Dr Chris Woodgate
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am an HCPC registered Psychologist and Doctor of Counselling Psychology offering psychotherapy underpinned by a contemporary reading of the most relevant literature. I work from a psychodynamic, systemic and sometimes cognitive behavioural perspective, integrating these to offer tailored ways of understanding and working with issues that will be unique to each person and set of circumstances. Most of the work happens in the room, though sometimes we might also set things outside of it, where appropriate.
I am happy to work with complexity and will consider working with most presenting issues.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have a Doctoral qualification in counselling psychology, completed in 2021, that built on my earlier Masters undergraduate training in Psychology and Philosophy at Edinburgh University in 2001.
In the intervening period I have gained extensive clinical experience across contexts, both in roles as a therapist, and holding supervisory roles in the probation service (2004-2006).
I have worked in the NHS since 2009, in Assistant Psychologist, Trainee Psychologist and care support roles. I have worked in the following contexts: forensic secure mental health; Primary Care IAPT/Talking Therapies; eating disorder units; inpatient mental health units; secondary care depth psychology roles; adolescent units; autism and learning disability; personality disorder services. I have also worked in research posts on large scale randomised trials in psychology, linked to learning disabilities.
I started working in private practice as a therapist, initially under a BACP registration while undertaking Doctoral training, in 2019, and have worked in private practice since then, alongside intermittent NHS work. I completed my thesis and qualified as a Doctor in 2021, and have worked under a HCPC registration since this date.
It is accurate to say I have 21 years of clinical experience, 16 of which focused on NHS work, 9 of which were in specialist therapy roles. I have worked in private practice for 6 years.
I have completed further training in attachment assessment (Adult attachment interview- Pat Crittenden), Intensive Trauma Treatment; (Van Der Kolk); Facilitating Reflective Practice Groups (Tavistock); Affect Regulation Theory (Hill/ Schore); Neurofeedback (ILF, Othmer method); Motivational Interviewing; Neuropsychoanalysis (Solms et al).
My current focus is on the integration offered by the interdisciplinary field of Neuropsychoanalysis, that brings together developmental neuroscience, cognitive neuropsychology and affective neuroscience with psychoanalytic methods focused on supporting change. It is the cutting edge of the literature linked to meaningful forms of therapy, in my opinion.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£70.00 - £100.00
Additional information
I charge £70 for in person sessions and £100 for online work.
When I work
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I am happy to accomodate early or later sessions to fit in with work, within a regular pattern of work together.
Further information
How I work
Effective therapy is underpinned by two processes: the relational and the cognitive, with the former being more important than the latter.
The therapeutic relationship is the foundation for effective work. This is a unique relationship, as it is contained by the therapy, with rules and boundaries to keep both patient and therapist safe. In some ways this allows for a closer and more honest relationship than would normally be possible, matters are brought that have never been discussed with anyone else. In other ways, this can sometimes feels frustrating too, as it is also a professional relationship that does not take place outside of therapy. It is this professional quality to an intimate relationship that allow for it to be used in a therapeutic manner, that is both safe and productive. In time, this work and relationship is internalised, so that even as the external relationship comes to a close, it continues within.
Trust takes time, and in a sense, this is the work. In a good therapeutic alliance, previously blocked and difficult parts of the self can start to let go and become more visible, with adaptations that were once useful but which may now be getting in the way, able to start to let go. This safe, 'Transitional space' allows for new ways of experiencing in the world to develop. This focus on the relationship has a large evidence base to support it, and is found across models, including those less of a relationship focus, such as CBT, to therapies that take the relationship as the main focus of the work, such as the psychodynamic and humanistic traditions.
Psychological formulation, or the 'cognitive', is the other side of the work. This describes the way a psychologist and patient develop the story of the difficulties that the patient is seeking help with, underpinned by theory and evidence. In another language, these are the psychoanalysts' interpretations, generally offered more explicitly by the psychologist. I provide the theory and grounding in literature to support this unfolding explanation and map for moving forwards. Formulation and interpretation are therefore more 'cognitive processes' as contrasted with the 'experiential' and relational focus. Both the relational and the cognitive parts are important, though the former provides the true path for deeper change.
More of my work tends to be medium to longer term, though I do offer shorter forms of intervention, sometimes drawn from protocols for diagnostic categories. These latter interventions are the mainstay of NHS work, reflecting tight budgets. There is evidence for shorter forms, but it doesn't tend to lead to longer term change in the way that depth work does.
