Dr Kirsty Pakes
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Are you struggling to cope with difficult emotions and behaviours that are hard to control?
Would you like compassionate support that empowers you to find ways to build your emotional well-being and resilience?
Would you like to have a healthy relationship with your emotions and find ways to feel more resourced and find more joy in your life?
In my work as a clinical psychologist, I specialise in working with people to empower them to have tools to manage difficult emotional struggles and to find ways to develop and manage their emotional wellbeing in an ongoing way.
I offer 1-1 therapy, sessions/courses in emotional well-being approaches including focusing and mindfulness, and I also specialise in parenting support.
In 1-1 therapy I offer a warm and compassionate approach where I can draw upon a range of therapeutic models to best suit your needs. My overall approach to therapy is attachment-based, trauma-informed, experiential and compassion-focused. I have experience of working with a range of difficulties.
Here is what a recent client said:
"Working with Kirsty over the past two years has been incredible and life-changing and I cannot recommend her highly enough! Her warm, compassionate and almost sixth-sense approach means I came out of every session changed for the better and able to face my challenging life with renewed strength and self-compassion. I have made tremendous improvements in all areas of my life, learned to give myself more compassion and grace and gained confidence that I have the strength to hold it all. I have learned to tune into my body more, slow down and be more intentional and present in life."
I also teach focusing which is a deep listening approach that allows us to access a deeper level of knowing and experience that lies beneath the conscious mind, using the bodily felt sense. It's a simple and natural process, related to mindfulness.
Focusing teaches us how to be with our emotions with kindness, acceptance and strength so that we are neither overwhelmed by them nor out of touch with them. In this way it helps to build emotional well-being and emotional resilience in a profound way. It is a life-long way of being and a skill that can guide you to emotional health and vitality and give you an inner compass with which to navigate life.
I also work with parents using a connection-based approach to parenting (Hand in Hand Parenting) in consultations and courses. I also specialise in therapy with parents when they are caught in reactions, blindspots and past experiences that impact their parenting.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology, University of East London (2003)
- BA Hons and MA in Social and Political Science (Psychology). University of Cambridge (1998)
- Focusing-Oriented Therapist, London Focusing Institute (2014)
- Hand-in-Hand Parenting Consultant (2017)
- Focusing Practitioner Training, British Focusing Association (2010)
- Mindfulness Teacher Training (2010)
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
Fees
£95.00 per session
Additional information
Concessions are sometimes available, so please do ask.
I offer a free-of-charge Zoom chat in the first instance.
Further information
I work online and also in-person in the Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge area.
