WELCOME
ABOUT ME
I have provided psychological assessment and treatment to diverse clients in the US, UK, Germany, and France in both inpatient and outpatient settings. My work is enriched through further training in Life Coaching, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and offering clinical supervision.
COMMON ISSUES
Coping with Depression
Coping with the Changes and Uncertainties of our current Pandemic
Stress Management and Burnout Prevention
Building Confidence and Cultivating Self-Compassion
Improving Relationships and Conflict Resolution
Overcoming Anxiety, Fear, and Panic
Improving Attention for Performance Enhancement
Managing Difficult Life Transitions
Adapting to Life in a New Culture
Living with Chronic Medical Conditions
Self-Care for Carers of Children with Disabilities
FAQ`s
Personal coaching or life coaching aims to help clients clearly define and achieve personal goals. Life coaches use multiple tools that support clients in this process. An effective coach helps clients to understand themselves, to define where they want to be, and get there. Highly successful individuals can benefit from the support of a coach to achieve specific goals. In my work as a coach, I find great joy in helping my clients actualise their potential and grasp their true range of possibilities.
Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.
CBT aims to influence unhelpful emotions, behaviours and thoughts through a goal-oriented, systematic therapy process. Treatment is often brief and time-limited. Clients and therapists work together to identify and understand problems in terms of the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. The approach usually focuses on difficulties in the here and now and relies on the therapist and client developing a shared view of the client’s problem. This then leads to the identification of therapy goals and strategies that are continually monitored. There is a strong emphasis on the client putting skills learned during sessions into practice between meetings (aka homework). By the end of the treatment, the client often has developed useful insights and skills that will significantly benefit him or her in the future.
CBT is a treatment rooted in theory and is supported by research and evidence-based practice. Research has shown CBT to be the most effective psychological treatment for moderate depression and, in some cases, to be as effective as antidepressant medication.
As a CBT therapist, I have helped many individuals to develop cognitive-behavioural skills to overcome their suffering and to build on their existing strengths and talents.
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) was developed by Paul Gilbert to address difficulties associated with shame and self-criticism. I have successfully used this approach in conjunction with CBT techniques to help clients in individual and group work.
The assumption that therapy should always be long-term has often been challenged. Many clients are satisfied with a single session given their current circumstances. Single Session Therapy (SST), developed by Professor Windy Dryden, can provide targeted effective help with little or no delay when it is most needed.
In a single session, I try to apply the best tools and interventions for you to feel a sense of relief, adopt a new perspective, and achieve realistic results. I also offer you suggestions on how you can further positive change on your own.
Mindfulness is a non-judgmental, receptive mind state in which one observes thoughts and feelings in the present moment as they are, without trying to suppress or change them. Through mindfulness practice we train our attention and emotional resilience. We learn to pause, reflect, and choose our actions instead of simply reacting to feelings or events. Through meditation practice, our attention stops slipping mindlessly into the future or the past, thereby enabling us to enjoy a richer experience in the here and now. This leads to enhanced well-being, acceptance for what is, a greater tolerance for strong emotion, and a greater sense of calm.
I received formal training in both MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) and MBCT (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy).
MBSR is an 8-week group program that focuses on the acquisition of mindful awareness. It was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, who founded the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts and, nearly twenty years later, the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine. Kabat-Zinn describes mindfulness as a universal human capacity that can foster clear thinking and openheartedness.
MBCT is a psychological therapy designed to aid in preventing the relapse of depression, specifically in individuals with major depressive disorder. MBCT uses traditional cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) methods and adds in newer psychological approaches such as mindfulness and mindfulness meditation. MBCT helps clients to disengage from self-criticism, rumination, and the low mood associated with negative thinking patterns.
Mindful Self-Compassiom teaches us to be warm and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate. It involves recognising that suffering and personal inadequacy are part of the shared human experience. This can offer great relief and usually leads to a greater ability to be compassionate and forgiving with significant others.
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive
The .b curriculum is designed for students aged 11-18yrs within the school setting. Each of the total ten lessons teaches a distinct mindfulness skill. Through the use of images and animations, these skills are brought to life in a way that engages young minds. Putting mindfulness in a relevant context motivates pupils to become still and allows the teacher to lead them in some short practices. These include, for example, learning to sit still and observe their breathing, becoming aware of different parts of their body, walking mindfully or becoming more aware of how their body feels under stress.
I am trained to teach the Mindfulness in School Project’s .b curriculum. Please follow this link for more information on the .b Curriculum.
FEES
The Growing Good Practice is a private practice. In person and online sessions are offered on a pay as you go basis. Private insurance companies may reimburse you for my treatment.
BLOG & RESOURCES
Social Media: Protecting the Mental Health of Young Teens
Between ages 12-14 the brain undergoes a massive remodelling project. Teens experience significant neurological and psychological changes to prepare for an independent adulthood. SENSITIVITY TO SOCIAL...
Neuroplasticity and Contemplative Practice
Rick Hanson, a neuropsychologist, speaks of how we can overcome the brain’s negativity bias. He is the best selling author of Buddha’s Brain, founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscie...
Mindfulness and Self-Compassion in Everyday Life
Kristin Neff, Ph.D.,is the author of the book “Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind.’ This talk is from the “Practicing Mindfulness & Compassion...
Creating Mindful and Compassionate Schools
In 2009 the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) was established as a not-for-profit company by Richard Burnett and Chris Cullen, both school teachers and mindfulness practitioners, with the convicti...
CONTACT ME
An initial complimentary phone consultation is provided. I offer online therapy to local and international clients as well as in-person therapy in Valbonne, France.
