Karen Hodgson

Hi, I'm Karen, UKCP Registered Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor, with 26 years' extensive knowledge and experience, primarily applying EMDR with other mind/body complementary approaches, including, Brainspotting, EFT, Hypno/Psychotherapy, Person Centred Therapy and IFS informed Therapy. I am accredited with the EMDR UK/Europe (Consultant) and UKCP (Hypno/Psychotherapy). I am a Relate Certified Relationship & Couple's Therapist. I work with adults, (aged 18 and above). I also work with couples in a trauma informed way to help shift patterns, strengthen relationships, (including heterosexual, same sex and consensual non-monogamy relationships,) address old wounds, navigate

I offer 50 mins online day time appointments.

Monday - Wednesday starting at 8 am. Last appointment starts at 4.30 pm

Thursday starting at 8 am. Last appointment starts at 11.30 am

Specialisms

I specialise in PTSD, Complex Trauma, Attachment-Related Difficulties, Relationship Issues and Couples Therapy.

Individual Therapy

Key focus areas in individual therapy include:-

• Adverse life experiences/PTSD and Complex Trauma - past experiences that still affect your mind and body today, including the effect of repeated or prolonged traumatic experiences, often starting in childhood or early relationships, that leave a lasting impact on your emotions, sense of self, and relationships. This might have created a persistent pattern of fear, mistrust, or self protection. You may, for example, experience dissociation, flashbacks, people pleasing behaviours, unexplained anger or rage. 
• Anxiety, stress and overwhelm - including panic, worry, or tension
• Depression and low mood - sadness, hopelessness, or lack of motivation
• Self-esteem and confidence issues - self-doubt, imposter feelings, self-criticism, perfectionism. 
• Self limiting patterns and behaviours that hold us back, keep us stuck - self-sabotage, addiction, avoidance, procrastination. Feelings of not being "good enough" or "too much." Often these beliefs are rooted in early experiences or unresolved trauma, and they can be closed tied to the different "parts" of ourselves - the protective, critical, or vulnerable aspects that formed to keep us safe. 
• Relationship and attachment challenges - difficulties in connection, trust, or boundaries.
• Life transitions and identity crisis - career, purpose, or personal growth.
• Loneliness, Bereavement & Loss - including miscarriage/loss of a child, processing grief, acknowledging loss and exploring your emotional responses.

Couple Therapy

Key focus areas in couple therapy include:-

• communication, - helping couples express themselves clearly, listen actively, and reduce misunderstanding.
• Conflict resolution - learning strategies to manage disagreements constructively.
• Attachment and emotional Connection - understanding patterns of closeness and distance, often rooted in early experiences.
• Trust and safety - repairing trust after betrayals, breaches, or trauma.
• Changing cycles/patterns of criticism, withdrawal, or blame. Individual
• Growth within the Relationship - supporting each partner to understand themselves better and take responsibility for their impact.
• Shared Goals and Value - exploring alignment on important aspects of life (parenting, finances, intimacy, future planning. 
• Betrayals, infidelity. 

I help clients process unresolved trauma, including PTSD, abuse, neglect, betrayals of trust, bereavement & loss, miscarriage of justice, separations and divorce, low self-esteem & confidence, anxiety, (including generalised anxiety, health and social anxiety), and attachment related wounds, towards rebuilding trust in themselves and their relationships. 

How I work? - Online Therapy

I offer therapy exclusively online, to provide confidential, professional therapy using secure, encrypted video platforms. This allows you to attend sessions from the comfort and privacy of your own space, at your own pace, wherever you are in the UK.  

Arranging a first session

You can arrange a free 15 minutes introductory call. Alternatively, you can send a brief email outlining your main presenting issue(s), what you are struggling with right now, and the changes you would like to make. 

If we both agree to work online together, the next step would be to book a first appointment.

What happens in a initial session(s)?

In our initial sessions, I will take history to understand your experiences, patterns and challenges. We will explore what has brought you to therapy, what you hope to change, and what you would like to achieve. This helps us to form a treatment plan. We will:-

• Discuss your goals - what you hope to change or achieve in therapy
• Explore your history -relevant life experiences, relationships, and patterns that may be affecting you now. 
• Identify current challenges and beliefs - including any "blocking" beliefs that may be keeping you stuck.
• Review practical considerations - such as current medications, medical history, or other support you are receiving. 
• Start thinking about change - imagining what it might be like if some of your issues were resolved. 

The sessions are collaborative, and we agree the direction of the work together, with regular check-ins along the way. There is no pressure to commit - its important the the process feels like the right fit for both of us.

How long will I be in therapy for?

You might attend therapy for a here and now issue that requires short term therapy. 

Or your concerns may be more deeply rooted and long-standing and require more medium to longer term therapy. 

My aim 

My aim is to facilitate your individual journey, supporting you to explore your experiences, beliefs, and patterns in a way that feels safe and meaningful to you. 

My practice is grounded in values of inclusivity in terms of gender identity, sexual orientation, culture, race and background. 
I believe in your right to autonomy, freedom and self-expression, and aim t support you in developing greater awareness, understanding, and choice in your life. 

