CBT- What I Offer

A Few Words About Me My professional training has been exclusively in CBT. I trained initially in Belfast and then I did further advanced training in CBT in the renowned Kings College London, where I trained in the BECK/PADESKY model (this is the main CBT model). To ensure best practice I routinely consult with external experts who are renowned in the field of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy both in the UK and the USA. I regularly attend international conferences and workshops to keep up to date with current trends and techniques in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Quality control. It is considered unethical and unsafe for any therapist, no matter how senior, to work without peer supervision. My clinical practice is peer supervised by a clinical psychologist who is an expert in CBT and who has a PhD in clinical supervision. Due to the sensitive nature of our work, all mental health professionals are expected to be peer supervised for the entire duration of their career. Most people when they attend therapy have no idea of what to expect from therapy. This can leave you very vulnerable. The supervisor's role is to ensure that your therapy meets the required standard. It is part of the normal checks and balances and it is in your best interest. Confidentiality is essential to your therapy. Please be assured that no identifying information is shared in peer supervision. A first name is all that is allowable and this is adhered to without exception. What I OfferI offer one to one Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for a wide range of disorders The goal of Cognitive behavioural therapy is for you to learn to become your own therapist. After all, you are the expert on your own life. The role of the therapist is to help you reach your goals of therapy and get beyond the things that are holding you back and keeping you stuck.rnPeople from all walks of life have attended this clinic for the treatment of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, relationship issues etc. They include office workers, housewives, consultant doctors, senior registrars, psychiatrists, psychologists, cognitive behavioural therapists, social workers, counsellors, senior life coaches, architects, teachers, builders, barristers, solicitors, entrepreneurs, waitresses, academics, unemployed people, students, accountants, computer experts, journalists, marketing consultants. The list is endless, stress affects everyone. CBT is based on the premise that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviours, and not external things, like people, situations, and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to ‘feel better’ and choose our actions even if the situation does not change. CBT Scientific Research Studies CBT is the best researched of all the psychological treatments. It was developed and applied to depression in the 1970s. There are now very many research studies testifying to its effectiveness. Initially developed for the treatment of depression, a number of treatment protocols have since been developed for the treatment of different anxiety disorders. CBT is now considered more effective than medication in the treatment of anxiety disorders. There is currently a vast amount of exciting research into CBT ongoing in leading universities across the UK and USA. CBT is based on the idea that part of what keeps people depressed is the way they look at the world. So in this view, the pessimism, hopelessness and self-criticism so characteristic of depression are not just side-effects of the disorder. They are central to what makes people depressed and keeps them feeling that way. The treatment therefore focuses on trying to identify and change the ways of thinking (‘cognitive’ factors) and behaving (‘behavioural’ factors) which keep people depressed. For more information visit: http://www.cbt.ie/cbt_about_me.html