Nicole Castellani UKCP Accredited & member of the BACP

Training, qualifications & experience

• 1994 Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy From the CCPE
• 1998 Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the CCPE
• 2009 Certificate in Creative Group Work from IATE
• 2012 Diploma in Psychosexual Health from The Centre of Psychosexual Health
• 2013 Certificate in CBT
• 2015 Post Graduate Diploma in Attachment based Therapy from The Wimbledon Guild

Other areas of counselling I deal with

• Addiction specialist
• Psychosexual specialist
• Sexual trauma

Further information

I CAN HELP YOU WITH :

DEPRESSION
Depression is  a deep unpleasant feeling of emptiness and despair that can last a long time. The feeling can make it very difficult to function in every day life as you have been use to doing. There are things that you once enjoyed and people around you that you once loved that no longer interest you. The symptoms of depression may cause extreme tiredness and exhaustion. You may ask yourself if you can cope with your life.

There are many factors that contribute to depression: Loneliness, loss, recent stressful experiences, painful childhood experiences, unprocessed anger, trauma and abuse, unemployment, lack of support, financial strain, alcohol and drug abuse.

I can help you to work  through the roots and the causes of your depression helping you to understand why you feel the way you do and what you can do feel better and to stay healthy. The process of therapy will also help you to see how you can stop your depression from coming back. I have been working successfully with depression for many years.

LOW SELF ESTEEM
Self esteem is the ability to value ourselves. The value you place on yourself will often reflect how others value you. You may feel unheard or taken for granted, you may also be unable to express the anger and frustration that is accumulating in you and this in turn may lead you to resentments and you giving up on things.

If you feel that now is the time to look at how you want to change you may need to look at the idea that you are unique and special. The most important step is to embrace who you are and to begin to accept yourself.

Therapy can help you to get to know the real you, to gain confidence, to empower yourself and to take the first step to making changes and to transform the attitude you have towards yourself.

LIFE CRISIS
A "life crisis" can be an opportunity for a breakthrough. It can be about bereavement, a divorce, a separation or the loss of a job. It can threaten to break us down emotionally, physically and mentally.

Therapy can offer support, help you to grieve and to bring new qualities in your life to help you deal with such crisis. I will help you to have an overview of the situation in order to see what is asked of you. I will help you to incorporate some personal changes in your life so that the process of healing can begin.

RELATIONSHIPS
Person to person relating is one of the most central motivation that people have and it can bring many individuals and couples to seek therapy. How we relate to others is central in how we relate to ourselves. Previous relationships are important as is our relationship to our family of origin as it informs current relationships.

I like to create a safe place where the dynamics of the relationship can be explored and understood worked through and improved.

I may also draw on the dynamics that are happening in the "here and now" within the therapeutic relationship in order to shed light on difficulties and to help clients understand themselves better.
Relationships can be shattering, uplifting, beautiful, deceitful and painful- they are the basis for growth. They test our ability to feel, to care, to share, to be free and to find meaning in our lives.

I can help you look at issues of intimacy, conflict, differences or dependency.

COUPLE WORK
Relationships are what we value in life as our lives are affected by the qualities of our relationships yet they have the potential to be very demanding and stressful.

Couples counselling can be useful if you are considering the possibility of change and growth in your relationship. Here are some of the difficulties that I can help you with:

Conflicts in the relationship
Sexual difficulties
Unfaithfulness
Anxiety
Commitment issues
Domestic violence
Cultural issues
Addiction
A lack of intimacy or trust

ADDICTIONS
I worked in a residential treatment centre for addiction for 16 years. This has helped me to understand dependency and the root of its causes. My belief is that addiction is an adoptive response to unwanted negative feelings and also a search for a resolution or an escape from an emotional wound.

I can help you to examine the problems that it has been causing in your life, by looking at past and present difficulties. Our goal working together , would be to restore you to healthy functioning and enable you to have healthy and fulfilling relationships. I will help you to gain a better understanding of yourself and help you to develop some coping strategies to maintain sobriety.

PSYCHOSEXUAL ISSUES
My advanced psychosexual training promotes a holistic way of working with people who are experiencing sexual difficulties in their life or those who think and feel that they may have a sexual dysfunction. My background in addiction has led me to work with sexual addiction and gambling.

I will help you to understand your sexuality exploring with you your sexual issues in terms of  their meaning and potential, helping you to make the right choices and helping you to develop a good sexual self esteem.

EATING DISORDERS
I work with clients who have disorderly eating issues and body image issues. I can encourage and help clients to change their relationship with food and their relationship with themselves

An eating disorder can have a huge impact on your life, disrupting your relationships, your work and your social life. It can affect your day to day life. These issues can often stem from childhood trauma, from having being criticised for your body shape and weight. Substance misuse and depression can often lead to an eating disorder.

I can look at how your personality and experiences in life have influenced your thoughts, feelings, relationships and behaviours. I can help you to achieve healthy eating  and to have a better relationship with yourself by improving your self esteem and confidence.

SURVIVING SEXUAL ABUSE AND VIOLENCE
I have for many years worked with survivors of sexual abuse both individually and running survivors groups.

Abuse may have been experienced as an adult or as a child. Those who have experienced abuse or sexual violence whether physical, sexual, emotional or mental often feel guilty and shameful and think that it is their fault. They often keep their abuse a secret. And in order to do this they often distance themselves a part from others and by doing so affect every part of their lives.

My aim in the therapy is to listen and to support you. It is also to examine the assumptions that you may have about yourself as a result of the abuse. I will support you to shed some of that guilt shame, blame worthlessness and depression.