
Member organisations
COSCA is the professional body for counselling and psychotherapy in Scotland, and seeks to advance all forms of counselling and psychotherapy and the use of counselling skills by promoting best practice and through the delivery of a range of sustainable services. COSCA Counsellor Accreditation is a pathway to entry onto the UKRC. It is a requirement of all individual and organisational members of COSCA to abide by its Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice and be accountable to the Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£40.00 - £50.00
Additional information
£40 online/telephone
£50 in person
Concessions discretionary
When I work
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Further information
Below is a brief outline of therapy I can offer:
Integrative Therapy
I can utilise and offer choice in relation to techniques and concepts drawn from multiple psychological disciplines to better tailor our therapy together. After all the treatment of problems and issues are unique to you, we are all individuals and internalise our circumstances and experiences and the way we respond to them, very differently indeed.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CBT is based on how we think, feel and behave are all interacting together. Specifically how our thoughts impact our emotions, behaviour and physiology holistically. And that by altering any one of these areas can bring about powerful positive results for you. I have found that focusing awareness on emotional state recognition and naming appropriately how we actually feel, can reduce the impact of this distress greatly. Backed by solid evidence, CBT effectively addresses various mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, phobias, addiction, trauma, and low self-esteem. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) highly recommends CBT for these issues.
Hypnotherapy
I offer sessions in Hypnosis as a practice, which can be used generally for achieving deep restful and restorative relaxation, De-Cluttering our mind from constant chatter, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Or Rapid Stress Reduction to name a few.
I also offer sessions of Hypnotherapy in relation to Anxieties, Anger, Fears and Phobias (fear of flying, public speaking, crowds etc…). Addictions like gambling, drug, alcohol or substance misuse are effectively treated with Hypnotherapy, as is Smoking Cessation and promoting a more healthy relationship with food (specifically weight loss in the form of Virtual Gastric Band Therapy).
How Our Sessions Work
Our sessions last around 60 minutes, once a week, or perhaps fortnightly. The number of sessions required varies due to individual circumstance and working on what you (the client) deems to be the most important, normally with reviewing and reflection on learning every 6 sessions.
You have the option for online sessions or face-to-face meetings at the office.
Please feel free to phone, text or email, and if I am with a client please leave a message and a suitable time for me to call you back. I look forward to having a chance to chat informally which allows you to decide about moving forward with therapy in the near future.
I look forward to talking with you.
Ali*
