Eleanor Bigden
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello! I'm Eleanor, I love the work I do and I'm here to help you build new strength, stability, resilience and resourcefulness - right away!
My approach is based on the most helpful strategies that I've fine-tuned from 24 years' specialist experience working with issues related to anxiety and stress; worry and GAD, trauma and loss; depression, low mood and SAD; OCD and compulsive habits; exploration and struggles with self-identity and authenticity; interpersonal, social or performance anxiety and communication struggles; anger and injustice; mood swings and Bipolar tendencies; confidence and trust; self criticism and self esteem; balance, focus, calm and purpose - even when times are really tough.
Creating a truly safe and supportive space for healing and change; with teamwork that's deeply attentive, authentic, encouraging and practical is core to the way I work.
What you'll gain - for both your current situation and for the long term
I'll help you learn valuable tools and strategies to:
- change unhelpful thinking patterns such as worry, over-analysis, self blame, rumination and threat-focus and instead, create perspectives that strengthen you
- develop a helpful relationship to difficult feelings and complex emotions and stop using coping strategies that backfire on you
- take empowered practical action to make concrete, tangible differences in your life
- achieve more inner stability, balance and emotional safety in uncertain and challenging times
What strengths can you develop?
I can help you:
- handle major stressors with resilience, creativity and calm
- wisely respond to your personal challenges and triggers
- navigate life's hardships with inner and outer resourcefulness
Even when life seems really hard, I can help you:
- break free from limiting beliefs & habits, and do the things that matter to your heart
- build your confidence, personal strengths and sense of value that you bring
- create a deeper sense of meaning, passion and perseverance
And in the face of insecurity or conflict I can help you:
- enhance the way you relate to yourself, and transform self criticism to good inner guidance
- enhance the way you relate to other people so you stay true to your core values
- enhance your adaptability and perseverance in your career even in limiting circumstances
What's it like to work with me?
It's my commitment to ensure you have really practical tools to walk away with after every session, AND you experience a wholehearted human to human connection that helps you compassionately release that which no longer serve you.
I know from my own personal journey from using addiction to cope with trauma, anxiety and depression, that deep listening, attention and attunement to different layers are key factors that enable understanding, healing and positive new movement to occur.
I really look forward to holding space for you in a truly connecting, authentic and liberating way so you can build much more confidence and empowerment to show up as all of YOU - your worst, your “meh”, your mojo and your best! All aspects of your humanity are most most welcome.
Check out my website www.eleanorbigden.com
Training, qualifications & experience
My Specialist experience
I have built up specialist skills over the past 24 years to best meet the following common needs my clients bring:
- Overcoming generalised anxiety, health anxiety, OCD, worry, depression
- Handling stress, uncertainty, anger and frustration constructively
- Building strength, resilience and wisdom in the midst of challenges
- Healing the pain of major trauma, loss and bereavement
- Freedom from fear, addiction, perfectionism, unhelpful coping strategies
- Building confidence, assertiveness, authenticity and self esteem
- Better family, work, social relationships and communication
- Greater wellbeing, peace and respect in relationship with yourself
- Deeper trust, emotional connection and intimacy in partnerships
- Overcoming avoidance and procrastination
- Growing in courage, daring and focus to go to a new level
- Developing the drive, resources and skills to properly maintain success
My aim is for all my clients to be enabled to move forward, achieve wellbeing and empowerment - and gain maximum value every time we meet.
Core Qualifications
- Bsc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (1998)
- Certificate of Extended Training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (2002)
- Post Graduate (Masters Level) Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, with Distinction (2005)
- Diploma in Therapons Belief Therapy for Addictions (2007)
- Diploma in Teaching Adults in Lifelong Learning (2009)
- Intermediate and Advanced Training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (2011-2015)
- Intermediate and Advanced Training in Compassion Focussed Therapy (2010-17)
- Full EMDR Core Training for trauma, PTSD, panic and phobia (2017-18)
Additional Training
I've trained in a wide range of approaches that I can draw on and share their key insights and skills with you, as best fitting with your particular needs. I think it's essential that the breadth and depth of what's possible to accomplish in therapeutic teamwork is not constrained by a therapist's gaps in experience, so I'm a bit of a training junkie! I participate in several training workshops every year, as well as extensive personal development workshops, to continuously broaden, update and deepen my specialist areas.
