CFT aims to build our insight into the nature of our minds and struggles and to develop a healthier relationship to these. This involves practicing a range of psychological and mind-body skills. It is particularly helpful for understanding and working with self-criticism and difficult emotions, such as shame.

CFT can help us to explore and understand the different ‘parts’ within us that may have different motivations, desires, and fears (e.g. an angry part versus a sad part). CFT can therefore help us to improve our relationship with ourselves, as well as with as our relationships with others, equipping us to handle life’s challenges more effectively.

CFT integrates several science-based approaches for understanding human struggles with ancient practices. This includes evolutionary psychology (how humans have evolved over time and what this means for us in modern life), the neuroscience of emotions, attachment theory, and cognitive science, combined with mindfulness, breathwork, and other mind-body practices. CFT integrates well with other approaches and can help to create long-lasting change.

I have completed further training in ‘CFT for PTSD and Trauma’, ‘CFT for Grief’, and ‘CFT Advanced Clinical Skills’. As a fellow imperfect human, I use many of the principles and practices of CFT in my own life too.

EMDR can help people recover from the impact of distressing events and any ensuing problems such events have caused; for example, flashbacks, upsetting thoughts or images, depression or anxiety. It is a common treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and other types of trauma. It aims to help the brain process memories (that we may or may not be consciously aware of) that appear to be stuck at the time of the event, in order to reduce the intensity of the memory and its impact on your life. It is a mind-body approach that can effectively shift how you experience yourself, others, and the world. 

While EMDR was originally developed for PTSD, it has been increasingly applied to and evidenced in helping a whole range of challenges, from low mood and relationship difficulties to anxiety about future events, performance anxiety, and chronic pain.

EMDR has become increasingly sought after in recent years and is often thought of as a quick fix. It’s true that it can sometimes create change quite quickly (particularly after a one-off traumatic event, such as a car crash). However, it can also often require a longer period of time working together where there might be a number of layers to the problem/s we are working on. It’s important that we assess carefully that it is the right approach for you and the right time to do this type of work. I generally tend to integrate EMDR with other therapy approaches listed here, and in particular with somatic approaches and parts work (IFS-informed EMDR).

Our bodies are not just ‘brain taxis’; they house a wealth of wisdom that often goes untapped. We inhabit our bodies, yet we have become so disconnected and neglectful of their communications, often to our detriment in both mental and physical health. Learning to connect with the body’s untapped wisdom can be a truly transformative experience and help us to feel more attuned to ourselves and others and more alive. Working somatically is also key in working with trauma, as trauma lives in the body.

Our scientific understanding of the body’s role (‘soma’) in psychological well-being has made significant strides, thanks to the research and clinical contributions of experts like Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, and Peter Levine. I find somatic approaches to be particularly powerful in working therapeutically and creating new understandings and change. As knowledge in this field continues to evolve, I continue to align my work with this growing understanding and offer the most effective ways to enhance psychological well-being. This includes a commitment to participating in my own embodied and somatic work, which enhances my work with clients.

Training in the clinical application of Polyvagal Theory, both in 1:! therapy and in therapeutic yoga, has been a significant part of how I work with clients. This approach delves into the role of our autonomic nervous system in our well-being and fosters understanding and collaboration rather than internal struggle. This can be particularly helpful in regulating emotions and reactions. 

Additionally, I incorporate aspects from other somatic approaches including yoga therapy, somatic parts work (IFS), somatic healing in yoga, sensorimotor psychotherapy, and somatic experiencing. More recently, I have trained in Somatic Integration and Processing (SIP) levels 1 and 2, which integrates somatic approaches with attachment science, neurodevelopmental science, adaptive information processing (AIP), and parts work.

Parts work recognises that we all have different aspects within ourselves that can experience different states of mind, emotions, physiological states, and therefore different needs or urges. We may be most aware of these different parts when we experience an internal dilemma; for example, you might find yourself saying “a part of me thinks I should….while another part of me wants to…”. You may also notice these parts manifest in different scenarios; for example, a part of you that feels energetic, carefree, and playful when with close friends and another part that seems to feel low, stuck, and lacking motivation when on your own.

We may find ourselves judging certain emotions, thoughts, needs, sensations, or behaviours as acceptable or unacceptable, leading us to embrace some parts of ourselves while rejecting others. We may even notice that some emotions or parts of us feel real, while others feel fake. Parts may also be experienced when we sense our ‘inner child’, or show up as self-criticism, procrastination or relationship dilemmas.

