Online Leeds, Bradford Psychotherapist & Supervisor for Individuals and Couples. Specialising in Neurodiversity
Services
Couples and Individual Psychotherapy
I work with individuals over the age of 16 and I work with couples using the Developmental Model and invite couples in to my practice. I completed a Developmental Model course in couples work and a Neurodiverse couples work course. I work with both neurotypical and neurodiverse (ADHD and Autistic) couples.
I offer support to clients using my professional and personal experience in Neurodiversity. Psycho-education (understanding and learning) about mental health and their neurodiversity (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Autistic Spectrum Condition/Pathological Demand Avoidance).
I help clients to understand themselves better through greater self awareness and consider strategies to support their executive function and/or differing needs. Clients can suspect neurodiversity but not have a diagnosis, I cannot offer assessments or a diagnoses, however I support many clients through the process of assessment.
If you are interested in sessions, I offer a free 10-minute chat, or you can email me to discuss what your goals are, and decide whether you think I am the right fit for you.
In the first session, you have an opportunity to talk about your needs and an opportunity to see if the therapeutic relationship will work. Once you have decided to go ahead many of my clients pay for sessions 6/7 in advance. If you prefer you can pay just the day before the session. I will give you the dates ahead of time so you know you definitely have a slot. You are not committed to the sessions, all I ask is to give plenty of notice for cancellations. It is essential that you feel you have a good relationship with your therapist, it is key to good results for you to have the best outcome from therapy.
After each of your psychotherapy sessions, you will receive an email with confirmation of future dates/times of appointments and any resources that might be helpful.
I use a variety of techniques dependent on your needs. This is called integrative psychotherapy, it means the therapist uses various modalities to support the client. My initial training was Psychodynamic theory with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. However, over the years since 2016 I have had a lot of professional development and learned other theories and modalities then integrated those in to my practice. When working with neurodiverse clients it is necessary to work in a way that works for them and that is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach, it is an individualised relational therapeutic model.
Although I do specialise in neurodiversity, and the majority of my clients are neurodiverse. You do not need to be neurodiverse to work with me.
ADHD, Autism and Pathological Demand Avoidance
Bereavement
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Phobias
perinatal – birth, loss and trauma related to pregnancy and birth
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Eating Disorders
Depression
couples work – understanding self and other in a developmental approach to relationships
supervision for therapists working with Neurodiverse and Neurotypical clients
Supervision
I offer specialist supervision for psychotherapists who work with neurodivergent clients. Therapy for neurodivergent clients needs to be delivered by specialists. It is therefore essential that supervision is received from a qualified practitioner experienced within this field.
Over the years, I have found neurodivergent clients have expressed their difficulties accessing support and making progress, due to previous therapists not understand their neurodiversity.
This can be due to therapists’ making incorrect assumptions about their behaviours/thinking styles and confusion because the clients may not be responding well to a neurotypical style of therapeutic intervention.
If therapists and supervisors are not skilled in recognising when neurodiverse traits are present, it is likely that their treatment plans would be ineffective. It is important that their therapist can identify the key issues which are at the root of their difficulties. Specialist supervision provides supervisees with the confidence to work flexibly and provide effective support to their clients.