Alongside the contemporary, scientifically researched models of EMDR and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (both recommended within NICE guidelines and the World Health Organisation), I have trained in other specifically research-developed models, including: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Behavioural Activation, Compassion Focussed Therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Schema Therapy and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (what a mouthful!).
I have also trained in the following coaching and therapy models: Life Coaching, Brief Solution Focussed Therapy, Motivational Enhancement, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Transactional Analysis, Tantra, Eco-Psychology, Gestalt Psychotherapy, as well as several really useful interpersonal skills training models - from public speaking to assertiveness to conflict resolution.
I also have a geeky passion for studying the art and science of what makes good therapy great therapy as I know first hand that theres a big difference between making a bit of change, compared to making really smashing progress!
Professional membership
I’m fully accredited with a) The British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and b) EMDR Association of UK and Ireland, which means that my practice is well regulated and in line with national standards of clinical excellence.
I am also professionally registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, Association of Contextual and Behavioural Sciences, and as a teacher/trainer with the Society for Education and Training.
Member organisations
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 BABCP is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the UK. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the practice, theory or development of CBT. BABCP also provides accreditation for CBT therapists. BABCP accredited members adhere to the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics in the Practice of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, and are willing to be scrutinised in this adherence as required.
EMDR UK
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
LGBTQIAPK - I welcome people of all gender and sexual orientations and mutually consenting sexual communities to use therapy and coaching with me as a space to safely think through, process, navigate and celebrate topics related to identity and exploration. I see myself as pan sexual and I understand a sense of gender fluidity.
Bereavement, Grief and Loss Counselling - I have certified training in this.
Compassion Fatigue - I have certified training specifically to help people who are struggling with compassion fatigue in their personal or professional caring roles
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£150.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Current phone session offer - £60 saving per session!
My usual fee is £150 per 50 minute session, and £210 per extended 75 minute sessions, to work with me in greater depth and breadth AND achieve more aims sooner.
Good news tho! For autumn 2022-spring 2023, I’m offering a few 75 minute max-your-session opportunities for £150 rather than £210, saving you £360 on a course of 6 sessions, or a huge £720 on a course of 12!! Why? Because I really enjoy seeing people make a lot more progress far sooner! And without either of us having to rush against the clock! Very satisfying!
This offer’s typically for phone sessions that I like to make just as connecting as working with me on screen 😊.
Why phone sessions? Mainly coz it’s much easier to take a more embodied stance towards health and well-being when having sessions on the phone, and that’s obviously an important part of therapy eh?! Having your sessions on the phone means you can move flexibly between sitting somewhere really comfy and making more notes to remember more insights and tools better, lying down with your eyes closed, to get still and centred for deeper insight, or walking outdoors, if that helps you get more grounded or feel more energised!
Making more notes is an important one as research shows we tend to forget around 90% of what gets talked about in any given hour without them, and it’s easy to forget to make them when two people are focused on making eye contact! I’d love you to remember far more than 90% as there are so so many tools, strategies, techniques that I feel so fortunate to have learnt that I’d love to pass on to you for the benefit of your whole life journey. Not just for the here and now, but for years down the line!
A cost effective investment
My commitment is to help you:
- make immediate observable changes where it will make the biggest difference
- increase your life long skills, confidence and resilience
- adapt and transfer skills, tools and strategies from one situation to another
An obvious outcome of this is greater success in all areas of your life that matter to you.
My fee is set to realistically enable me to make a much higher investment straight back into offering not just good quality therapy, but the very best that I can bring, through a very high level of commitment to study, training, reflective practice, supervision and mentoring.
In addition, for every hour of session time I have with you, I will typically take another 30-60 minutes for "behind the scenes work", including session planning, follow up and research that is specifically focussed on you.
When I work
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For Autumn- Winter 2022, I’ve got availability for phone sessions between 8.30am start and 4pm finish on various weekdays. With the occasional online session space also becoming available.
Further information
Flexibility to fit your needs
My aim is to make sure that therapy and coaching fits well in the context of your life. This is exactly what it’s designed to do! You can choose to either work with me at the same time each week or to take a very flexible approach.
Sessions by phone are particularly flexible and with some creativity it can be possible to have a very spontaneous session in a variety of different settings and locations so you can get the help you need when you need it most.
