Compassionate, professional and experienced psychological therapy

EMDR is a structured, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps people work through distressing or traumatic experiences that continue to affect their emotions, relationships, and sense of identity, including intrusive memories, nightmares and flashbacks.

When people experience events that overwhelm their system, the brain’s normal way of processing and storing memories can become disrupted. This can leave certain experiences unprocessed, meaning they remain vivid and easily triggered in the present. EMDR taps into the body’s natural way to heal and process experiences, in order to make these memories less emotionally intense and are integrated in a healthier way. This leads to us still remembering what happened, but without the strong emotions or less adaptive interpretations of the event.

EMDR connects with a difficult memory but while using bilateral stimulation- mainly rapid eye movements. Our bodies naturally do this every night during the dreaming phase of sleep (Rapid Eye Movement- REM- phase) to process information. This approach helps activate the brain’s processing system without requiring you to describe the experience in detail and while ensuring the memory does not become overwhelming.

Although originally developed specifically for trauma and PTSD, EMDR is now used to support a wide range of psychological concerns where past experiences continue to shape current thoughts, emotions, or behaviours. It is not restricted to single traumatic events; many people find it helpful for addressing the effects of prolonged stress, difficult relationships, or earlier life experiences including Complex PTSD and attachment trauma.

EMDR is internationally recognised as an effective treatment for trauma-related difficulties and is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psychotherapy approach developed by Richard C. Schwartz that views people as made up of multiple “parts,” rather than a single unified self. These parts are organised around a core “Self,” which is calm, compassionate, and capable of healing and leadership.

People’s parts are broadly categorised into:

• • Exiles: These are vulnerable parts that carry painful or unacceptable emotions, memories, or beliefs, often formed through early difficult experiences or family rules.
• • Protectors: These parts manage daily functioning and try to keep the system safe from the pain held by exiles or the emotions they feel and want to express. They can either protect through being Managers, which aim to control life proactively (e.g., perfectionism, people-pleasing etc.) or Firefighters, which reactively try and suppress or reduce painful feelings when exiles are triggered (e.g., distraction, substances, eating etc).

IFS therapy works by helping the Self build trust with these parts, so protectors can relax and exiles can be safely processed and healed, reducing internal conflict and distress over time. The goal is not for us the get rid of any parts, but to become “Self- led” and the parts can give their opinions and input but not take over.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Steven C. Hayes that focuses on increasing psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present with difficult thoughts and feelings while still acting in line with one’s values.

Rather than trying to eliminate or control distressing internal experiences, ACT teaches people to change their relationship to them. Thoughts and emotions are seen as normal mental events, not problems to be solved.

ACT is built around six core processes:

• • Acceptance: making room for uncomfortable feelings instead of avoiding them and acceptance of external events outside our control
• • Cognitive defusion: learning to see thoughts as “just thoughts,” and separating from them
• • Present moment awareness: mindful attention to here-and-now experience
• • Self: noticing a stable sense of self that observes thoughts and feelings
• • Values: clarifying what matters most in life and what reflects authenticity
• • Committed action: taking practical steps guided by values rather than feelings

The overall goal is not symptom elimination, but helping people live more meaningfully even when discomfort is present.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy designed to help people manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and reduce reactive behaviors. It combines mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills. In its full form individual DBT is delivered together with a skill-based group run, which are accessible online.

A somatic-informed approach incorporates body awareness, sensations, and physical responses as part of the healing process. It recognizes that all emotions are physical sensations and that the body holds onto trauma and emotional experiences. These principles are incorporated in therapy and, where appropriate, clients are encouraged to consider complimentary practices and therapies, like breathwork, somatic unwinding, mindfulness, yoga, dance, or other body-based activities. Especially people with a trauma background have often become disconnected from their physical bodies and these can therefore assist and deepen the therapeutic processes.