Some of the main reasons why people attend therapy?

• Maybe you want to re-assess your life and make some positive changes, or seek more clarity, perhaps feeling you are feeling stuck or procrastinating a lot? 
• Maybe you are experiencing difficulty in forming relationship or committing to a relationship?
• Maybe you want to change repetitive patterns of behaviour or improve your mental state? Or develop more confidence and improve your relationship with yourself; be more comfortable in your own skin? Or maybe you fear committing to a relationship, or fear abandonment?

Together lets explore and reflect upon the kind of difficulties you are experiencing and the necessary changes you would like to make. 

Clinical skills experience and approach 

I have mainly worked in private practice since the year 2000.

I have experienced working in other clinical psycho-therapeutic settings including Relate, Prison Service, Cruse Bereavement Care, Student Counselling Services and Well Women's Centre. I am registered with several Insurance Companies. 

My approach for individual therapy

Like an acorn growing into an oak tree, my approach focuses on tracing current difficulties back to their root. Together, we identify and process the underlying experiences that may still be impacting your thoughts, emotions, and relationships today.

I work integratively, recognising that no single approach fits everyone. With curiosity and collaboration, we explore what has happened to you - and how it continues to affect you now - so we can begin to process unresolved experiences and create meaningful change.

While the therapeutic relationship is central, I draw on a range of approaches:-

• Eye Movement Desentisization and Reprocessing, (EMDR)
• Brainspotting
• Person Centred Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapy
• Psychosexual Therapy
• Internal Family Systems 
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Marital/Relational Therapy
• Hypnosis & Psychotherapy
• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT))
• Mindfulness

My approach for Couple Therapy 

Couples therapy is a collaborative process focused on improving communication, understanding, and connection.

Sessions may include joint and occasional individual work, where appropriate.

we review progress around session six and adjust the plan if needed.

In therapy, we:

• Explore your challenges from both perspectives
• Build empathy and mutual understanding 
• Improve communication and conflict resolution
• Identify and shift relationship patterns

The length and frequency of therapy vary depending on your needs. Goals guide the work, but outcomes can't be guaranteed - therapy is a process of exploration and change. 

The therapist acts as a facilitator, not a mediator, guiding you towards improved understanding and solutions. Both partners need to be committed to the process and willing to make changes to improve the relationship.

Who am I accredited with and whose code of ethics do I follow:-

• My governing body in the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapists (UKCP). This means I have been trained to UKCP recognised standard and competence to practice.

• EMDR UK/Europe Association. I have additional training and experience to undertake the task of supervising other EMDR practitioners, with a key responsibility of maintaining quality assurance and high standards of practice in EMDR therapy. 

How much supervision do I engage in?

As part of my professional practice, I attend monthly clinical supervision. This ensures that the work I offer remans safe, ethical, and effective. It helps me to:

• reflect on client work and maintain high standard of care.
• Ensure I am working ethically and in your best interest.
• Gain additional perspective and insight where needed
• Support my own professional development and acccoutability

All supervision is conducted in line with confidentiality guidelines and your identity is always protected. 

What led me to train as a Psychotherapist for individuals and couples?

In the 1980's I was working as a lecturer and developed a keen interest in the emotional and personal challenges students were facing. Supporting them sparked my curiosity about counselling and human behaviour, and led me to explore psychotherapy as a career by commencing my counselling training and studying a Degree in Psychology. 

After qualifying as a person-centred counsellor, I developed a deeper interest in how client's presenting issues can create ripple effects within the family system, and how these patterns continue to influence relationships when families blend or merge. This curiosity and focus on relational dynamics inspired me to train as a couple's therapist so I could better support clients in navigating these complex interactions.

My background in psychodynamic theory and family systems has given me a deep understanding of the subconscious mind and how its affects our behaviour, beliefs, and relationships. This insight sparked my interest in exploring and training in complementary mind and body modalities, supporting deep, emotional processing and lasting change. 

What is trauma or adverse life experiences?

Adverse life experiences can leave lasting imprints on the nervous system, altering the way we process and recall memories. It is not just the story of what happened in the past - it is the current experience of that pain, fear, or horror that lives within us today.

What we are really working with it supporting your nervous system to return to regulation, helping the body and mind process unresolved experiences. These may stem from traumatic events sometime called "commissions," as well as from childhood neglect, abandonment, or lack of nurturing and guidance.

By addressing how your nervous system has been impacted, we can explore how past unresolved experiences may be influencing your present-day challenges - such as relationship difficulties, trust issues, or addictive behaviours - and work to help your mind and body find greater balance and resilience. 

Can talking therapy alone treat the symptoms of trauma or adverse life experiences?

Many distinguished trauma therapists, including Bessel Van Der Kolk, recognise that talking therapy alone is not enough to treat trauma. He emphasises that it is not story you tell, but the imprint the trauma leaves behind - how it changes the brain, perceptions, and thought patterns - that must be addressed.

How Do I Know If I'm Suffering from Trauma or Adverse Life Experiences?

