Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can help treat a range of issues from relationship problems and work stress to low self-esteem – it aims to help you understand your feelings and equip you to face new challenges, both in the present and the future.
Psychotherapy tends to look more deeply than counselling, addressing the underlying cause of your problem as well as how to solve the issues. You need to understand the need for change to see positive results. During psychotherapy, you learn about how your past experiences might be impacting your current issues, and how your thoughts, emotions and behaviours affect your sense of wellbeing. You’ll learn how to take control of your life and respond to challenging situations with healthy coping skills.
COGNITIVE ANALYTIC THERAPY (CAT)
Cognitive analytic therapy, or CAT, is a talking therapy that mainly focuses on relationship patterns. It is based on the idea that our early life experiences influence how we relate to others and how we treat ourselves. This means that sometimes patterns of behaviour, or our expectations of other people's behaviour, can develop into unhealthy or unhelpful repeating patterns, as well as those that are healthy and helpful. CAT involves working with Matt to clarify and understand - any problems you may be experiencing and unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving.
Matt tailors CAT therapy to your individual needs and to your own manageable goals. During therapy, you will explore how you manage your relationships and cope with feelings or difficult situations, and by looking at these patterns more closely, you will:
• clarify which ones are helpful or unhelpful
• understand how these patterns have developed
• discover what makes you keep repeating them
• find alternative, more effective ways of managing
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES (EFT)
EFT is a relatively new therapeutic approach, it has a growing evidence base for treating trauma, anxiety, stress, and low mood. EFT methods focus on your thoughts, feelings and emotions while you activate some aspect of the bio-energy system of the body.
EFT usually involves tapping on certain places on your body, which calms the body, clearing stress and trauma that are held there. The result is that It’s easier to move forward and enter into more positive life experiences. We know that tapping on certain parts of the body helps to lower states of stress, calming the brain, body, and mind. This effect is combined with a number of psychological components to create a very gentle and effective way of resolving emotional difficulties. EFT is highly effective when carried out with skill and knowledge. Increasing numbers of psychotherapists are using EFT in their practice, but very few have undergone rigorous training and accreditation.
SENSORIMOTOR PSYCHOTHERAPY
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-centred approach that aims to treat the somatic symptoms of unresolved trauma. This type of therapy depends on the bodily experiences of the individual as a gateway to awareness and improved mental health. Traumatic experiences may become trapped deep within the body, with those affected sometimes completely unaware of unresolved trauma. Sensorimotor therapy techniques can help an individual begin to heal by allowing that person to re-experience, in a safe environment, the physical sensations associated with a traumatic event.
The sensorimotor approach uses a person's physical, mental, and emotional states in order to gently manage and relieve the physical sensations associated with trauma. Sensorimotor psychotherapy helps the individual in therapy re-experience the traumatic event in a safe environment and carry out any previously unfulfilled actions to achieve a feeling of completion and closure. Details of the trauma do not necessarily need to be recalled for the treatment to be effective. Due to its gentle but powerful approach, sensorimotor psychotherapy is often an effective therapy for adults who have survived childhood trauma.
EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITISATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)
EMDR is a comprehensive psychotherapy that helps you process and recover from past experiences that are affecting your mental health and well-being. It involves using side-to-side eye movements, or tapping on the body, combined with talk therapy in a specific and structured format. EMDR helps you process the negative images, emotions, beliefs and body sensations associated with traumatic memories that seem to be stuck. These can contribute to a range of mental health problems.
EMDR helps you see things from a different perspective and relieves the symptoms you are suffering. EMDR is a way of kickstarting your natural healing and recovery process after your trauma. EMDR was developed – and is best known – as a therapy for treating trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Book an appointment today, call Matt on 07523 118380 or email.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Matt encourages you to talk about your thoughts and feelings – essentially, what is troubling you. Don't worry if you find opening up about your feelings hard. Matt will help you gain more confidence during the process. Because psychotherapy often involves emotional discussions, you may feel tired after your session, but Matt can help you with these feelings and emotions.
After your session, Matt may ask you to do specific activities or practice what you've learned – over time, you'll change how you think and feel about yourself and improve your ability to cope with problems.
To get the most out of psychotherapy, take these steps:
- Approach therapy as a partnership. Psychotherapy is most effective when you actively participate and share in decision-making. Ensure you agree about the major issues and how to work on them. Together, you and Matt can set goals and measure progress over time.
- Be open and honest. Success depends on your willingness to share your thoughts, feelings and experiences, and it also depends on whether you're willing to consider new insights, ideas and ways of doing things. Let Matt know if you hesitate to discuss specific issues because of painful emotions, embarrassment, or fears.
- Try to attend all sessions - and think about what you want to discuss.
- Don't expect instant results. Working on emotional issues can be painful and may require hard work. You may need several sessions before you begin to improve.
- Do your homework between sessions. Follow through if Matt asks you to document your thoughts in a journal or practice coping skills outside your therapy sessions. These assignments can help you apply what you've learned in the therapy sessions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Everything you discuss with Matt during your sessions is entirely confidential. There are only two exceptions to this: he is obliged to break confidentiality if you disclose involvement in or knowledge of serious criminal activities or if there is a safeguarding issue and he believes an adult or child could be threatened by harm or abuse.
Matt will discuss with you a treatment plan made up of sessions. Most sessions start weekly to build momentum – and usually continue for six weeks or more. Weekly sessions enable you to make gradual and steady progress towards your goals. Each session builds on the last, so keeping sessions frequent enables you to progress more quickly. It's also possible to arrange fortnightly meetings, but progress could be slower. The length of your treatment depends on your unique circumstances until you understand your issues and are ready to embrace positive change.
No. You are free to access counselling whenever you need extra support. You can get in touch with Matt directly.
Your first session is also an opportunity for you to ask Matt questions to learn more about what types of therapies he will use. You'll also be able to learn about the goals of your treatment. You can ask any questions at any time during your session.
FEES & CONTACT
Matt offers a FREE 15-minute consultation call to discuss your needs and answer any questions. Follow-on therapy sessions last 50 minutes and cost £90.00.
You can choose between online sessions delivered via a secure online platform or face-to-face in Caversham, Berkshire.
HOURS:
Monday and Tuesday, online or in-person private practice sessions
Thursday and Friday, online sessions
COST:
£90.00 per 50-minute session
Evening sessions are available upon request.
Book an appointment today. Call Matt on 07523 118380 or email info@matthewtinkerpsychotherapy.co.uk
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