How I can help with Psychological Assessments?
I take great pride and humbling from offering only scientifically accepted treatment, often embracing innovations in science ahead of these being reflected in guidance (I like to keep up with scientific journals and discoveries my own clients make) AND I also will always have made efforts to have tried and to practice anything I recommend for my therapy clients.
In my 20 year career I have learnt that meaningful change for clients can only occur when we have a shared understanding of what has driven and maintains their difficulty – and aim to have a shared ‘recipe’ (what psychologists call a ‘formulation’) after the initial consultation session.
I have trained, practiced and continue to do so (assessment, therapy, consultation, evaluation) with adults and groups presenting with a wide range of psychological difficulties, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anger, chronic conditions, stress, and several others. I also carry out pre-surgical psychological assessments and recommendations ahead of cosmetic treatment.
Details of my fees and terms can be found here
Understanding the Process
Psychological Assessment (typically two hours) is the first step to develop a shared understanding of how your difficulties came about and what we may be able to do about them. During a confidential conversation we build a picture of how the patient’s difficulties came about, what’s keeping them active and what to do about it.
I would then make recommendations for treatment, based on current and innovative scientifically accepted methods, for you to look up and consider. I do so by writing to you the details discussed in our assessment via letter. This letter is also shared with your referrer and your GP. Whilst I appreciate this can feel quite personal, it is also important to honor the truth about your issues if we are to be able to move on.
I utilise various approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based approaches; an evidence-based, mindfulness-based evolution of this called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Sometimes I inform the work with Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), which is an approach, relevant when your life experiences get you caught into difficulty and repeated patterns in relationships with others. I have also become particularly fond of working with life traumas (early life physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, bullying, parental discord and relationship issues) that we discover cause emotional, thoughts and physical distress today.
As part of this I have developed a keen interest in EMDR, a treatment specifically developed for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and for any experience of difficulty today (diagnosable or not as depression, anxiety, fear, stressful thoughts, emotions and sensations), where you may recognise this was initially embedded by one traumatic or multiple/repeated disturbing experiences where you felt not safe, not in control, not lovable, weak, bad or affected in any way – and that difficulty seems to have continued no matter how hard you tried to address it.
Below some helpful video clips on the principles that inform both my work & the treatment approaches I may recommend following initial assessment.