Some signs that your life may be affected by trauma or adverse experiences include a lack of pleasure, joy, love, connection, meaning, or positivity. It is normal to have good and bad days; life naturally ebbs and flows. When our mind and body are well-regulated, we can trust our gut reaction to guide us and feel in control of our feelings and decisions. 

However, when recurring unhelpful thoughts and emotions disrupt everyday life, our rational brain is in conflict with our automatic nervous system, creating a tug-of-war within us. People impacted by trauma often do not trust their gut feelings, feel unsafe in their bodies, and may experience dissociation. They may feel overwhelmed, stressed, and notice that even the immune system is affected, as the body shifts away from a state of balance (homeostasis) into survival mode. 

When in homeostasis, we naturally experience positive emotions such as safety, love, joy, and a sense of being cared for. In survival mode, we tend to feel negative or distressing emotions, like fear, feeling unloved, or abandonment. Activation of fear or other negative emotions can throw the brain and body out of balance. Even when we logically understand there is no immediate danger, our automatic nervous may trigger a threat response, as if a "smoke alarm" has gone off.

Being frightened means living in a body that is constantly on guard. For example, anger lives in an angry body until the underlying causes are addressed. A survivor of childhood abuse may live in a tense and defensive body until safety is restored. Over time, this persistent survival mode distorts perception, making ordinary situations feel threatening. 

For instance, you may focus so heavily on what's wrong in a relationship that you overlook what's positive, fueling a protective, anxious response. Past unresolved experiences may be triggered by sights, sounds, smells, thoughts, or bodily sensations, keeping the nervous system in a heightened state even in the present.

As a coping mechanism, you might withdraw, use substances, or engage in behaviours that dampen the nervous system. While this may reduce distress temporarily, it also reduces the capacity for pleasure, joy, connection, and other positive experiences. Trauma can manifest as anxiety, depression, irritability, poor concentration, nightmares, mood swings, social withdrawal, strained relationships, addictions or eating disorders.

Understanding the brain and nervous system allows us to use focused trauma interventions to reprocess maladaptive patterns, reconnect with the body, and restore balance. 

Types of Trauma

1. Little ‘t’ traumas

These occur when everyday life events exceed our coping capacity. They accumulate over time and can overwhelm the nervous system, leading to complex PTSD. Surprisingly, repeated "little t" traumas can sometimes cause more emotional harm than a single large event. Examples include:

• Divorce/Separation
• Betrayals & Affairs
• Losing a pet
• Miscarriage/SIDS
• Job redundancy

Symptoms may include sleeplessness, depression, anxiety, anger, outbursts, conflict with others, acting out of character, or increased addictive behaviours. 

2. Big ‘T’ traumas

These are significant, often sudden events that leave a person feeling powerless and helpless, with a loss of control. Examples include: 

• Unexpected loss of a loved one
• Sexual assault
• Road traffic accidents
• Terrorist attack
• Natural disasters
• Cancer diagnosis or terminal illness
  
  

Symptoms may include panic attacks, emotional outburst, depression, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, behaviour, fear, shame relationship difficulties or insomnia. 

• PYSCHOTHERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING:
  Self harm/injury
  Ageing and mid-life crisis and life transitions.
  Separation/Divorce and impact on family system
  Work/Home life balance
  Family conflict
  Self-image/identity issues
  Confusion around sexual orientation
  Raising low mood.
  Domestic Abuse
  Redundancy issues
  Counselling for the elderly.
  
  HYPNO/PSYCHOTHERAPY:
• Performance anxiety
• Presentation anxiety
• IBS
• Weight loss
• Pain management
• Confidence building
• Smoking Cessation
• Fears and phobias

EMDR

CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellation policy is an important model that sets clear boundaries that create safety within a therapeutic relationship. Implementing a late cancellation or no show fee is an important point of the broader scope of the therapeutic work. Therapy seems to be most most helpful to those who see their appointments as a valuable and important component of their lives and recognise that the cancellation or non attendance of an allocated session can impact on the therapeutic process. Other than in absolute emergency situations I kindly ask that you respectfully provide up to 48 hours notice if you need to cancel to allow me time to reschedule your allocated time to another client who may be in need of that time. As such, cancellations or non attendance of a booked appointment with less then 48 hours notice, even if rescheduled, will incur the full cost of the session.

CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

I comply to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018).

This requires that any data held electronically or handwritten relating to my clients is stored safely and securely. These records are usually kept for seven years.

The steps I use to securely store or transmit data include protection and encryption, setting up firewalls, installing anti-virus software, shredding personal documents and deleting electronic information, such as phone numbers and email addresses that are no longer required, securing business premises and using securely locked storage system for paper records.

Payment made via:- 

• Bank transfer payment made with a least 48 hours prior to the initial booked appointment. This is in line with the 48 hours prior notice cancellation policy.

• Many insurance providers that cover standard counselling & psychotherapy, also cover EMDR services. Please contact your insurance company to ascertain if I am a provider on their list and then kindly let me know in advance before if you are wishing to use an insurance provider so we can we both agree to go ahead and book an session on that basis.