Robert William Hawkes. Therapist MSc, BSc (Hons)

Hello there, welcome to Therapy Made Easy.

Pleased to meet you, my name is Rob

If you are viewing my profile then things may not be great for you at the moment. From my own personal experience I understand that accessing therapy can often be really daunting. Therefore, I will do my very best to put you at ease. If you have any concerns or worries prior to making an appointment you can either text, ring or e-mail. Let me put you at ease a little more, allowing you to see how I can assist.

Assessments

• I am accredited and licensed to work with all ages ranges and conditions. I charge £50 for a 1 hour assessment. You can bank transfer to my business account or pay cash. Or, you may have BUPA private health care insurance which you can utilise.

• Assessments can be in person or by telephone. You can pick from Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, Whatsapp Video, FaceBook Video or Outlook Meetings. I use a 'narrative assessment' style, in which you get to talk openly about your concerns. Don't worry, you won't be put on the spot, and I will help you if you get 'stuck' by asking questions. It shouldn't feel like an interrogation either, more like a free flowing conversation. You simply tell me what you think I need to know, in a safe, open, and non-judgemental space.

• After your assessment take time to think over your options; you could contact for a treatment session or you may decide that you would like to continue right away and we can simply book another appointment. If you (or I) feel I am not the right person, then I have numerous contacts, and I can signpost you to a colleague- this will be done without any judgement or consequences.

Data Collection

Your data that I may collect is GDPR compliant, and I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). You can search my details here using this link, adding my number- ZA757154. https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Search

Treatment process

• If you chose to purchase any treatments, again, it is £50 per hour. You can pick how often you would like to be seen, weekly, fortnightly or even monthly. You may simply come for just one appointment, every now and again, perhaps when things are a bit ‘wobbly’. This service is all about you and your needs.

• You can choose to leave therapy at anytime and this will not affect you being able to access a slot in the future. You can choose from the same meeting methods discussed in the assessment section, some people find text or email sessions useful, especially if they dislike the telephone.

Treatment Portfolio

I have 31 years health care experience, 26 of those within the NHS. I have been providing therapy for the past 17 years since qualifying as an Occupational Therapist (OT) in 2003. Often, I combine this holistic approach of OT to the 6 forms of psychotherapy I am formally trained to deliver. Let me explain how these treatments will help you.

Firstly, they comprise of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), in which I hold a Master's degree. You will be taught how you monitor and notice certain patterns of thinking that maybe an issue for you. Next, I will show you the links to how they make you act and feel. You will then be supported to break these patterns, which in turn will improve your mood and reduce your anxiety. The government describes CBT as the gold standard treatment for anxiety and depression. This short video maybe helpful.

Staying with the ‘cognitive family’ you can also access Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Depression (MBCT-D). I am a fully qualified, accredited MBCT Teacher. This is generally offered in a group setting, although, you can use this treatment 1-2-1 to prevent further episodes of ill health, both mental and physical. Along with MBCT-D I am also qualified to deliver Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L). MBCT-L is aimed at the general population, helping you move away from distress and instead focus upon joy, kindness, compassion- helping you to truly flourish. Added to this, I am also qualified to provide the wonderful program, Finding Peace in a Frantic World (M-FP). This is aimed at the general population, sessions (and home practices) are shorter than the traditional courses mentioned above. Here is another short video explaining MBCT.

If you are feeling suicidal, struggle with extreme emotional discomfort, or find you are often in conflict with yourself or others then Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) can be very helpful. It will help you to tolerate distress, regulate emotions, and help you improve your interpersonal relationships. It is really helpful for stopping and reducing self-harm too. DBT is a form of CBT that is now more common place for the treatment of a number of conditions, due to excellent life enhancing skills. The American psychologist, Marsha Linehan who developed DBT speaks more about this excellent therapy. 

Lastly, you may like EMDR which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This is a highly specialised therapy developed in order to help you process any traumas you may have experienced. Significant trauma is known as 'large T trauma', such as sexual abuse, a car accident or witnessing something awful. You may have had a series of 'small T traumas', such as bullying, isolation, conflict, divorce (among many others), which are still very valid and upsetting. EMDR can provide excellent results. It can also be helpful for anxiety, depression, anger, addictions and many more problems you may be facing. The English actress Jameela Jamil offers a very frank account of her experience of EMDR in this video link.

You may wish to repair unhelpful patterns of attachments that you currently have with others- a very common problem. You may like Attachment Focused-EMDR- which is excellent for those who may have been less responsive to the traditional EMDR protocols. This should allow you to feel closer to others and be less bothered by rejection. I can also help you feel more comfortable with closeness, rather than pushing others away during times of distress.

Treatment Accrediation

I am an accedicated member of The British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). This means the CBT treatment I provide has undergone a stringent process to ensure its current validity. Added to this, I hold an EMDR Practitioner status with EMDR Europe. This accreditation title can only be used by health care professionals who's EMDR practice meets the strict criteria set by this organisation. Also, I am an accredited mindfulness teacher with The British Association of Mindfulness-based Approaches, again, mirroring the mentioned processes above. Added to this, I have an enhanced DBS check, done yearly.

Treatment Approaches

• You can choose a specific therapy or mix and match them, what is often called integrative psychotherapy. All of these therapies are fully recommended by the government within the NICE guidelines: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance

• My approach to therapy is really flexible, I ensure it feels natural and fluid so it moves sensitively alongside you. The above approaches are wonderful, but, they are not the absolute truth. I most certainly won't attempt to make you fit into any model or therapy method. Your uniqueness is the key, and this will remain central throughout the therapy process. http://cotimprovinglives.com/making-personalised-care-a-reality-the-role-of-occupational-therapy/

• My inclusive approach means I work with ALL age ranges, from children, young people and adults. I can adapt my practice for almost all conditions and illnesses. I often use a variety of methods, and following on from a session I can email your documents along with any further materials that may support your recovery. I am fully licensed to use the following website: https://www.psychologytools.com which is an added resource to your therapy.

• I am known for my problem-solving abilities having been formally trained in Solution Focused-Brief Therapy. Therefore, I will work hard (with your help of course) to either fix or make something as good as we can! Two minds are most certainly better than one.

Personal Account

Of course, being human I have my own life story. I have had two episodes of severe depression and struggled with anxiety in the past. I have first-hand experience of grief and the pain it can bring. However, sessions will be about you, and your journey. You will remain at the very heart of everything I do. I generally provide short snippets of information, when appropriate, as I find it can help to normalise a situation. I identify as gay and understand what it feels like to be marginalised, and the health, safety and educational inequalities associated with this. My pronouns are he/him/his.

Clinical Supervision

Clinical supervision is a vital aspect of my role, therefore, your case could be taken to my own supervision for a highly confidential case discussion. This enables me to continue to provide the highest standard of care. Within my current role I also provide a vast amount of clinical supervision to both qualified and student CBT Therapists. (You can browse extra information about this by clicking the supervision button).

Take care, my very best wishes, Rob.