CBT (Metacognitive Therapy), EMDR and DBR for fear of contamination from asbestos

Sarah was recommended to me when I was struggling with a dread of being contaminated by asbestos. It had reached a point that I didn’t even want to leave the house. I wouldn’t even go into the garden. I couldn’t say the word “asbestos” and if I ever heard the word, I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. I knew I needed to do something, but I didn’t want to. Finally, my family convinced me to phone Sarah. 

The CBT was effective and I made some good progress with that.  The DBR was really powerful and helped with deeper issues that were associated with my fear of asbestos, that I wasn’t aware of. I felt really comfortable with Sarah and at ease each time.  She actually listened to me and never made me feel like I was silly.

I would encourage anyone who is struggling with a fear like this to seek help as I am glad I did.

(In person, male, aged 31, Dec 2024)

CBT for depression and stress

My progress is remarkable in such a short time because when I came to see Sarah, I felt so low and there I felt there was no way out. An event had triggered historical experiences. CBT with Sarah has been a really good fit for me.

I am now better than my ‘normal’ before I started, because I have lots of little tools and I have learnt things about myself that I didn’t realise. I feel more compassion towards myself as I was quite hard on myself before.

(Female, aged 58, in person, July 2024)

CBT for Anxiety and Worry

CBT was recommended for me and I was not sure how it could possibly help with my personal circumstances. I felt hopeless at the time. 

Sarah adapted our work together to the way I learn. I found the in session exercises very helpful and I could easily apply what I learned to my every day life. 

I have just finished my 8th session and I am going away with great stuff and feeling positive. 

(In person, female, age 53, May 2024)

Testimonial for CBT and EMDR for a re-occurrence of panic attacks.

Due to a combination of life events, and restrictive living due to the Pandemic, I unfortunately experienced a relapse in my panic and anxiety disorder.

I did not hesitate to contact Sarah, who once again was able to help me.

We explored what was currently maintaining my panic disorder and heightened anxiety.  We then processed some deep-rooted traumatic memories that were also contributing to the maintenance of my panic and anxiety. With a combination of talking, and lots of engaging exercises in order to not only compliment the fantastic work we had done in the my previous sessions, (when first diagnosed), but we went even further and explored new techniques and tools to help me normalise my feelings and thoughts, train myself to control activating the CAS – if you know, you know! – and turn a corner into believing that I truly do have the ability to control my thinking patterns, beliefs and behaviours which have been fuelling my problems.

(Female age 34, virtual sessions)

How CBT and EMDR can help with panic attacks

Both CBT and EMDR have been shown to be effective in treating panic attacks. The choice of which therapy to use will depend on the individual's specific needs and preferences, and may be determined in consultation with an accredited therapist.

CBT focuses on identifying the negative thoughts and beliefs and unhelpful coping strategies which maintain panic attacks. Once these have been identified, the therapist and the client work to make appropriate changes. This can help individuals learn to manage their panic symptoms and reduce their fear of panic attacks.

EMDR helps individuals process traumatic events that may be contributing to their panic attacks. Through the use of bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds), EMDR helps individuals reprocess traumatic memories, reducing the emotional intensity associated with them. This can lead to a decrease in the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

Sarah begins using CBT as the primary treatment using an evidence based protocol. If there are still traumatic memories contributing to the panic attacks, Sarah will then change to using EMDR if the client wishes.

Metacognitive therapy (MCT) to help with heightened anxiety and low mood

I found Sarah to be warm and easy to talk to. She has a wealth of knowledge about the subject. She keeps herself very up to date with current techniques and research. 

 The CBT techniques totally made sense to me and encouraged me in new ways of thinking and breaking with old patterns of worry and ruminating. The way I have learned to shift my focus of attention easily and quickly has helped lighten my mood and stopped me from over-analyzing.  This has been noticed by family as well.

 (Virtual sessions, female aged 68, February 2023)

CBT and EMDR for Social Anxiety

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can be effective treatments for social anxiety.

CBT aims to help to identify and modify negative thought patterns and beliefs that contribute to their social anxiety. The therapy also involves exposure exercises that gradually expose the person to social situations they fear, helping them to build confidence and overcome their anxiety.

EMDR, on the other hand, involves using bilateral stimulation such as eye movements, sounds or taps to help the person reprocess traumatic experiences or negative beliefs related to social situations. This can help to reduce the intensity of negative emotions associated with social anxiety.

I always begin with CBT and may move on to EMDR depending on a client’s individual needs and preference.

CBT and EMDR for Social Anxiety

I was a nervous person who would avoid social situations and new experiences due to uncontrollable worry and a fear of embarrassment. I wouldn’t do anything that I had not done a multitude of times already, even that was still a struggle at times. I hated anything that was a break from my normal routine. Truth be told I was reluctant at first to see Sarah. However, after lockdown it became apparent that I needed to sort myself out and seek help.

Working with Sarah I learnt various techniques to help me manage my nervousness and social anxiety. I liked the fact that the sessions were structured and there was a plan. When I started, I had a bit of doubt and wondered if anything could help me.

 I have come back today to see Sarah for a final time after a break. I no longer feel excessively nervous in social situations and new experiences. I feel like a new and improved person. I don’t think I would have done half the stuff I’ve done in the last few months If I had not done CBT and EMDR.

 Virtual sessions, male client aged 22, February 2023

CBT and Flash Technique for OCD

It used to take me half an hour to leave the house because of all my checking. Sometimes I would leave the house only to come back a few minutes later and check everything again. I felt embarrassed and it was such a big hindrance in my life. I believed I would always have to rely on other people - for example, my husband to lock the door or to be there to make sure I had done it. 

Through working with Sarah, I learned what was maintaining my problem. I learned appropriate strategies so that I could make proactive changes. We also used the Flash Technique. This helped to reduce the intensity of some of my intrusive thoughts and helped me to manage my compulsions. It enhanced my belief in myself.

Additionally, I experienced a traumatic event during the time we were working together. Flash Technique helped me to deal with this.

(Female, age 34)

CBT for Social Anxiety and Self-esteem

Before I met Sarah I was struggling with a very stressful new job, also a move to another part of the country. I felt very upset, but Sarah was very easy to talk to and she helped me to understand I had symptoms of social anxiety, causing me to excessively worry about and avoid social situations.

We used a variety of techniques, including CBT, ACT and EMDR, to help me deal with my social anxiety.  Sarah also helped me to work on identifying and stepping back from my emotions, rather than getting too wound up in them. This, along with meditation and techniques like RAIN, gave me really useful tools to help me understand and live with my emotions rather than fighting against them.

I now feel like I have a much healthier relationship with my own thoughts and emotions, and am much more confident to face everyday troubles and to deal with stressful situations. I’m very grateful for Sarah’s help!

(Female, age 37)