It can be helpful to identify and deepen our awareness of the different parts of us and, where needed, to change our relationship with them so that we can experience more clarity and ease within ourselves and in our choices. We can find ourselves experiencing more internal peace and freedom as a result of becoming more connected to our ‘core Self’ that is unaffected by all the layers of beliefs and pain that these different parts of ourselves can be carrying.

There are different ways of doing parts work and it integrates well with other therapy approaches. When I use parts work with people I am primarily informed by Internal Family Systems, as well as multiple selves from compassion-focused therapy, Robin Shapiro’s Ego States approach, and Janina Fisher’s work.

Yoga therapy applies the science, philosophy, and practices of yoga in a therapeutic setting for the benefit of both mental and physical health. This can include breathwork, meditation, mindful movement and physical postures (many of which can be done seated). It also uses the knowledge of connections between the mind/brain and the body (such as that of ‘polyvagal theory’) and applies this in practice, such as learning how to soothe/calm the nervous system. Therapeutic yoga can be integrated into most other types of therapy and can be particularly helpful for nurturing a different relationship between your mind and body, such as for those living with chronic pain, body image issues, or trauma.

Having trained in yoga therapy skills with The Minded Institute, I am able to carry out breath assessments (to determine if there are unhelpful breathing patterns); to teach optimal breathing for various mind-body states (such as anxiety and depression); to use meditation practices (including Yoga Nidra); the use of certain postures for our benefit (such as grounding for trauma); and the integration of yoga into psychological therapy.

I am also a qualified yoga teacher and continue to develop and promote the integration of yoga and psychology.

ACT (pronounced as the word ‘act’) guides people in finding more effective ways to respond to difficult thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations that can get in the way of living a full and meaningful life. Exploring values – what matters to you most in life and the kind of person you want to be – is a fundamental aspect of ACT. This helps us to clarify the direction you want to take and what you want to be doing more of while navigating your way through challenges.

ACT emphasises trying out various skills that help us to identify what’s keeping us stuck, let go of struggle, and take actions that create a better life for us. Therefore, practicing these skills in between sessions is important for creating meaningful change.

Depending on your goals and needs, ACT may be a short course of therapy (as little as 2 or 3 sessions) or part of a longer course of therapy. It is also helpful for coaching around goals and personal growth and for consultations where you simply need a little guidance on approaching various aspects of life.

There is a large evidence base for ACT being an effective therapeutic approach for a wide variety of struggles, including mental health and physical health problems, as well as for coping better with the everyday ups and downs of life that we all experience.

I have completed a number of different trainings in ACT and used it with both individuals and groups in the NHS, particularly in the area of chronic pain management. Furthermore, as a useful set of skills for life, I regularly use the ACT approach in my own life!

Mindfulness is a well-established and evidence-based practice that brings ancient Eastern wisdom together with contemporary Western psychology and neuroscience.

Mindful.org describes mindfulness as “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us…a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it.”

Ultimately, mindfulness is best understood through experiencing it in both formal and informal practices. It also underlies many other therapies given its role in increasing our insight and opening up space for change.

I often use mindfulness within individual therapies and groups, as well as being a core principle when I teach and practice yoga. I have additional training in trauma-sensitive mindfulness for those who may benefit from this adapted approach.

CBT looks at how our thoughts, emotions and behaviours are interconnected, as well as considering the environment or context in which they occur and the simultaneous physiological reactions we experience in our body. CBT often involves taking a closer look at the events where we have experienced a particular difficulty (e.g. social anxiety) and examining what is keeping the problem going. This then helps us to create a plan as to how we can work towards the desired behaviour change as we break things down into smaller steps through setting goals and trying out ‘behavioural experiments’.  CBT teaches us to become our own personal scientists where we investigate our thinking and treat thoughts as hypotheses to test, rather than established facts.

It is one of the most commonly practiced therapies, particularly in the NHS, and tends to be a short-term therapy compared to other approaches. It is helpful if you have a specific problem and goal you want to focus on in therapy and prefer a structured approach with tasks to complete outside of therapy. However, aspects of CBT (such as examining our thoughts) are often employed in or integrated with other approaches, such as ACT and CFT.